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Petersburg unveils three-year communications plan after audit and community survey
Summary
District communications staff presented a draft three-year plan based on an audit, a 258-respondent survey and focus groups. The plan emphasizes unified internal communications, crisis messaging, consistent school-level channels, more positive storytelling and a three-year roadmap for system-building and sustained community engagement.
Petersburg City Public Schools presented a draft three-year communications plan on June 3 designed to align communications with the district's Petersburg Forward 2031 strategic priorities.
Consultant Brendan Williams Keefe told the board the audit found strong, people-centered owned media and a clear superintendent voice, but recommended a single, unified division voice and clearer, plan-driven crisis messages. "The division has made clear and measurable progress toward a more modern, transparent and people-centered communication," Keefe said, while urging improved internal consistency.
Key findings and proposals
- Audit: staff noted strong social-media storytelling and professional owned media; recommendations included plainer family-facing language and anchoring stories with data. - Survey: 258 respondents (mostly staff and parents) rated division communications positively; email and ParentSquare led as preferred channels and the district website was the top place people go for updates. - Focus groups: leaders praised improved public storytelling but highlighted internal-communication gaps and a need for physical outreach in community high-traffic locations. - Seven goals: make the strategic plan visible; strengthen internal communications; build crisis and trust management; establish family-centered channel strategy; promote student-success stories; deepen community engagement; refresh visual identity and logos.
Implementation and next steps
The plan presents a three-year roadmap: year one to build systems and processes, year two to deepen engagement and visibility, and year three to institutionalize and sustain improvements. Staff said they will incorporate board feedback, expand community contact lists for surveys and outreach, and return with a final plan for consideration at the June second meeting.
Ending: Board members praised the work and urged staff to continue broadening outreach so more staff, parents and community partners participate in future engagement work.
