The district mails a printed newsletter to each resident within the district boundaries to highlight the school year, spotlight the successes of students and faculty mem- bers, and share board of education news and actions. The Oak Brook Civic Association also includes this con- tent in its newsletter, which it sends to residents. The well-rounded approach to communications allows the district to share applicable information across many channels, building solid relationships.


Developing a Cadence


The frequency of communication is an essential com- ponent of a successful communications strategy. There is a fine line between too much communication and not enough information; striking that balance is critical. In the past, district officials and the two principals sent email communications at varying intervals with no coordination. Parents didn’t know when and how to expect communication from building principals or the superintendent.


The Butler Junior High and Brook Forest Elementary principals now send their parent newsletters on Friday afternoons within 15 minutes of each other. The schools send digital backpacks on Thursdays to share com- munity flyers, promote events, and provide information about the high school.


There is a fine line between too much communication and not enough information; striking that balance is critical.


Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, District 53 knew that parents and staff needed to hear from the superinten- dent’s office regularly to promote unity and to commu- nicate timely information clearly and effectively. Thus, on Fridays, the district sent an email to all faculty, staff, and parents to share updates, decisions, practices, adjust- ments, and other pertinent information. This cadence continued from March 2020 through October 2020 since the situation changed rapidly and parents relied on the superintendent’s communication for timely updates. Ultimately, the frequency changed to a monthly delivery that aligns with the board of educa- tion meetings.


Building a Centralized Hub


For COVID-19-related communications, the district wanted to drive traffic to a centralized location. District personnel developed a page on the district website that


20 JULY/AUGUST 2021 | SCHOOL BUSINESS AFFAIRS


A COVID-19 dashboard kept the community updated on the constantly changing pandemic education landscape.


linked all COVID-19-related email communications, resources, monitoring reports, and forms. All district correspondence shared a link to this web page to ensure that stakeholders were aware of the resource. This web page continues to be one of the top 10 most-visited pages on the district website.


Although the district initiated this practice specifically


for COVID-19 communications, the strategy is beneficial for any major initiatives within a district. A dedicated landing page filled with resources, communication, and information allows all stakeholders to move forward together with the same information, thus building unity.


Developing “Power-Ships”


Collaborations between school districts and community partners are power-ships that benefit the school district and the community.


District 53 enjoys a power-ship with the Oak Brook Park District, which provides park and recreational facilities and opportunities to the community. The school district invites representatives of the park district to all board of education community outreach committee meetings so both organizations can share information with the same audience. Additionally, District 53 has collaborative partner- ships with the Oak Brook police and fire departments. The school district and those departments interact with each other and share updates via social media channels. Collaborating with local businesses is crucial to unifying the community. The superintendent provides updates, makes presentations, and collaborates with the local chamber of commerce, business associations, and others investing in the Oak Brook community. These power-ships benefit the businesses and the school district in many ways, including providing advertising opportunities to local businesses and career education for students.


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