Portage Township Schools rolls out 2024–25 communications plan to boost belonging and project outreach
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Summary
Melissa Devers, the district's communications presenter, told the board the 2024–25 strategic communications plan (based on the 2024 Panorama survey) aims to increase student belonging, spotlight the Willow Creek and Aylesworth projects and expand community outreach through social media and stakeholder forums.
Melissa Devers, communications staff for Portage Township Schools, presented the district's 2024–25 strategic communications plan at the board meeting in Aylesworth, saying the effort is built on 2024 Panorama survey results and aims to shift the district from reactive to proactive outreach.
Devers said the plan targets four goals: that stakeholders view the district as preparing students to succeed; that stakeholders feel welcome and included; that building improvements such as the Willow Creek and Aylesworth project be linked to student success; and that stakeholders serve as "brand ambassadors" for the district. "Our sense of belonging among students at both the elementary and secondary levels is increasing between 2 to 3% within the past year," Devers told the board.
The plan draws on strengths Devers cited as existing branding, communication tools and recently allocated communications funding developed with district staff. She reported that roughly "50% of our community members would recommend PTS to family friends," and that "83% of our families feel confident in how to contact their child's teacher," framing those measures as starting points for outreach.
Tactics include continuing principal communication training, expanding the use of student and staff ambassador committees (including the No Place for Hate student committees), social-media campaigns and a dedicated, up-to-date Willow Creek project page on the district website. Devers said the district reached about 10,000 followers on Facebook and is building presence on LinkedIn and Instagram to reach differing demographics.
Devers also described promotional items and event-based engagement ("Portage Proud" packs and on-site giveaways tied to district values) and said stakeholder forums for the Aylesworth and Willow Creek project have already begun. "We're prioritizing communication in the order of staff, families, and students and then community members," she said, adding the district will keep staff informed first so they can speak to families and neighbors.
Board members praised the plan and encouraged further outreach; one attendee noted the L3 lab as a community showcase. Devers closed by inviting questions and noting the Willow Creek project page will operate as a living source of updates for the public.
