QCSD communications director outlines 2025–26 plan: surveys, newsletter, monthly superintendent roundtables

Quakertown Community SD communications staff presented a multi‑part outreach plan Aug. 19 to guide the district’s communications for the 2025–26 school year, including surveys, a district newsletter, increased video content, a master calendar project, monthly superintendent roundtable events and a new staff acknowledgement program.

Missy, a communications staff member, presented the proposed goals. She said the district will host four internal professional learning sessions (proposed months include September, January for inclement weather messaging, April for end‑of‑year communications, and May/June for summer communications). She also proposed creating a quarterly department newsletter called the "QCSD Insider," meeting biweekly with building principals to coordinate messaging, and continuing regular social media and website updates.

Why it matters: the plan is intended to make district communications more consistent and to help families find information more easily. Missy said short website surveys (three to five questions) will ask parents and community members what they want to find on the homepage and what content matters most. Based on responses, the communications team will aim to publish roughly 10 community stories a month highlighting student and staff success.

Missy described additional planned efforts to improve calendar and search functionality. She said she has a meeting with the district’s website vendor to discuss a districtwide master calendar and to ask whether search logs or reports can be provided to show what users have searched for. Committee members suggested tracking Google Analytics page flows or search terms to help identify which pages to prioritize.

The communications team also plans a monthly superintendent roundtable called "Coffee in a Queue." The first event is scheduled for Sept. 30 at 6:00 p.m. downtown at the Trolley Barn and will feature Ed Hidalgo presenting on career language integration and RIASEC. Missy said the events will be open to parents and students. "We're going to have coffee and a Q&A," she said, describing the event as a way for the superintendent and staff to be more approachable.

On staff recognition, Missy proposed an internal awards program that will recognize 13 staff members districtwide each quarter; the first sponsor named was Dave's Hot Chicken. She also noted the superintendent, Dr. Friedman, recently received a Pennsylvania leadership award; she said she will send additional information to the board.

Other items discussed included efforts to increase video assets on social channels and ways to stream short holiday concert clips while respecting copyright restrictions. Missy said the district will coordinate with music teachers to identify songs that can be streamed and will explore whether vendors can assist with analytics and search reporting.

Committee members asked that the two handouts Missy referenced be attached to the meeting agenda; Missy said she would send them. The communications team will proceed with vendor conversations about the master calendar, distribute the proposed surveys, and begin outreach to principals and building staff to implement the QCSD Insider and monthly story goals.