If you had to name just one physical location in your community as the hub – the place where there is constant activity, and where people young and old come together – where would that be?  My guess is in most cases, you would say the school!  With daily educational classes, weekly athletic events, and occasional concerts, fundraisers, and community speakers, that place is always buzzing.  Teachers, administrators, parents, and other volunteers are always running around doing something.

With so much positive activity going on, let me ask another question.  Does the school take the time to tell about all the great things happening?

Some districts do an outstanding job of reaching out to their community and beyond using tools like a website, e-mails, newsletters, social media and even custom made apps.  Up-to-the-minute posts celebrating students are made by several Wisconsin districts, including Prairie Farm, Bruce, Frederic, Fall Creek and Chippewa Falls.  This information can reach thousands, even though the district itself may have only a few hundred students.

In an age where open enrollment is a constant concern of each school district, the time has come to make sure you are telling your story to the world.  If you’re not telling it through words and pictures, then someone else is.  We live in a social world, and social media can be a powerful tool. Of course, it is easy to focus on the negative aspects of such sites, but the upside can be tremendous!

With more than 500 Facebook fans, the small district of New Auburn, Wis., had 100% of survey respondents say they felt more informed about what was going on at the school because of the social media sites.  And 33% of those said they were “much more” informed!  This school district posts daily lunch menus gives reminders for upcoming events, shares old yearbook photos, and of course put up daily images of their students at work. Social media is a means to show how students learn, grow, and achieve, and to celebrate their education journey.

If you are looking for ways to improve your school’s ability to tell its story, contact #SocialSchool4EDU today.  We know you’re busy, so we offer you a dedicated resource to help with managing the tasks, training the staff, and talking with your community about using social media to your advantage. Don’t take it from us – here is what one school district has to say about working with #SocialSchool4EDU:

Thanks to #SocialSchool4EDU, the Frederic School District is touching the lives of those connected to our schools, in ways we’ve never been able to in the past.  We have the ability to involve a segment of our stakeholders that is truly interested and committed to helping our schools serve its students and community at a high level.  Andrea has worked with our staff to create meaningful engagement with those on social media, which is thousands.  We can now tell our story around the world.  We have placed our trust in #SocialSchool4EDU, and they have proven to be an exceptional partner.” – Josh Robinson, Superintendent

We are positioned to help school districts across the country get your story out to the world.  Our mission is simple – Celebrate Students and Connect Communities!  Check out more at www.socialschool4edu.com or call Andrea North at 715-205-0429.  Follow me on Twitter @andrea4edu.