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Expanding the Vision
“Why Engaging the Public
is Imperative”
Mark Bonjavanni, Consultant
National Connections
mbonjavanni@nsba.org
Introductions
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
1. Show the public what good governance looks
like.
2. Model the behavior you want students and staff
to emulate, especially during times of conflict.
3. Know your facts, and be proactive in sharing
them.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
4. Develop your elevator speech about your school
system, why you serve, and why others should
care about your local public schools.
5. Tell 10 success stories for every criticism you
hear or share.
6. Bring someone new with you every time you
visit a school, attend a school program or district
event.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
7. Recruit new families for public schools, and stay
in touch with current and prospective parents.
8. Reach out to real estate agents, grandparents,
human resource officers, and others who
influence where people live and where families
send their children to school.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
9. Hit the breakfast, lunch, and dinner speaking
circuit in your community, and remind people
that public schools are the only game in town
that serves all children.
10. Build relationships with opinion leaders in your
community, and have them on speed dial and in
your email distribution list.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
11. Add to your district’s database of key audience
members every time you meet someone new by
sharing copies of the business cards you collect
with the public information office or
superintendent’s office.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
12. Make sure your district is represented on other
key community boards, groups, commissions, and
committees. Require at least annual reports to
back to the entire school board about news,
information, tasks, and activities.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
13. Contact your local, state, and federal
representatives regularly about the importance of
public schools, to share good news, or to invite
them to school and district events and activities.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
14. Work with your local economic development
teams to make sure public schools are
represented fairly and on par with private
schools or charter options when new businesses
are recruited, or new executives come to town.
15 Things School Board
Members Can Do To Boost
Public Confidence in Public
Schools
15. Don’t guess. If you don’t know something, or
haven’t heard about something, don’t express shock
and dismay, or assume the worst is true. Carry blank
note cards and a pen with you at all times so you can
take down the information or concern, and promise
to have someone get back to them quickly. Then
share the information with the superintendent or
appropriate staff member. Reserve judgment until
you have all the facts.
National Vision:
Backbone of Messaging
Side #1
Our Vision
Results which school
boards expect public
schools to achieve
Side #2
Our Agenda
Resources public
schools require to
achieve results
A School Board Vision for
Public Education
A School Board Vision for Public Education
As locally elected school board members, it
is our vision that the nation’s public schools
will prepare each child to reach his or her
potential in life. All students will have
the knowledge, and skills to compete and
ensure that America remains strong as a
democracy and in the global market place.
Public schools will achieve the
following results:
•
•
•
•
Holding themselves accountable for the success
of each child, leading to a high school graduation
with a world class education
Closing the achievement gap
Continuously meeting high expectations for
student achievement and community satisfaction
Providing a safe learning environment that
focuses on individualized instruction and
protecting the civil rights of all students
To achieve our vision, public
schools will have the following
resources:
• The capacity to provide effective teachers,
technology, and other resources
• The necessary funding, research, and technical
assistance for improvement and meeting the
educational demands of a dynamic world
• The active participation by parents, business
people, civic leaders and the public at large
To achieve our vision, public
schools will have the following
resources:
• Locally elected school boards who will work with
their community and local educators to achieve
success
• State and federal lawmakers who are committed
to public education and the goals of the local
schools they serve
National Campaign: Print Ads
National Campaign:
Banner Ads
“Build a Message Bridge”
for Your School District
Priorities or Issues
National Vision and National Campaign
create the opportunity to drive your
messages, on issues that matter in public
education.
Discussion
What should the
“message bridge” be?
•
•
Major issues affecting your schools
Most powerful alignment—excites energy, shows
leadership in action, and drives the message
Skill Building:
Creating Key
Messages
Strong key messages are:
Concise
Strategic
Relevant
Compelling
Simple
Memorable
Real
Tailored
Supporting Message #1
Supporting Message #2
KEY MESSAGE
[sample]
Today’s public
schools are better
than ever.
Conclusion & Call to Action
Supporting Message #3
Share with a partner
•
Practice delivering your message: “Elevator
speech” using the framework
•
Partners: Listen for one thing that resonates
most with you
Recap: We can change the conversation.
We can lead school boards across the
country in taking the message to the
streets.
•
•
•
•
Strong national vision drawn from the voice and
values of NSBA members
Powerful public advocacy campaign: the “aha”
messages in visible channels
“Bridging” messages to drive your agenda in your
state
National Connection messaging tools that help
boards and districts identify and align their
messages
Tools you can use from NSBA
•
Vision Statement & Video: www.nsba.org
•
Vision Cards: Linda Embrey,
lembrey@nsba.org
•
National Ad Campaign and State Kits: Lisa
Bushey, lbushey@nsba.org
•
National Connection Partnership Tools:
www.nsba.org/getconnected
Working with and through our State Associations,
to advocate for equity and excellence in public
education through school board leadership.
www.nsba.org
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