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District Effectiveness Report Communication Services

June 2016

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Executive Summary

The Communications Services Department has the privilege of serving and/or working with every campus and department in Mesquite ISD. Communication with internal and external audiences is vital to the operations of the district and essential to fostering trust, credibility and understanding. Our mission is to declare Mesquite ISD’s difference to our students’ families, our employees and our community. And our goal is to continually seek to expand our reach, improve engagement and master new and existing mediums. Using the news media, TV cable stations, the district websites, social media and other communications channels, the Communications Department spreads positive news about Mesquite ISD students, programs, staff members and events while informing and educating the public, families and staff members about new initiatives or areas of focus. In times of crisis or emergency, when student or staff safety is threatened, the Communications staff takes the lead in keeping all relevant audiences informed through a variety of mediums. The Communication Services organization is comprised of four separate departments that serve the district in support roles:

Central Office Team

KEOM

Electronic Media Services/Audio-Visual Support

Print Shop


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Executive Summary

Accomplishments (See Effectiveness Indicators)

Challenges

Limited communication with police during emergency situations

Recruiting and retaining ALIVE members throughout the year

Limited staff – projects continually added to current staff (Photography and video are particularly overwhelmed; upcoming addition of new social media/webmaster will help tremendously.)

No bilingual staff members in the department

Board recognition process handled by several departments, which results in frequent errors

Student recruitment for KEOM (Transportation is an issue.)

Lack of staff awareness about KEOM publicity opportunities (both internally and externally)

Ongoing technical issues for KEOM (frequent periods off air, etc.)

Short turnaround times for video projects

Dissatisfaction with emergency notification vendor

Outdated prepress technology (to be replaced for 2016-17)

Service work needed for machines, parts (Print Shop)

Storage – limits paper in stock; have to use floor space

Tests coming in last minute; 50+ tests per round


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Description

This organizational chart illustrates our reporting structure:


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Description

Central Office Team Four professional staff members and a secretary manage and coordinate the following functions. Many of these functions are described in greater detail later in this report.

o district special events o Board meeting recognition o employee recognition programs o publications o open records requests o non-curricular Spanish translation o media relations o marketing and advertising o graphic arts o website content and maintenance o social media o general information requests o community engagement o various stakeholder surveys o district calendar o parent notification o communications partnerships with the City of Mesquite o crisis communications


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Description

Crisis Communications/Media Events In event of a crisis or emergency involving one or more MISD schools or staff members, Communications controls the information coming from the district. Working with administrators, first responders, the City of Mesquite and campuses, Communications ensures the information is timely, accurate, and reaches the relevant parties, including the media. In many cases, we are able to avoid being the subject of negative media attention by helping reporters to flesh out their “facts” with truth or background information. Our goal is to remove the burden from the affected campus as much as possible so that campus staff can focus on their priorities. Standard procedures include parent/family notification, staff notification, talking points for staff members who answer calls, media updates and on-site media management.

Special Events The Central Office Communications Team is responsible for most of the district’s special events that take place during the year. From planning and invitations to set-up and coordination, we strive to ensure that each one is a memorable and worthwhile experience for all involved. The following are the annual events we coordinate:

Apple Corps Gala

Retiree Luncheon

Val/Sal Luncheon

Milestones Service Awards Reception


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Description

Veterans Day Breakfast

Key Communicators/Business Partners Breakfasts

School/Facility Dedications

New Board Member Information Session

United Way Campaign

Convocation/New Year Kick-off In addition to these district events, we also assist the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation with its two signature events each year: the Lone Star Legacy Gala and the Amazing Technicolor 5K.

Electronic Media Services Video Production Mesquite ISD’s award-winning producers stay busy year-round, and the department is the envy of many others around the state. Three producers provide support to campuses and central office departments by creating videos that inform, inspire and influence. They also work closely with students in the Advanced AVP class, serving as mentors and professional resources. Photography In addition to serving as a video producer, Wade Odom is the district photographer. On a daily basis, he can be found on campuses, at sporting events, at district events – just about everywhere – documenting what happens in Mesquite ISD. His photos dominate the Mesquite ISD website, social media channels and publications, and they are regularly picked up by media outlets, too.


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Description

A/V Support Working in staggered schedules, Emily Rusk and John Campbell support all meetings/presentations held at the PDC with A/V set-up and troubleshooting. The recording and broadcast of school board meetings are also vital functions of this area. Other roles include website maintenance, video support and special event support.

Graphic Design As a one-person, part-time design agency, MISD’s graphic artist (Kristin Odom) fulfills nearly 50 specific recurring projects throughout the year with an additional 15 various special categories (multiple projects each) of requests that arise – most with an immediate turnaround. In addition to the Communications Department, she also serves Instruction/Curriculum, CTE, the Superintendent’s Office, Community Education, Personnel, Food and Nutrition Services, the Mesquite ISD Education Foundation and various individual campuses/principals. (see examples below)


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Description

KEOM 88.5 FM This noncommercial, educational, community service station features mostly ’70s with some grooves from the ’60s and flashes of the ’80s. (This format will change to ’70s, ’80 and ’90s by the end of the year.) Broadcasting to the public at a signal strength of 61,000 watts and streaming worldwide, the station provides locally produced and syndicated community service and educational


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programs, TSN news, updates on traffic provided by Total Traffic Network, timely weather forecasts, and Mesquite ISD varsity game broadcasts. The station recently celebrated 30 years on the air. KEOM provides information to the community (targeting parents, school district patrons, residents and other metro area adults with its programming) and serves as a radio laboratory for high school students interested in broadcasting. Several KEOM alumni have gone on to achieve successful careers in broadcasting. Station Manager Peggy Brooks oversees the operation to ensure compliance with FCC regulations and requirements as well as MISD standards. She also reviews and prepares the curriculum and approves all student production submitted for on-air play. In addition, she is active in the community and serves on several boards. Students serve as the DJs during the school day. Full-time and part-time staff members cover additional on-air shifts; automation takes over during the overnight hours. One of the most popular station features is the live broadcast of Mesquite ISD sports. But the station also airs unique locally produced segments, such as Community Focus and the Mayor’s regular show, as well as syndicated content. This school year, Mrs. Brooks implemented a new Society of Broadcast Engineers certification for staff and students. A new course addition – Advanced Broadcast Journalism 3 – will be available to students in 2016-17.

Media Relations The bulk of Mesquite ISD’s media relations is handled by Director of Communications and Marketing Elizabeth Fernandez. She pitches, places or handles an average of 25 stories per month, responding to routine media inquiries as well as crisis or emergency calls from television, print and radio outlets. Relationships are crucial when dealing with the media, and Elizabeth nurtures her contacts by helping them to do their jobs and find compelling stories. For instance, she regularly meets with reporters to give them story ideas for projects and programs that are on the horizon. And she serves as a conduit between reporters and students to bring attention to outstanding achievements.


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Description

Print Shop The Print Shop is a full-service operation whose services rival those of any commercial printing operation. With equipment ranging from 1- and 2-color presses, to high-speed color and black-and-white copiers, to various plate-making and bindery equipment, the print shop staff members provide a majority of the printing required by the school district. The Print Shop fulfills a constant stream of print jobs that range from tests and forms to reports and brochures — and everything in between. This team of five works together to keep customers satisfied and needs met, often going above and beyond to meet unrealistic deadlines or last-minute requests. Most jobs are produced in-house, with the exceptions of 4-color presswork or small quantity digital color jobs that are faster and more economical to print through a commercial shop specializing in those types of work. From concept to completion, design to finishing, folding to delivery, the Print Shop does it all to meet the need.

Publications

MISD Matters – Published four times per year and bulk mailed to 60,000+ households in six ZIP codes.

In Touch – Published monthly and distributed by email to Mesquite ISD employees.

eNews – Published intermittently and distributed by email to families of MISD students.

Board Notes – Recap of the monthly Board Meetings; posted internally on Docushare and on the district website.

In the News – Weekly recap of MISD’s media coverage; emailed to members of the Staff Meeting Group.


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Description

Recognition Programs Several employee recognition programs are also coordinated by the Communications Department, including the following:

Teacher of the Year (new in 2016)

Apple Corps

Board Appreciation Month

Senior Gold Cards (renamed 50 Plus Card)

Board recognition of students and staff members In addition, we are frequently called upon to compose entries and nominations for various award programs.

Social Media Mesquite ISD has a strong social media following with an established presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Linked In. Much of the content is provided by members of our EMS department or received through publicity requests; however, the scheduling and monitoring of our social media platforms is managed by an outside firm. As mentioned earlier, Mesquite ISD will bring these functions in house beginning in July. At that time, a special emphasis on strengthening our messages, strategies and influence through social media will be at the forefront of the entire department’s operation.


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Website Management Mesquite ISD currently contracts with Blythe Spirit Design as our website developer. Using this company’s content management software, Communications does the majority of posts and updates to the website, including daily updates for the home page and news feed. A handful of other users throughout the district maintain and update their own department web pages, and each campus has its own webmaster who is responsible for updates to the school’s site. This July, Communications will hire a new person to serve as the district webmaster, write content for the website, offer technical support for the campus webmasters and manage the district’s social media presence.

Misc. Projects/Programs/Responsibilities

ALIVE – Mesquite ISD graduated its 10th ALIVE class in May. The ALIVE program, which began in the fall of 2006, brings parents and members of the community into the district once a month for a behind-the-scenes look at many of the district’s operations. The goal of the program is to grow ambassadors for the district and spark interest among participants to be more involved through district committees, initiatives and even Board service. ALIVE stands for Active Leaders Inspired by a Vision of Excellence. Calendar – The Communications Department is responsible for creating the school calendar each year with input from administrators, MEA, the Council of PTAs and the district Site-Based Decision Making Committee, ensuring that it meets all state requirements. Once approved by the Board of Trustees, it is made available to staff, families and the public. Customer Service Training – This year’s customer service training initiative with campus front -line personnel resulted from a “secret shopping audit” conducted in January 2015. While results of that audit were overall very favorable, there was a desire to improve the experience our patrons would have when interacting with our campus personnel. Two training sessions were offered during the school year. These sessions will be followed up with a district-specific customer service handbook to facilitate continuity across the district and an ongoing emphasis on good customer service practices.


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Flyer Distribution Requests (Peachjar) Communications receives a steady stream of requests from outside groups and individuals to distribute flyers to students. In the fall of 2015, Mesquite ISD entered into a contractual relationship with Peachjar, a flyer management company. Through Peachjar, parents receive information, which would otherwise be sent home on paper, in the form of a collective email. The service is free to Mesquite ISD and its entities (PTA, Community Education, Foundation), but outside entities must pay a minimal fee to use the service, and all flyers must be approved by MISD before they are dist ributed. Commercial advertising is not allowed. So far, the response from campuses and parents has been favorable. Election Reminders/Info – Ensuring that MISD employees stay aware of important issues affecting public education and educators, Communications sends out information, updates and voting reminders whenever appropriate. Emergency Notification – Mesquite ISD currently contracts with Blackboard for its emergency notification system. In the event of an emergency, all students and staff can be notified with important information and/or instructions in a matter of minutes via phone, text or email in the home language. While all emergency messages come from the Communications Department, campuses also have the ability to contact their own communities through Blackboard. The system is most often used for weather-related closures, safety alerts, lockdown explanations and health-related alerts. Mobile App – Mesquite ISD’s current mobile app is provided by Blackboard, Inc., and updated by the Communications Department. While several thousand users have downloaded it to their mobile devices, it is somewhat limited in its functionality. By switching to a new provider this summer, we hope to make it more helpful for our patrons to readily access information on the go. Push notification functionality will be an added feature.


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Partnership with City of Mesquite Communications – Mesquite ISD Communications has a positive relationship with the City of Mesquite’s communication manager. Occasional meetings throughout the year ensure that we are aware of each other’s efforts and priorities, and we offer support to each other when possible.

Billboards For the past several years, Mesquite ISD has shared the rental costs for the use of five billboards strategically located on major thoroughfares around the city of Mesquite. According to our vendor, the boards have a cumulative average of 536,806 views per billboard, per week. The annual cost of this program, including billboard production costs, is about $50,000 for each entity. Because the contract has been in place for several years, our current rental rate is substantially lower that the current market rate; however, if we were to change our board locations or the number of boards, our reduced rate would no longer apply. By comparison, the same contract parameters today would nearly double our costs. In other words, we could pay the same amount for fewer boards. The City of Mesquite is now reviewing its options and may decide to end the agreement this summer. MISD would then re-evaluate our options for billboard advertising. Joint PR Efforts Targeting Builders/Developers Following a recent city-contracted study of home developers that indicated less-than-favorable impressions among some, MISD and the City are in talks to develop a joint PR campaign designed to change these perceptions. A fully -developed plan will be in place by this fall.

Support Following Student and Staff Deaths – In the unfortunate circumstance that an MISD student or staff member dies, Communications steps in to support the campus by crafting messages that are sensitive to students’ emotions and age. We also provide letters that can be sent home to inform parents. If media is involved, Communications staff will manage the media presence at the campus and provide photos or other information in an effort to shield the family from these types of media requests.


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Effectiveness Indicators

MISD’s Communications Departments received 34 TSPRA Star Awards (including 2 Best-of-Category Awards) in 2016.

A/V Support Provided support for 1,804 meetings during 2015 (average of 150 per month)

90% of meetings at the PDC require A/V assistance o Cable Programming:

Mesquite ISD broadcasts on three Time Warner channels, one Uverse channel and one school district-only channel.

42,651 Mesquite households have access to MISD programming on TWC 225,000 DFW-area households have access to our programming on Uverse

o Types of Programming: Current time and weather Lunch menu Upcoming meetings KEOM live coverage of district games (audio only) Rebroadcast of KEOM programming Games of the Week (during football season) Replays of School Board meetings

o Original Programming: 51 new shows in 2015 Aired 7,350 times


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Electronic Media/Video/Social Media Produced 179 videos Completed 309 photo shoots in 2015 Won 46 state and national awards Nominated for a Lone Star EMMY Award Added two new reality TV shows Host annual film festival for high school AVP students Facebook likes = 17,785 YouTube = 3,516 channel subscribers; 3.28 million views; 1,259 posted videos Twitter followers = 6,240

KEOM 88.5 FM On-Air Listeners Last Arbitron results (from February 2012) indicated 288,000 on-air listeners. Streaming Listeners

2015 – 26,020 concurrent listeners (10,085 via computer; 15,295 via mobile device)

August 2015 – Jan. 21, 2016 = 26,769 concurrent listeners (15,295 via computer; 10, 844 mobile device)

Average time spent listening to KEOM is 1.5 hours. (By comparison, most stations average 15 minutes.)


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The chart below refers to our streaming audiences.


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Awards 20 MARCOM Awards in 2015-16

Taste & Trade Best of Show Award

D Magazine “Best Radio Station” nominee (4th consecutive year) Sponsorship While KEOM’s educational/non-commercial status does not permit advertising, sponsorships are permitted. Sponsorships allow the station to award college scholarships to its students. The total amount varies from year to year but averages $2,500 to $3,000 each year.


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Media Relations 60 media mentions per month*

Audience reach/viewership potential for 2015: 4.8 billion*

Advertising value: $45.1 million*

Sentiment: More positive than negative or neutral

Recent Positive News Stories: o Dr. Vroonland’s hire o Opening of Henrie Elementary o 2015 Bond Election (77% approval) o Early Reading Initiative o Range Elementary Construction o Auto Tech Students restore fallen soldier’s car o ETC Program o Recycled bottles art project at Mesquite Academy o Community garden/related service projects at Gray Elementary

*Per Meltwater media monitoring service


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Open Records Requests Mesquite ISD’s public information officer (Allison Lewallyn) processed 62 public information requests in 2015. To date in 2016, she has completed 22.

Comments from Requestors:

Dear Allison, My goodness! I am extremely impressed. You have responded in record time to a Public Information Request and in the requested format! I have worked as a teacher and then as a teacher advocate for decades and have rarely seen such prompt efficiency. You (and Mesquite ISD for having hired you) should be commended! I wish you a relatively stress-free end of the school year ... and thank you for all of your efforts to help. Judy Luttrell Chief Operating Officer Independent Educators Association


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Allison- Mesquite ISD should be given an award for your quick response to public records requests! I requested it from 30 districts, and you are the first to respond. I really appreciate it. Jessica Huseman Education Reporter, The Teacher Project

Results of SCoPE Survey Earlier this year, MISD contracted with SCoPE (School Communication Performance Evaluation) to determine, through surveys, how well we are communicating with three vital target audiences: staff, parents/families and the community. Some key results of the surveys are as follows: Faculty/Staff The staff survey assessed communication from the district as well as the school/department. Completed Surveys: 1,448 Margin of Error: +/-2.2% Average number of interactions with parents/community members per week: 17,450


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Most relied upon methods for district communications: Least relied upon methods for district communications:

Email

School Calendar

District Website

Social media/local news (tied)

School Board Meetings

Mobile App

Top 3 preferences for district communications:

Email

Automated Text Messages

Districtwide faculty/staff meetings and eNewsletter (tied) Communication meets individual needs and preferences for receiving information?

Overall score of 3.9 on a scale of 1 to 5 (78%). Overall satisfaction with communication from school/district: 4.1 (79% rated either 4 or 5) Overall rating for perception of the district based on communication: 4.1 (80% rated either 4 or 5)


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Communication from the District: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among staff)

1 2 3 4 5

Quality/Reputation of MISD a factor indecision to work here

Trustworthy

Timely

Openness and transparency

Recognizable

Accurate

Understandable

Lowest Scoring Areas Highest Scoring Areas


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Communication in Key Areas: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among staff)

1 2 3 4 5

District finances/related issues

Feel valued as an employee

How I can deliver effective customer service

Regarding school/district leader decisions

During a crisis

About faculty/staff success/achievements

How I can best support student achievement

Student success and achievement

Best perform my duties



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Parents/Families The parent survey assessed communication from the teachers, school and the district. Completed Surveys: 694 Margin of Error: +/-3.7%

How They Get Their Information

Most Relied Upon Least Relied Upon

From Teacher Report card/progress note

Backpack notices/flyers

Email with teachers

Social Media

Teacher Webpages

Phone calls with the teachers

From School Automated email

Automated phone calls

Backpack notices/flyers

School meetings

School website

Automated text messages

From District School calendar

Automated email

Automated phone calls

District meetings


Social Media

Mobile App


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Automated email messages

Automated text messages

Automated phone calls Communication meets individual needs and preferences for receiving information?



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Communication from the District: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among parents)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Trustworthy

Timely

Open and Transparent

Accurate

Understandabe

Quality of district a factor in decision to move/livehere

Easy to recognize



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Communication in Key Areas: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among parents)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

How I can become involved

During a crisis

About district finances, budget/bonds, related…

About student conduct expectations/issues

About school/district event, programs, issues

About extra/co-curricular offerings

About quality of instruction



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Effectiveness Reports

Community The community survey assessed communication from the district.

Completed Surveys: 109 Margin of Error: +/-9.6%

How They Get Their Information

Most Relied Upon Least Relied Upon

School calendar

Printed newsletter/notices

District website

Mobile app


District/School Meetings


Printed newsletter

District website

eNewsletter/social media Communication meets individual needs and preferences for receiving information?



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Communication from the District: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among community members)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Trustworthy

Timely

Open and Transparent

Accurate

Understandabe

Quality of district a factor in decision to move/live here

Easy to recognize



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Communication in Key Areas: Highest and Lowest Scoring Areas (among community members)

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

How I can become involved

During a crisis

About district finances, budget/bonds, related issues

About student conduct expectations/issues

About school/district event, programs, issues

About extra/co-curricular offerings

About quality of instruction

About district goals/plans/related issues

About student success/achievement



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Cost of Program

(All figures indicate year-to-date expenditures.) Communications (Central Office) Total Budget (minus salaries) $415,600 Spending by type (fiscal year to date)

Misc. Operating $76,257 (District Events/Recog. Programs)

Billboard Advertising $49,122 Mobile App $11,000 Customer Service Training 14,978 Social Media Management $25,840 Media Monitoring $10,000 Website Maintenance $20,000 Printing $29,000 Translation $700 Travel/Staff Dev. $4,754 Postage $16,808 Supplies $69,104


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Cost of Program

Electronic Media Services* Total Budget (minus salaries) $223,700

Equipment/Supplies $12,580 Travel $1,047 Repairs $1,989 Contracted Services $1,150 Misc. Operating $1,291

*EMS received $200,000 in October to use on capital expenditures from the PEG account (funds CoM receives from cable providers). KEOM Total Budget (minus salaries) $42,000

Legal Service $2,275 Repairs $1,899 Copier Rental $2,990 Electronics/Computers $3,152 Supplies $2,252 Travel $530 Misc. Operating (fees, etc.) $9,517

Print Shop Copier Rental $26,897


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Vision for the Future

Short-term/immediate focus areas:

Gain local, regional and national attention regarding Mesquite ISD’s Early Reading Initiative and other innovations.

Double original TV programming over the next year

Ramp-up social media presence and influence

Governmental relations/legislative priorities

Promote bond fund projects/strategies

Strategic Planning communications

Employ new methods of community engagement, specifically with the business community, real estate agents and senior citizens.

Public relations campaign with CoM for developers

Website redesign

Mobile app recreation Long-term focus areas:

Ensure Mesquite ISD parents, students and guardians are receiving and understanding our communications efforts and are able to readily get the information they need

Focus on engaging our community in more ways


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Designate one cable station for Spanish-language district programming

Better engage our Spanish-speaking audiences through community outreach efforts and more translated publications, videos and advertising/marketing

Strengthen and expand campus-level communications efforts to better customize school, student and faculty news

EMS:

Produce more reality-based projects that showcase our students, teachers and programs

Provide capability for self-produced video KEOM:

Relocate KEOM studio to a school campus (opportunity to increase enrollment)

Determine solution to provide transportation for KEOM students

Establish a broadcast room for KEOM sports students in the broadcast booth at the football stadiums to further develop students in that direction

Designate adequate funding for Nielsen rating reporting Print Shop:

Set-up online order forms for print jobs

Maintain quality and turnaround time

Streamline/standardize jobs (such as discipline folders)

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