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Positive PR in My SchoolJulian Girdham Donal O’Reilly

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What is the image of PR?

• Marketing• Promotion• Media – Newspapers, TV, Radio• Digital media• Selling• ‘Spin’• Advertising

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• “The activity or job of providing information about an organisation to the public so that people will regard that organisation in a favourable way.”

Merriam-Webster

A Dictionary Definition

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• Anything that promotes and supports the ethos and best practices of your school.

A Better Definition for a School?

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• Support & celebrate student achievement.• Help share best teacher practice.• Communicate effectively with parents.• It is a virtuous circle for the organisation.

Why have PR in a school?

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Discussion:

• What does your school do most effectively?

PR in schools

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• Noticeboards (physical and virtual).• Website.• Digital tools & social media.• Newsletters (paper and e-form).• Conventional media – radio, newspaper, TV.• Information evenings.• Parental involvement.• Hospitality.• Assemblies.• Social events.• School events – concerts, plays, walks, parent-teacher meetings, award nights, sports

days.• Past-pupil networks.• Corporate connections (work experience).• Visits, events in local primary schools.• Communication of activities by students, teachers, parents.• Student media crew.

Some angles

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• Identify what your message is going to be.• What is your target audience(s) - vary content to suit.• What medium is best to use?• Monitor & analyze what you do & how you do it.• Register school with Local Enterprise Board & avail of

discounted training courses.• The power of the visual: good quality photos essential.

Use video if possible.• Wise use of a budget.• Free social media – ‘tag’ & ‘hashtag’.• Don’t forget the staff: communicate.

Some ideas

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• Effective PR supports the students and staff in a school, helps to build the community through communication, and is a powerful tool in improving school standards.

• The Deputy Principal is at the heart of the school community, and so is in an excellent position to lead this process.

To sum up