When we were thinking about what school leaders like you could use for the holidays, the first thing that came to mind was a big belly laugh.
You’ve endured a doozy during the past two years, and beyond napping, endless hot chocolate and a break from scrolling Twitter, we figured you could use a little bit of lolz.
And what’s sillier than ugly holiday sweaters?
Read MoreThe massive influx of federal funds meant to help schools recover from COVID-19’s effects—known as ESSER funding—is a lifeline for districts. But, as any seasoned public employee knows…there’s no such thing as free money. The ESSER III funds come with a few strings attached.
Read MoreNow more than ever, it’s time to invest in our principals, our assistant principals, our front desk staff and everyone in a school who communicates with parents. Our school-based communicators deserve thoughtful leadership from our district offices, clear expectations about communications and the tools they need to do a good job.
Read MoreIn many communications initiatives, you just KNOW your target audience is going to find fault with your campaign. They are going to have questions, concerns or downright oppose your work.
Once you explain your vision, they’ll say “what I’m worried about is...” and launch into why they don’t support you. What comes after the “what I’m worried about...” is the concern—in other words, the challenge you need to overcome to gain your opposition’s support.
Read MoreAmericans are quitting their jobs at a record rate. Korn Ferry calls it an “unprecedented string of walkouts”. News headlines nicknamed it “the great resignation.” However you describe it, the employee turnover in every industry, including ours, is so real right now.
Read MoreAs the seasons change, we’re all craving a bit of new. Here are a few things to think about as you hit refresh on your social media marketing plan for the rest of the year.
Read MoreAs communicators, our job is to get really great at both push and pull communications, because our audiences need and deserve both.
Read MoreWe asked a few members of our team what they imagine when they hear the phrase “hold your horses.” The results were nothing short of hysterical.
Here’s a brief 101 on Communications Audits to get you started…
Read MoreOne of the things I’ve missed most in the past year is meeting with partners, clients, and fellow school communicators in person. As I look at the conference lineup—from sessions about bond campaigns to equity in leadership—I’m filled with excitement to learn from one another as we work together to serve students.
Read MorePlummeting public school enrollment numbers are keeping educators up at night nationwide. That’s why Forthright Senior Advisor Ashley Peterson-DeLuca is sharing strategies for how to build strong relationships with families all year-round.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever been a Forthright client, you’ve probably heard us say this a million times: “You don’t talk TO the media, you talk THROUGH the media!” While we value journalists for all they do, a simple conversation with an individual reporter rarely accomplishes an organization's end goal. That’s why we’re sharing our favorite rule for successful media relations!
Read MoreThe good news is, tracking engagement (and building measurable goals) doesn’t have to be hard. That’s why today, we’re sharing our tips for the two key metrics you should always track on social media.
Read MoreWe share actionable tips and tricks for how to build trust with families and with school staff, talk about the long-term need for meaningful community engagement, and reflect on what the future holds.
As we approach graduation season, I know many of you are planning speeches, from drafting your own to ghostwriting for your district’s leadership. We’re sharing a few tips to help you along the way!
Read MoreBy making storytelling an integral part of your communications, you can build strong relationships with your community, funders and partners. And, you can highlight stories across any channel—sharing them on social media, incorporating story call outs in your annual report or including them when pitching media contacts. Check out our four research-backed tips (and examples) for effective storytelling.
Read MoreToday, we’re challenging this narrative in our work and want to help you do the same, informed by fresh data and new research on school-family engagement. Why? Because we know that the moment district leaders like you reject this myth, something amazing happens. You can begin the hard work of developing compassionate and effective strategies to reach every family.
Read MoreSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vast and seemingly endless topic. But, with more than half of all web visits coming from unpaid search, SEO—which helps make your website easier to find for people—is an important strategy for every organization. So, in typical Forthright fashion, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Here are your “must knows!”
Read MoreWith millions of students missing from public schools across the U.S. this year, it will take a fresh approach to build trust with families. We’re sharing three questions to ask yourself before you start planning, along with how to build trust that leads to student enrollment.
Read MoreStudent enrollment is declining across grades, partly because of COVID-19 and increased concerns. That’s why we’re sharing tips to help you—the leaders and communicators in charge of enrollment—create an evidence-based enrollment campaign for the 2021-22 school year that directly addresses parents’ concerns.
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