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Communications director highlights new 'Start Here' resource, bullying reporting and web-accessibility work
Summary
Katie Carlson presented the communications department's fall report, spotlighting a new 'Start Here: Resolving Questions and Concerns' resource, expanded anti-bullying reporting visibility and a multiyear web-accessibility plan.
Katie Carlson, director of communications, presented the department’s fall report to the Derby Board of Education, highlighting a district resource called "Start Here — Resolving Questions and Concerns," updates to bullying and safety reporting and a plan to improve web accessibility.
Carlson said the "Start Here" publication — developed after district work with military families and the McConnell Air Force Base military educational council — was mailed to every household in USD 260 and is intended to guide parents and residents to the correct contact for common questions. She showed board members where the resource appears on the district website.
On student safety and bullying, Carlson described an update to the district website: the safety-reporting icon was revised to make bullying reporting more prominent and easier to find. The district also houses a video and links to anonymous reporting options such as the P3 app, and Carlson said the resources are shown to secondary students at least once a semester.
Carlson outlined a web-accessibility initiative required by federal rules and new regulations effective in 02/2024. She said the district’s website platform already enforces several accessibility practices, but the district will run a multiyear plan to meet federal accessibility standards by the 2027 compliance deadline and will educate school-based social-media managers on simple accessibility steps (for example, adding text with images and captions).
Carlson also shared social media engagement metrics from Aug. 5 through Sept. 7, noting several posts that resonated with the community — first-day-of-school photos, a feature on a long-serving food-service worker and a community school-supply drive that drew broad local support.
"This resource will share various ways throughout the school year," Carlson said of the "Start Here" guide, adding the district’s goal is to resolve concerns efficiently and point residents to appropriate staff or escalation paths. She answered board questions about the materials and the district’s approach to anonymous reporting and accessibility.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation but acknowledged the report and asked administrative staff to continue outreach and training related to the initiatives described.
