The School and Community Relations / Edition 9

by Don H. Bagin, Donald R. Gallagher, Edward H. Moore

Overview

Well-researched and applied, this best-selling text provides school officials the “how” and the “why” for effective communication with their staff and the community to improve school quality and student learning.

Chapters are sequenced so that the student can learn how to establish a public/community relations program that will be effective with every audience a school administrator will encounter. The authors continue to teach, research, and work extensively with school administrators, and this experience allows them to provide sound advice that is field tested and successful.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780205509065
Publisher:	Allyn & Bacon, Inc.
Publication date:	03/21/2007
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	7.74(w) x 9.45(h) x 1.04(d)

Table of Contents

	Preface	xi
	About the Authors	xiii
Part 1	Essential Considerations
Chapter 1	The Importance of Public Relations	1
	Why School Public Relations?	1
	Suggestions for Improving Public Confidence	3
	Need for a Communication Plan	7
Chapter 2	Public Character of the School	9
	Public Character of the School	9
	The Meaning of Public Opinion	10
	School-Community Relations	11
	Models of Public Relations	13
Chapter 3	Understanding the Community	16
	Sociological Inventory	16
	Power Structures	23
	Measuring Public Opinion	26
	Electronic Surveying	37
Chapter 4	Policies, Goals, and Strategies	40
	Nature of a Policy	40
	Goals and Strategies	43
	Planning Checklist	48
Chapter 5	Administering the Program	52
	The Board of Education	52
	The Superintendent's Role	55
	The Administrative Team	57
	Director of School-Community Relations	57
	Standards for Educational Public Relations Professionals	61
	Plans of Organization	62
	Responsibilities of Other Team Members	64
	Budgetary Provisions	64
	Staff Members	65
	General Community Relations Responsibilities	65
	Specific Community Relations Responsibilities	66
	In-Service Training	69
Part 2	Relations with Special Publics
Chapter 6	The Communication Process	73
	Elements of Communication	76
	Communication and Persuasion	76
	Media's Role in Communication	83
	Words	85
	Crisis Communications	86
Chapter 7	Communicating with Internal Publics	89
	Why Internal Communications?	89
	School Board Actions	89
	Administration-Employee Relations	91
	Relations among Teachers	93
	Relations with Noninstructional Personnel	95
	Improvement of Staff Relations	96
	Communicating during Negotiations and Strikes	103
	Communicating with Pupils	107
	Instructional Practices	109
	Relations Outside the Classroom	110
	The Pupil and Internal Community Relations	112
	Student Unrest	113
Chapter 8	Communicating with External Publics	118
	The Pupil and External Community Relations	118
	Community Relations Role of Teachers' Associations	123
	Importance of Parent Relations	127
	School Liaison Groups	134
	Key Communicators	137
	General Community Groups	138
	Older Adults and the School: An Intergenerational Public Relations Approach	143
	Opportunities for Cooperation	146
	Meeting Criticism and Attacks	149
	Communication during Negotiations and a Strike	155
	Communicating with Diverse Cultures	157
Chapter 9	Getting Ready for a Crisis	160
	A Crisis Plan Is Essential	160
	Why Is a Crisis Management Team Important?	162
	What Types of Crises Can We Expect?	162
	Where Do Acts of Violence Take Place?	163
	When Violence Strikes... What To Do	163
	Working with the Media	166
	Special Considerations	170
	Prevention... Your First and Best Strategy	171
	The Warning Signs	172
	The Aftermath	172
Chapter 10	Communication about School Services and Special Events	174
	Contacts with the Board of Education	174
	Receiving School Visitors	176
	Handling Telephone Calls and Correspondence	178
	Servicing Complaints	181
	Meeting Everyday Contacts	182
	Requests for Information	183
	Participation in Community Life	184
	School Plant Appearance	185
	Special Programs for Older People	186
	Open House	187
	Building Dedications	189
	American Education Week	190
	Business-Industry-Education Cooperation	190
	Community Use of School Facilities	191
	Adult Education	192
	Community Education	194
Part 3	Communication Tools
Chapter 11	Working with the Press	196
	Guidelines	197
	The Role of Reporters	201
	The Press and School Board Meetings	203
	The News Conference	205
	Drafting a News Relations Plan	206
	What People Want to Know about the Schools	206
	Foreign-Language Newspapers	206
	News Topics in Your Schools	207
	Types of Stories	211
	News Sources	215
	News Organizations	217
	Getting the News to the Press	220
	Mechanics of the News Release	223
	Other Methods	223
Chapter 12	Radio, Television, Exhibits, and Audiovisual Aids	226
	Using Radio	226
	Writing for Radio	231
	Working with Radio Personnel	232
	Television Opportunities	232
	Getting Television Time	232
	Planning for Effective Television	233
	School Exhibits	235
	Movies and Videos	239
	Other Options	241
Chapter 13	Schools and the Internet	243
	Study Technology's Past Impact	243
	Apply Yesterday's Lessons	244
	Forget the Gee-Whiz Factor	244
	Consider the New-Media Mix	244
	Focus on Relevancy	245
	Listen to Your New-Media Customers	245
	Create New Worlds: The Snaring and Feeding of New-Media Customers	246
	Tap the Power of Digital Face to Face	246
	Deal with the New World of Communication Chaos	246
	Prepare for the Unexpected	247
	Expect Grassroots Involvement	247
	Understand the User's Power	249
	Take Advantage of New Developments	249
	Follow These Tips	250
Chapter 14	Preparing Published Materials	252
	Objectives and School Publications	252
	Knowing the Audience	253
	Choosing Content	254
	Determining Who Should Write the Publications	254
	Knowing How to Publish It	254
	Priorities for Traditional Printing	255
	Saving Money on Printing Costs	257
	Designing and Laying Out the Publication	259
	Getting the Most Out of Typography	262
	Using Photos to Enhance Publications	264
	Distributing Publications	264
	Evaluating School Publications	268
	Deciding Which Publications to Print	268
	The Role of Student Publications	272
Chapter 15	Conducting Campaigns	280
	How a Community Accepts a New Idea	280
	The Change Agent	281
	How People Accept Change	282
	Introducing an Innovation	283
	School Finance Elections	284
	What the Research Says	284
	Planning the Campaign	287
	Determining the Proposal	288
	Establishing a Philosophy	288
	Naming a Campaign Director	289
	Timing of the Campaign	289
	Financing the Campaign	289
	Citizens' Advisory Committee	290
	Registration of Voters	291
	Other Campaign Participants	291
	Knowing the Community's Thinking before the Election	293
	Adopting a Theme or Slogan	294
	Personalizing the Campaign	294
	Keep It Simple	295
	Working with the Media	295
	Publications Can Help	296
	Speakers' Bureau	296
	Endorsements	297
	Small-Group Meetings	297
	House-to-House Canvass	297
	Absentee Ballots	298
	Election-Day Plans	298
	Campaign Timetable	298
	Recommendations to Improve Election-Day Results	300
	A New Jersey Example of a Campaign	301
	A Nevada Example of a Campaign	310
Chapter 16	School Public Relations and the School Choice Challenge	315
	What Are the Challenges?	315
	Counteracting a Competitor's Marketing Plan	316
	Questions to Address	317
	Statements a Competitor Might Use to Attract Students	320
	Suggestions to Get People to Choose Your Schools	321
	How Memphis Told Its School Story	321
Part 4	Evaluation
Chapter 17	Assessment of the Program	324
	Scope of Assessment	324
	Myths about Measurements	324
	Importance of Evaluation to a Public Relations Plan	325
	Approaches to Evaluation	326
	Appraising the Results	330
Appendix A	Organizations that Could be Helpful	340
	Index	343

Editorial Reviews

Focusing on the special public relations issues of the school setting, this text is organized into four parts: essential issues, such as the public character of the school, understanding the community, and administering the program; relations with special publics, including internal and external publics, crisis preparation, and communication about special events; communication tools, including the press, other media, new technologies, written media, and conducting campaigns; and evaluation and program assessment. Updates to the 1997 edition includes such topics as school violence, diversity, the Internet, increased e-mail and Web site use, electronic polling and telephony, school vouchers, and school choice. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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