Consultant urges Octorara Area SD to create dedicated communications capacity after audit

A communications consultant presented the results of a districtwide audit at the Octorara Area School District board meeting, concluding the district would benefit from a more intentional communications system and dedicated staff.

The consultant told the board the audit assessed “the state of communications, the strengths, the gaps, the opportunities” across websites, newsletters and internal and external messages and included seven focus groups and multiple document reviews. The presenter said participation in the focus groups and outreach was lower than hoped and that the audit was informed by national and regional best practices and the presenter’s prior journalism and school-district communications experience.

The report found consistent strengths: staff and families generally view the district and its programs positively, and “teachers care very deeply,” the consultant said. But the audit identified several recurring problems: communications that are inconsistent across buildings; many different software platforms in use; unclear expectations about who communicates what and when; limited internal communication systems; and reliance on individuals rather than documented processes.

The consultant cited multiple platforms in active use, naming Seesaw, Google Classroom, Schoology, PowerSchool and Remind as examples. The district website and calendar lacked consistent updating processes, and social media posts often relied on the board secretary to collect and publish items. The presenter recommended clearer operational guidelines for website updates, a standard calendar practice and building liaisons or stipends to gather photos and updates from schools.

To address the gaps, the presenter recommended short-term and long-term steps. Short-term recommendations included adopting an action plan based on the audit’s recommendations, strengthening internal communication so staff can act as ambassadors, creating communications guidelines across schools and improving calendar and website functionality. The consultant said outreach to non-English-speaking families and better, coordinated promotion of district accomplishments should be priorities.

Longer-term, the presenter recommended hiring a full-time communications professional to handle day-to-day work and suggested the district prioritize lower-cost, high-impact improvements initially. The consultant offered continued, paid support and said a video package produced for the district’s Homeland Security CTE program showed how focused storytelling could help recruitment and public awareness.

Board members did not take formal action on the audit at the meeting; the consultant said she had submitted a written plan and would provide an updated proposal to the new superintendent. The presentation closed with an offer to continue supporting video features and communications work during the district’s upcoming leadership transition.