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Downingtown communications staff outlines outreach gains, credits campaign for early full-day kindergarten sign-ups
Summary
The Downingtown Area School District communications director reported large social media reach gains and said targeted marketing has produced more than 450 early registrations for the district's new full-day kindergarten program.
Jen Shealy, director of communications for the Downingtown Area School District, told the Board of Directors that the district's communications team has substantially expanded its reach and is supporting recruitment for the new full-day kindergarten program.
Shealy said the communications office aims to "serve DASD's students, staff and community by promoting accurate, timely and transparent communications," and listed the department's activities including strategic communications, media relations, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement, website and social media management, and district photography and video.
She described growth in digital engagement: from July 1 to Feb. 1 the district's Facebook reach rose to 1.1 million from 375,000 the prior year; the district now reports about 23,000 Facebook followers, roughly 3,400 Instagram followers and 4,000 LinkedIn followers. Shealy also said a mailed district update reached about 34,000 mailboxes.
On full-day kindergarten, Shealy credited targeted marketing and coordinated efforts with teachers and curriculum leaders for early enrollment: "we already have 450 plus kindergarten students registered for the new school year," she said, adding that the number represents about 63% of the district's typical incoming kindergarten cohort.
Shealy described branding work undertaken with schools, including logo refreshes created in partnership with the Chester County Intermediate Unit and school principals, and said Beavercreek's redesigned logo received positive feedback. She also outlined outreach products the office produces, from recruitment videos to an "opening day" video shown districtwide.
Board members praised the communications work. President Blust and others thanked Shealy for the mailed report and for materials supporting full-day kindergarten outreach.
The communications office said it coordinates monthly with other departments to align messaging and that it supports principals and staff with events, crisis communications and content management. Shealy said the team will follow up on possible ways to measure community reaction to logo changes, and can consider surveys or other qualitative checks if principals request them.
