Lindbergh Schools presents near-final districtwide communications plan, board to consider approval in February

Lindbergh Schools officials on Monday presented a near-final strategic communications and engagement plan developed with the Donovan Group and a committee of more than 20 district and community representatives.

The plan, described by consultant Dr. Lori Mueller of the Donovan Group as the product of a series of interviews, a community survey and a website audit, is intended to align the district’s communication practices with its five-year strategic plan. "I have found the process with the Lindbergh Schools to be 1 of high quality mainly because of the individuals who have engaged in that process," Dr. Mueller said during her presentation.

District communications director Beth (last name not specified) told the board the audit identified a primary finding: families and other audiences feel overwhelmed by multiple apps and communication channels. To address that, the draft plan recommends streamlining communications across district, building and classroom levels, implementing districtwide communication protocols and onboarding for families, and rolling out a single mass-notification platform. Beth said the district’s RFQ for a website and mass-notification system produced a recommended platform, ParentSquare, which staff said will unify emails, text and two-way messages in one place for families.

The plan sets five strategies: (1) streamline and coordinate district communications through protocols and a mass-notification tool; (2) tell the district story via social and video; (3) improve the digital presence through a redesigned website and coordinated social media; (4) use targeted marketing and community outreach (including work to engage non-parents and seniors); and (5) seek ongoing feedback with annual communication surveys and a proposed communications board advisory committee.

Beth said the committee that helped draft the plan included parents with marketing experience, members of the communications department, district administrators and two board members. The committee held four meetings between October and a January 13 meeting, and consultants reported reviewing district content, conducting interviews with key communicators and deploying a survey that produced 837 responses. The Donovan Group provided an audit report and a QR code to board members for the full plan.

Board members praised the process and the draft plan. Director Harris said, "I think it's all encompassing," and several board members noted the plan’s focus on clarity and capacity-building for building-level communicators. Beth said the plan in the board packet is a final draft for feedback and that staff will make any changes recommended tonight and return the plan to the board for approval in February.

Implementation steps outlined in the plan include a month-by-month roadmap and creation of a board communications advisory committee for ongoing accountability. The district also discussed the website/mass-notification RFQ and said a staff recommendation for tools will be presented at the next board meeting.

The presentation included parents and staff who served on the committee. Kelly Chiu, a parent at Sappington Elementary School, called the process "brilliant," and Dr. Brandy Koppel, assistant principal at Long Elementary School, termed the committee experience “hopeful” and praised the inclusion of new community voices and outside communications professionals.

The board did not vote on the communications plan at the workshop; staff will return with a final version and a request for formal approval in February.