Strategic Plan 2014 Internal Communications End-of-Year Report

Judith Malveaux Internal Communications Specialist

AREA OF FOCUS 1: EFFECTIVE TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP

Clearly define and measure teacher effectiveness. Gather feedback from employees regarding their concerns about teacher effectiveness measures and development. o Set up pre-release screening and messaging amendments with PfP. o Received feedback from Superintendents Teacher Advisory Council regarding feedback they received about PfP/teacher effectiveness. o Attended teacher assistant meetings and answered questions about budget, PfP and gathered feedback from them on budget. Promote the development and implementation of teacher effectiveness measures. o Assisted PfP department with video production, pre-release screening and amending messaging to schools. Ensure that school leaders have the ability and resources to meet the needs of students and teachers. Make sure toolkits and documents are available for use by school leaders as needed. o Budget Held focus group meetings with Principals to amend budget communications to better meet their needs. Sent 15 communications to employees updating them on changes to the budget and developments in budget discussions Produced three employee videos to update them on budget developments. Set up four employee budget meetings, coordinating PowerPoint presentation, speakers and handouts. Update documents and toolkits as needed to ensure accuracy and relevance. o Principals toolkits Updated principals toolkits with new information about: Opening of Schools Summative Assessments Opening of Schools/Summer tasks o Comprehensive Review Developed 80 sets of talking points for principals at schools discussed in the Comprehensive Review detailing proposed changes. Assisted Planning and Facilities in developing talking points about Comprehensive Review. Developed One-page information sheets for four community meetings on Comprehensive Review.

AREA OF FOCUS 2: PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Manage employee performance using readily available, accurate and timely information. Create new measures and evaluations that specify expectations for every job in the district. Recognize employees found to meet or exceed performance expectations, as determined by their colleagues and/or supervisors. o Wrote 80 stories recognizing staff for awards and accomplishments Promote and effectively communicate to staff the development of new measures and evaluations. o Sent eight emails from CMS communications updating employees them on PfP and State of Our Schools.

Gather feedback from employees to share with administration about evaluations and measures.

Develop training programs for leaders and potential leaders to help improve performance. Work with developers to ensure best practices in promoting program availability. o Promoted 179 professional development opportunities to employees in DirectLine and on the Intranet. o Sent five emails inviting employees to apply for principal/AP Talent pools. o Promoted 44 award/fellowship opportunities to employees. o Worked with external groups to invite more than 800 employees to recognition program. o Coordinated communication efforts on Teacher of the Year process, including interviews and selection. Recognize district staff chosen for programs. Wrote 30 stories recognizing participants in programs such as: o Aspiring Leaders o Outward Bound o Fulbright o NASA program o National Board certification

AREA OF FOCUS 4: TEACHING AND LEARNING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY

Expand staff access to and use of technology-based educational services. Provide ongoing feedback to IT regarding internal technology needs. o Worked on Intranet revamp, communication of new Intranet. o Worked with IT on Yammer use and differences in Yammer use versus Wikipages. Promote free web-based professional development opportunities for employees. o Promoted 150 free/internal professional development opportunities. Used DirectLine and the Intranet to inform staff of 212 district news items (principal appointments, department moves, ID badge information, etc.). Used CMS Communications to send 79 messages to employees, including: o Professional development opportunities o Superintendent messages o Pay for Performance communications o Employment opportunities (summer school, after school and internal job posting process). o Annual enrollment Communicated 44 grant newsletters and grants department communications electronically. Disseminated 65 department newsletters to employees electronically Yammer o 1,170 members since launched last fall. Worked with IT on how it can best be used and how it can be used with Wiki Pages. o Have almost 400 followers on Yammer. Facebook o Increased fans from 2,400 in June 2010 to 4,346 in June 2011

Daily user numbers increased from 11 (average) per day to peaks Jan. 17 (1337), Feb. 2 (1,285) and June 8 (1,210). These days coincides with inclement weather updates and the superintendent resignation announcement. Followers increased the most in January and February (more than 1,000 fans added in these two months)

Twitter o Launched formally in December. We currently have 123 followers and have sent 306 tweets. Podcasts o Set up a CMS podcast site where audio recording of media briefings were posted. So far, eight podcasts were uploaded and viewed 407 times. Handheld video o We started using flip cameras and produced two internal employee videos updating staff on the budget.

AREA OF FOCUS 5: ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Engage staff in environmental stewardship. Promote opportunities for environmental stewardship. o Promoted four contests/opportunities for environmental stewardship. Promote the development and implementation of the Environmental Management System. o Included six items on Environmental Stewardship in DirectLine.

AREA OF FOCUS 6: PARENT AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Increase the capacity of schools to partner with families and communities. Promote training opportunities on engaging parents and/or community members. o Included 35 Parent University blurbs in DirectLine, seeking staff participation or attendance of events. Publicize internally district-wide efforts to engage parents and/or community members (ex. Parent University courses, community forums) o Promoted 111 community events to employees in DirectLine and on the Intranet. o Promoted 10 community employment opportunities to employees seeking summer employment.