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Consultant: Octorara Area SD needs unified, resourced communications; recommends hiring dedicated staff
Summary
A consultant’s communications audit for Octorara Area School District found strong community pride but fragmented messaging across schools and recommended an action plan, improved internal systems, and hiring a full‑time communications lead, plus low-cost, high-impact improvements such as a unified calendar and expanded outreach to non‑English speakers.
A consultant presenting the results of a communications audit told the Octorara Area School District board on July 14 that while the district enjoys strong internal relationships and community pride, its communications are fragmented and inconsistent and would benefit from an intentional, resourced strategy.
"Clear proactive communication really does ultimately build support, it builds trust," the consultant said, summarizing the audit’s central finding and urging the board to prioritize both internal systems and external messaging. The consultant described reviewing websites, newsletters and internal and external messages, holding seven focus groups and interviewing administrators and other stakeholders.
The audit identified inconsistent tools and practices across schools — different buildings rely on different platforms such as Seesaw, Google Classroom, Schoology, PowerSchool and Remind — and noted a lack of clear rules about what should be communicated, by whom and on what timetable. The consultant said that, as a result, messages can be scattered and that strong communicators carry much of the burden informally.
As short‑term steps, the consultant recommended developing an action plan based on the audit, designating internal liaisons to gather school‑level content, strengthening website calendar functionality and using low‑cost promotions (video, local news, social media). On reaching multilingual families, the consultant said the district should expand outreach to non‑English speaking households.
For long‑term improvements, the consultant urged hiring a full‑time communications professional to handle day‑to‑day work and establish consistent branding, processes and evaluation. The consultant also proposed modest, district‑affordable video packages to highlight CTE programs and other points of pride; she showed a short promotional clip for the district’s Homeland Security CTE program and said fuller eight‑minute overviews and spotlight videos are available for presentations and recruitment.
Board members pressed for clarity on implementation and capacity; the consultant said administrators must support content gathering and that some staffing reassignments may be needed to sustain ongoing work. The presentation concluded with the consultant offering continued support and an action plan she has already submitted to district leadership.
The board did not take a vote on the audit itself at the meeting; the consultant’s recommendations were presented as guidance for the administration and future board discussion. The district’s next regular public meeting is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2025.
