It’s the holiday season! When parents and community members are often running around to lots of different events and kids are excited for elves and winter break. This is also a time when school districts tend to let off the gas in terms of community engagement. However, the holiday season is actually a perfect time to make sure you build your brand and connect with parents and community members.
Often during the holidays there are school events. Music concerts, plays, talent shows, art shows, sporting events, you name it there is something going on. This means that there will be lots of parents, relatives and students coming and going into your schools. It also means that you have a captive audience for a few minutes. Take this opportunity to share your big picture vision, goals or objectives. Remind residents what it is that their tax dollars are investing in and thank them for their continued support.
Messages of appreciation and thankfulness are also important. This is a time of year that as adults we try to teach kids that it’s about being thankful for the people in your life, not the presents they receive. Make sure that as a school district you lead by example and share your appreciation for staff, volunteers and parents who support you all year long. A simple thank you goes a long way to building better relationships.
Schools also are great community partners during the holidays and often provide service opportunities for students and staff. Use social media and other communication channels to highlight how your people are caring for others. From food drives, caroling for charities, collecting coats, etc. there are lots of creative ways that your schools are demonstrating goodwill. Be sure to share these moments and how they are important to your overall mission and vision.
You may not be hosting a community discussion on finances during the busy months of November and December. Let’s face it, getting residents to show up for that conversation is hard enough let alone the additional items on their calendars during this fun yet crazy time of year. But that doesn’t mean you stop communicating all together. There are lots of ways to build connections and trust during the busy holiday season!