Communications director reports new district app and rising FOIA requests

Danny Fry, the district’s director of communications, briefed the board Jan. 28 on a suite of communication changes he said are intended to centralize district information and improve outreach.

Fry said the district launched a new website and an app in November; the app is listed as "BCSD5" in the App Store and Google Play. The district partnered with Apogee for the website, app and alerting functions, and Fry said the system will also support a two-way 'rooms' communication tool intended for teacher–family messages and extracurricular communication.

Fry reported growth in the district’s social channels and cited follower increases across Facebook and Instagram since his last update in March. He said the communications team handled 40 FOIA requests in the last fiscal year and had received 25 so far in the current fiscal year.

Fry described his role as FOIA officer and said crisis-communications work following an April incident underscored the need to balance timeliness with careful wording; he thanked Rachel Dyess of Springfield186 for assistance during that response. On the budget line for communications, Fry said the budget figure discussed at the meeting was $7,700; he also noted the district’s chief financial officer indicated the communications budget is higher than that figure but did not give a specific alternate number during the presentation.

Board members thanked Fry for materials such as postcards and brochures that the district now produces in-house, and for outreach work tied to upcoming town halls and building tours.

No board action was required on the communications update; staff will continue to refine the website/app and report back on implementation and usage.