DCG communications director summarizes outreach gains, plans bond communications
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Summary
AJ Ellingson, the district communications director, told the board he has expanded translation, ParentSquare use and social media outreach and outlined plans to support a possible bond referendum campaign and stakeholder engagement.
AJ Ellingson, Dallas Center-Grimes’ director of communications, reviewed four years of communications work and told the board the district has increased family engagement tools and is preparing to support outreach related to the proposed bond question.
Ellingson said district mailings and digital outreach have expanded: the district’s Mustang Monthly goes to every mailbox in Grimes and Dallas Center, and ParentSquare now has active accounts for about 83% of families, up from the low 70s last year. "When you become an active account, you can sign up for things like parent-teacher conferences," Ellingson said, adding that ParentSquare posts and automated translations help families who use languages other than English. The district now supports translation for 11 of the most-used languages on its website and reports 21 different languages used across ParentSquare.
Ellingson described other work: a district podcast, an eBackpack events submission tool that routes translated events to the communications team, an internship program that provides student support to the communications office, and a video board installed in the high-school gym used during graduation.
On sponsorships and paid outreach, Ellingson told the board he is refining offers to prospective sponsors so in-gym signage remains tasteful and not “the NASCAR look,” while raising non-district revenue through measured partnerships.
Bond communications Ellingson said that if the board places the bond on the ballot, the communications office will run a two-month outreach campaign and is prepared to attend PTO and community meetings to present factual information. He framed the communications role as providing information so community members can make informed decisions. Board members encouraged that outreach and thanked Ellingson for work showing school activities to the broader community.
Outcome The communications presentation was received without formal action; Ellingson answered board questions about metrics, translation and plans to support bond outreach if the board orders the question for the November ballot.
