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District 15 communications team reports progress on strategic plan, announces full ParentSquare rollout next school year
Summary
Chief communications officer Lamad Gibson and staff told the board the communications department expanded staffing, launched a new website, improved translation support, increased family survey scores and will complete a districtwide ParentSquare rollout by fall 2025.
The Palatine CCSD 15 communications department gave the board a progress report on strategic plan priority 3 — community and family engagement — and described tools and metrics the team says show improvement in parent experience.
Lamad Gibson, the district’s chief communications officer, said the team expanded to add an assistant director and digital roles, launched a redesigned district and school websites with improved translation and mobile access, and implemented a communications audit to standardize newsletters and messaging. “A strong communication system isn't just about the tools we use. It's about how we build meaningful connections,” Gibson said.
Key accomplishments and metrics - ParentSquare: Districtwide ParentSquare implementation is underway; staff said the platform will serve as the district’s primary family communications tool starting in the 2025–26 school year to improve translation, consistency and accessibility. - Website & translation: The new Finalsite websites support translations in the district’s top 29 languages and mobile usage now accounts for roughly 60% of site traffic. - Survey results: The department reported a rise in family perception of district communication from an average 4.01 (2024) to 4.36 (2025) on a 1–5 scale and improvements in how informed families feel and website ease‑of‑use ratings. - Engagement initiatives: The team described programs including Read It and Dream It (multilingual bedtime stories), a virtual book club, Parent as Partners advisory sessions, DAISY and Catch Up with Hines community sessions, and expanded social‑media strategies across schools.
Why it matters: The department framed the changes as strengthening trust, increasing two‑way communication and improving access for families who speak many languages. Officials said the metrics indicate measurable gains but acknowledged continued work: full ParentSquare rollout, a D15 news page, and cross‑department planning over the summer.
Board questions and follow up: Board members asked about survey response rates and granularity; staff said participation increased in 2025 and offered to provide exact response counts. The communications team requested families subscribe to district newsletters through ParentSquare.
Ending: The team asked the board to view these efforts as foundational to broader strategic‑plan goals; the full ParentSquare transition is scheduled for fall 2025.
