Oyster River officials outline communications plan ahead of March vote on elementary renovation

Jen Brown, director of communications for the Oyster River Cooperative School District, and district administrators on Aug. 6 described a multi‑phase public outreach plan tied to a proposed elementary school renovation and expansion that the district expects to put before voters next March.

Brown told the board the strategy’s central goal is “to reach the entire school district community” in Durham, Lee and Madbury and to provide “timely communications” and transparency about costs and construction phases. She said the district will use presentations, a dedicated landing page, video content and direct outreach to stakeholders — including principals, PTOs, the building committee and town officials — to raise awareness and correct misconceptions before the planned vote.

The presentation laid out four phases of work: initial awareness and engagement, education about the project, a full outreach push from January through March, and follow‑through after the vote. Brown recommended conducting a baseline survey of residents, including those without children in the district, to measure current awareness and target messaging. “We want to raise awareness and make sure everyone understands the construction phase and benefits to students, staff, and the district,” she said.

Dr. Schaps, an administrative leader for the district, said staff have already begun coordinating logistics and timelines with a goal of delivering a capital package to the community in time to align with the December budget process and a March vote. He told the board the district will present a fuller scope of summer capital repairs and capital planning at a September meeting and that work on a refined teacher‑evaluation and supervision process is moving in parallel.

During discussion, board members and others suggested tactics the district has used before: share video “B‑roll” and edited short pieces for presentations and trips to community venues; recruit citizen ambassadors and a volunteer group to support informational efforts (for instance, producing yard signs or door‑knocking); and host guided tours of affected school spaces so residents can see conditions firsthand. One board member recalled using videos and door‑to‑door outreach successfully in an earlier middle‑school campaign.

Brown and Dr. Schaps said the district will continue to refine the timeline, seek building committee and board feedback on messaging and bring a formal communications rollout plan to the board for review. The district emphasized it will not advocate for a particular vote outcome but described the work as informational to ensure voters understand what the district would seek to accomplish.

Board members indicated support for the approach and asked that the communications plan include outreach to community hubs such as farmers markets, town newsletters, retirement communities, and the use of simple materials — flyers, QR codes and fact sheets — so voters without children in the district can readily access information.

The presentation did not include final cost estimates for a specific warrant article; Brown and district staff said the capital package and accompanying budgetary decisions will be finalized in the months ahead and reviewed by the board.