Avon Grove outlines 2025–28 communications plan, launches community sign‑up and customer survey; communications lead to depart

The Avon Grove School District presented a draft strategic communications plan for 2025–28 and said it will use new community feedback to finalize the plan in April before launching it on July 1, 2025. The plan centers on three goals: improve accessibility, strengthen internal culture and increase two‑way engagement with the public.

The district already has begun implementing some elements. Communications Coordinator Teresa Marsden said staff refreshed a short video briefing into a “Board and Beyond” newsletter to summarize monthly board activity, added a “Board of Directors” tab to the district home page, and placed a QR code and sign‑up link in the mailed annual report; about 50 community members had signed up at the time of the meeting.

Why it matters: The plan is intended to broaden who receives district communications beyond parents and caregivers, make communications easier to find, and create tools to help staff and volunteers produce consistent translated and accessible materials.

Details of the plan presented include standardized translation processes for routine communications, a communications accessibility guide for administrators and teachers, an all‑staff branding and customer service training, and a “brand ambassador” volunteer program of staff who would provide building‑level highlights for newsletters and social media. To boost two‑way engagement, the plan proposes a “meet your board member” profile series in the newsletter, infographics to explain major board decisions, and in‑person forums with administrators, board members and community members.

Marsden said the district added three survey questions (numbers 9–11) addressing how community members receive board communications, whether the board’s messaging is clear, and whether the board communicates frequently enough. The customer satisfaction survey will be finalized this month and, per Marsden, go live March 3 for two weeks; the committee discussed adding a text‑message link option and tracking whether changing the month (March vs. May) affects response rates. Board members said the survey timing should allow results to inform the final communications plan.

Public comment and personnel note: Resident Alyssa Norman commended the improved online agenda and the new board briefing format and urged the board to maintain a nonpartisan, student‑first approach to district issues in the current political environment. During the meeting Superintendent‑level administrator Nikki (name given in the meeting) announced that Marsden will accept a communications director position at Great Valley School District and will leave Avon Grove next week; staff thanked her publicly.

Next steps: The communications strategic plan will be finalized in April and begin July 1, 2025; the satisfaction survey will run for two weeks starting March 3. Staff will bring any recommended edits or additions to the board for review as part of the legislative packet.

Ending: Board members praised the approach and asked staff to return results from the survey and to use prior plan outputs to show what was accomplished under the 2022–25 communications plan.