#SchoolPR Insights
Commentary on school communications, marketing, public relations, referendum planning
and crisis communications from the team at the Donovan Group.
Key Education Dates, Events and Celebrations Throughout the Year
UPDATE: Our team has now added dates and celebrations for the 2022-23 school year. Please see below! For any school leader, administrator or communication professional, it can be a challenge to keep track of all the holidays, holidays, events, appreciation days, weekly celebrations and other occasions that take place throughout the year. To help make this a little easier, we have compiled a list of these events for the next year, starting in July 2022 and running through June 2023. These...
Meet the New Members of the Donovan Group Team!
Over the past several years, we have been fortunate to be able to grow significantly in the services we deliver to public schools and districts across the United States. In addition to increasing the number of clients we serve on a daily basis, we are also expanding the types of services we provide. Now, we are pleased to share that we have added two talented communication professionals to our team! Brooke Pisciotto, Communication Strategist As a communication strategist, Brooke Pisciotto will...
School Finance Communcation: Early and Often
School Finance Communcation: Early and Often This is the first article of a three-part series on communication about school finance. There is a universal truth when communicating about education: nearly everyone has an opinion because nearly everyone has attended school. But if it’s true that everyone has attended school and therefore is well informed about what school is, the same is certainly not true when it comes to school finance and district budgets. Let's face it—when communicating...
Great Communication Helps School Districts Build Trust in Their Communities
A national survey of 500 educational leaders suggests that nearly all aspire to build trust with their stakeholders, but too few are confident in their school districts’ ability to deliver on that goal. The 2019 State of K-12 Customer Experience survey was conducted by K12 Insight, an educational communications and research firm, with support from the National School Public Relations Association and the National School Boards Association. The survey found that 90 percent of district and...
Donovan Group Partners with VASS to Offer Crisis Communication Services to Virginia School Districts
The Virginia Association of School Superintendents has partnered with the Donovan Group to offer around-the-clock urgent and crisis communication services to public schools and districts throughout Virginia. Through the service, district and school leaders gain access to school communication experts to help them quickly respond to difficult situations that may affect their schools, students, staff and families throughout the year. “A crisis situation can arise at any moment in a school or...
Communication Support for a Contentious School Board Meeting
Among all that is great about public schools is that they are governed by boards made up of community members who live alongside the families of the schools they serve. In many communities, the school board is the governing body closest to their constituents. While it may be very rare for most people to come into direct contact with their U.S. senator, they have much more access to their local school board members. At the same time, we know from history that some of the most contentious issues...
Donovan Group Updates: New Hires, New Offices, New Services
In the 15 or so years of the Donovan Group, there is only one regret that I have: naming it after myself. I have always focussed on the “group” part of the name because it is the collective group of people who comprise our firm—dedicating their considerable knowledge, skills and their goodness as people—who are responsible for the success of our clients and our firm. As we approach our 16th year in business, I am grateful to share some updates. New Offices Earlier this year, we opened offices...
Donovan Group Intelligence Delivers Surveys, Data Analysis to Schools and Districts Nationwide
The Donovan Group, a national leader in education-focused communications and community engagement, is expanding its survey, polling, focus group and data analysis services through the launch of Donovan Group Intelligence. By integrating proven research methods and emerging best practices, technology and experience, Donovan Group Intelligence empowers schools and districts to collect, store, examine and manage data from students, staff, parents, non-parent community members and others. As part...
Welcome, New Superintendents!
While the COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed so much of the work of school and district leaders, there are some traditions that carry on. This includes a changing of the guard, as new superintendents replace veterans who are soon to enjoy well-deserved retirements. We have always said that the first 100 days of a new superintendent’s term is a critical time. That’s even more true during this era of COVID-19. With that in mind, below are some communication-related tips to help you make the...
Dr. Lori Mueller to Lead School Communication Efforts in Florida
Dr. Lori M. Mueller, an experienced educational leader and superintendent who has been nationally recognized for her work in school communication, has joined the Donovan Group as the firm’s lead associate in Florida. For the past six years, Dr. Mueller has served as district administrator of the School District of Baraboo in central Wisconsin. In that time, she led significant continuous school improvement through district strategic planning processes. She also led efforts to engage community...