Al Frioni
Andy Rhodes
Betsy Dillon
Bill Cooper
Blaise Larotonda
Corey Polena
Dan Goff
Dave Reese
Deb Smit
Diane Wainwright
Elaine LaBalme
Elizabeth Glantz
Frank Baker
Frank Hines
Gail Sieg
Hugh Beal
Joe Polk
John Schrott
Kim Ressler
Kristen Linfante
Larry Lebowitz
Mary Ellen Schmidt
Rob Gardner
Rob Papke
Ruth Foltz
Sheldon Campbell
Sue Fretterd
Sue Simmons
Tom Moertel
If you are willing to help, please contact me at EGillen476@aol.com, and I will make arrangements to get a recorder to and from you. Thanks in advance!
Update 9:54 am It occurred to me that there may be some readers who are not aware of the Key Communicator group. Through a Google search, I found this explanation on the Plano Independent School District website. http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/key.communicators/index.shtml I also found references to Dr. Steinhauer's group at a local level. http://voteccl.com/about_bill , http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-board-member-appointed.html and http://votelinfante.com/content/candidate-profile-kristen-linfante.
Update 9:54 am It occurred to me that there may be some readers who are not aware of the Key Communicator group. Through a Google search, I found this explanation on the Plano Independent School District website. http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/key.communicators/index.shtml I also found references to Dr. Steinhauer's group at a local level. http://voteccl.com/about_bill , http://jposti.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-board-member-appointed.html and http://votelinfante.com/content/candidate-profile-kristen-linfante.
20 comments:
I remember the key communicators. Is the list of communicators still current? How often do they meet? What kind of information do they communicate, that isn't already communicated during public meetings?
Has the board of school directors officially voted to enact the key communicators committee?
What happened to the Audit and Finance committee?
David Huston
Perfect example of why jeaton made a good point questioning the StudentsFirst.org suggestion that school boards should be appointed!
By whom... indeed?
Also a perfect example of why taxpayers need to pay attention and vote.
- Giffen Good
Curious Elaine, have you been asked to be a member of the Key Communicators group?
Your blog reaches a lot of people and in 37 countries to boot. Also you did make a pretty good showing in your commissioners bid, so its evident you know how to reach people.
Dick Saunders
If you want a quick understanding of what the Key Communicators idea is all about – in short, public relations – you can get the Guidebook from the National School Board Public Relations Association. Then you'll know what school administrators are using as their playbook.
(I ordered and read this book before I agreed to attend the meetings.)
If you read the book, you'll see that, yes, Key Communicator programs are an attempt to control the message. If you attend the meetings, however, you'll see that, no, they're not particularly effective at it.
At least, if the meetings I have attended have worked some kind of mind control over me, it's been subtle enough that I haven't detected it.
But, then again, I wouldn't detect it, would I?
Cheers,
Tom
Dick Saunders,
No, I have never been asked. I probably wouldn't be able to remember the secret handshake.
Elaine
Tom, are you at liberty to forward if there were any conversations regarding the now known inaccurate Kubit FAQ mailing in Key Communicator communications?
Was this FAQ a product of the Key Communicators?
If so this might be an example of a group that isn't fair and balanced as the Plano School ask their's too be?
I know you aren't a big proponent of the Celli HS design, but that doesn't mean your objections stood up in a possibly skewed Pro-HS Communications Committee.
Of course the FAQ might not have any been a topic presented to the committee at all. Then may be it should have been.
- Giffen Good
The $44 playbook link says, "Use your community’s key communicators to send credible messages that will quickly reach those your district needs in good times and bad."
Looks like recording a school board meeting provides key communicators the perfect opportunity to send credible messages around the world. Can't get any quicker than that. Haven't heard from any of them yet.
Elaine
We don't need to see the communicators' identification...
This is not the FAQ mailer we're looking for...
The school board can go about its business...
Move along...
Nobody said it was mind control Tom!.
Deep down its nothing other than public relations-- as directed by the National School Boards Public Relations Association.
Who's advice is geared towards- hmmmm, lets see-- SATAN????
Sorry couldn't help injecting little old SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE humor there - change SATAN to Blue Devils.
"in short, [its] public relations" as you said.
One of the key tools of Public Relations as everyone knows or should know is 'Spin.'
"Spin (public relations)
In public relations, spin is sometimes a pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in specific favor of an event or situation. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, spin often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics. Politicians are often accused of spin by commentators and political opponents when they produce a counterargument or position.
The techniques of spin include selectively presenting facts and quotes that support ideal positions (cherry picking), the so-called "non-denial denial", phrasing that in a way presumes unproven truths, euphemisms for drawing attention away from items considered distasteful, and ambiguity in public statements. Another spin technique involves careful choice of timing in the release of certain news so it can take advantage of prominent events in the news."
It always been a curiosity to me why a school district would need such a heavy investment in PR?
After all their customer base is pretty much locked in and results (ex: Business Times Rankings) would reach potential immigrant families.
- Giffen Good
Giffen Good,
I don’t recall any critical discussion of the Kubit FAQ at the KC meetings, although I did miss one of the meetings, which happen only quarterly. But I doubt that the FAQ was created at the meetings. My understanding is that FAQ was a product of the school board; the KC meetings are an offshoot of the administration’s PR effort and, I suspect, lower on the food chain.
Further, I don’t think the nature of the meetings, which are largely unstructured, lends itself to the crafting of messages. The typical meeting, from my perspective, goes like this: The school district thinks up a topic (I think “21st century education” was one) and then sends an email announcing the date of the meeting and what’s to be discussed, maybe a news tidbit or two. At the meeting, there’s a brief update about what’s happening at the district (Astroturf has been installed, the teachers’ contract has approved, etc.), then usually a slide show or video to get the conversation started, then the superintendent offers his take, and then it’s mostly free-form discussion from there. Oh, there are also snacks.
I attend the meetings mainly because I think it’s interesting to surround myself with a group of people who disagree with me (often strongly) about important issues. I would classify about four fifths of the group as strong supporters of the school-district status quo. Being in such company is a great way to challenge my beliefs.
Cheers,
Tom
Thank you Tom for your honesty, it is appreciated.
As for the FAQ once again, maybe a pass by the group would've been a wise choice, then maybe not if the group skews to the status quo.
I've read your take on 21st Century Ed. and concur with pretty much most of your views.
You don't though say what happens with the info. farmed from the free flow discussions.
I mean one of the functions of a Key Communicators group as I understand it is to go out into the community and communicate - right?
- Giffen Good
One other item Tom.
You wrote: "I attend the meetings mainly because I think it’s interesting to surround myself with a group of people who disagree with me (often strongly) about important issues. I would classify about four fifths of the group as strong supporters of the school-district status quo. Being in such company is a great way to challenge my beliefs."
A primary reason I enjoy blogging. I get to read opposing opinions and by commenting anonymous don't get branded or pigeon-holed before I've fully formed my opinion.
There are people in this town that do will ostracize people if they think you're not on their side.
- Giffen Good
GG, I would say that one of the hopes the school district has for the meetings is that the people who attend will help spread the school district’s view of things. But the idea that the school district uses the meetings to whisper The Truth to its disciples, who then Make It Known to the community is far fetched. Simply put, the school district’s Jedi Powers aren’t that strong.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom, can you record Monday's school board meeting? The architect update starts at 7:00. You have a recorder, and will probably be there, so just press that record button! It would really help others stay informed.
Let me know if you can do it.
David Huston
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side.
:)
David,
Because of my work these days, I rarely make the architects update. I can often make the 7:30 meeting, however, and there's a pretty good chance I'll be able to do so tomorrow. If I do, and I can find my recorder (I may have lent it out), I'll be happy to record the school board meeting.
If you really want the architects update, though, you should probably arrange for someone else to record it.
Cheers,
Tom
Tom:
From the Guide Book page you referred us too.
it says: "Using your Opinion Leader/Key Communicator Network — it’s about more than getting feedback from the public; it’s also about changing behaviors"
I'm curious, who's behavior do you think they're out to change. The administration's? Perhaps, the teacher's union??? I know- the people that picketed a town hall with "What the Kluck" signs!
Trouble is many of the Key Communicators were party to that demonstration.
So tell again, what is the purpose of this group? And please provide some evidence!
Thanks.
- Giffen Good
Giffen Good,
A couple of points:
1. I have no insight into the school district’s hopes and plans for the KC program beyond what I’ve already shared. And even that is only based upon what I observed at the meetings I attended. If you want more, you’ll have to find it yourself. I don’t have it.
2. Is it possible that you might, just might, be reading too much into a passage you have selected from the marketing copy for a guidebook sold by an organization that justifies its existence by selling to school districts? I know it’s tempting to believe that, when this organization claims that it offers (for the low, low price of $44!) the Essential Key Communicator Magic that empowers PR people to start living the PR person’s dream, that it’s all true... but is it possible, just possible, that it’s marketing hype and ought not to be considered a point of fact?
Cheers,
Tom
Tom:
Is it possible that it might, just might mean exactly how it reads - "it’s also about changing behaviors."
No, I certainly didn't expect you to have insight into the school district's hopes and plans for the KC. I was just hoping that as a member of the group you might have examples where the group was at odds with school district objectives.
Thanks anyway, Tom. I'm done on this topic.
- Giffin Good
Giffen Good (or Giffin Good or whoever wrote the previous comment):
What might “mean exactly how it reads”? The NSBPRA’s marketing copy? If we assume that it does, what can we reasonably infer about reality from the marketing copy’s claims?
Regarding, “examples where the group was at odds with school district objectives,” I think you’re making the mistaken assumption that there is actually a “group” that has “its” opinions, makes “its” decisions, or could be “at odds” with anything. The KC group isn’t like that. It’s just a collection of people who agree to show up at meetings held four times a year. Those people have no individual authority (other than their normal powers of persuasion) and, as a group, have no authority to do or decide anything, nor does the school district have any authority over those people. (It certainly has none over me.)
Now, some of the people who show up at those meetings have been at odds with certain of the school district’s decisions (and, yes, I’m one of those people), but the meetings rarely, if ever, deal with those decisions or other controversial things head on. Remember, this is a PR effort. Warm and fuzzy are the watchwords.
Cheers,
Tom
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