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District communications specialist reports doubled web traffic, outlines strategic-plan progress
Summary
Rebecca Schwanen, the district's communications specialist, told the board the district has doubled website visits since 2022 and reviewed six strategies from the district's communications portion of its strategic plan, including website improvements, newsletters, mobile app adoption and community outreach efforts.
Rebecca Schwanen, the district's communications specialist, told the Anthony Wayne Local School District Board of Education that the district's communications efforts have increased digital engagement and outlined progress on the communications portion of the district's five-year strategic plan.
Schwanen said the district recorded roughly 729,000 website visits in the first year of tracking, 1.2 million in the second year and about 1.1 million in the most recent 12-month period. She and district staff highlighted tools intended to centralize information and make it easier for families to find schedules, menus and event pages.
Schwanen described six strategies adopted in August 2022: gather input and build a plan; adopt tools to improve access; standardize building-level newsletters and handbooks; promote district pride; develop community partnerships; and engage the wider community to gather feedback. She said the district has launched a mobile app, a staff newsletter called the General's Bulletin, a family newsletter called the General's Post and landing pages for recurring events such as back-to-school and homecoming.
On metrics, Schwanen reported 36,315 views for the district's reimagined annual quality profile, nearly 13,000 views for the staff newsletter and roughly 7,500 views for the family newsletter. The district's YouTube channel was reported to have about 44,000 total views and the district account on X (formerly Twitter) about 4,400 followers.
Schwanen answered board questions about parent notification systems and registration: she said messages sent through the district's instant-connect system are linked to PowerSchool enrollment and that graduates are removed from that system, so families who wish to continue receiving district newsletters should sign up for the community list. She also said the district is moving registration to FinalForms so parents can update contact information directly.
Schwanen asked the board to consider a midterm check-in with the community this fall to measure progress and avoid inundating families with redundant messages. She said staff are balancing digital reach with cost and accessibility concerns and that printed mailings are cost-prohibitive for a district of this size.
"If you can't find it there, call me and I'll fix it," Schwanen told the board, asking members to direct people to the website as the primary repository for district information.
The presentation included examples of community partnerships (Neighborhood Bridges, the Generals Network, Dave's Running) and new program pages for athletics and performing arts to centralize schedules and resources.
