Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Communications topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kingston communications team previews plan, new app and metrics; trustees debate text-message policy
Summary
The district communications team reviewed a multi-year communications plan, ADA-compliant branding and a new KCSD app; staff said texts are reserved for emergencies, prompting trustees to press for technical fixes after parents reported opt-outs and "text fatigue."
The Kingston City School District communications team presented a districtwide communications plan and implementation report, highlighting a new website, branding, translated messages and the KCSD mobile app, and prompting board-level discussion about text-message use.
Shana Voss of the communications department explained protocols for staff and family notifications: "Text messages, those are reserved for emergencies only," she said, describing a deliberate policy to limit text messaging to urgent items like school closures and early dismissals. The team said staff receive incident notices before families when lead time allows so messages to families are coordinated and accurate.
Digital-communications lead Brendan reported metrics showing expanded reach: since Sept. 1 the district—s Facebook content reached about "388,000 different people," video views on social platforms were up "88%," and the new website showed 402,000 active users (reflecting multiple-device usage). The KCSD app launched in September; the team said about 4,700 prior users updated to the new app and roughly 173 new downloads followed a targeted press push.
Several trustees pushed back on limiting texts, saying staff who work on-site rely on text alerts during the day. Communications leaders said the SCOPE survey indicated parents asked to restrict routine texts and that opt-outs had, in some instances, reduced emergency reach; they agreed to check the mass-notification system and lists to ensure targeted bus-route or building-level alerts reach the appropriate parents without causing message fatigue.
Why it matters: district communications affect family trust, emergency notification effectiveness, and equity for non-English speakers; the team emphasized translated messages and ADA compliance while trustees asked for clearer contact/update pathways and performance measures.
Speakers quoted: Shana Voss and Brendan (digital communications).
