Key Communicators Update
August 2018
Hello KCs!
- Principals
- Staff members appointed by principals
- Social Media Managers
- Newsletter Managers
What do Key Communicators do?
- Promote your school and Madison County Schools
- Encourage engagement with stakeholders
- Provide photos, videos, information for Spotlight newsletter
- Post information, videos, photos, etc... on Social Media
- Create newsletters and information flyers for your school
- Share Spotlight on your social media
- Promote PR activities at your school
Questions? Please contact:
- Your Principal
- Aleta Stender at MCSSComm@mcssk12.org
Smore Site License
We have almost every school added to the Smore site license! I can't wait to see all the great newsletters and flyers our schools will publish! If your school isn't on the license yet, please contact me so we can get that done ASAP. You can convert an account you are already using or create a new one.
Please let me know if you have questions!
Aleta
Features with Site License
- Unlimited number of flyers- create all you want!
- Monthly emails- 20,000 for the site license, plus unlimited flyer credits, so email away!
- Flyer translation.
- Education backgrounds and fonts.
- Print jpgs or pdfs of flyers
- Custom colors and backgrounds- upload your own background!
- Educators Hive- Lots of flyers with information and inspiration!
- You can make your flyers 'private' by default if you prefer.
- NO ADS!!!
- Share templates with colleagues.
- We can track analytics for the site license. So post your flyers and newsletters and promote them!
- Need help? Contact Smore Support: support@smore.com.
School newsletters should have the school's name as the profile name, not an individual...unless the newsletter is coming from the principal.
DID YOU KNOW?
Managing School Newsletters
- It's better to create a brand new school newsletter with a new URL for each publication. You'll have previous versions to look back on if needed, plus you get more accurate analytics on how many viewed your newsletter, etc.
- You can duplicate a previous flyer and change the information. This will give you a new URL for the new flyer.
- You can copy/paste or embed the newsletter URL in emails, websites, and social media.
- Be sure to have a specific spot on your school's homepage for your school newsletter!
- It's a good idea to post on the same day each week or month. People will know to look for your latest newsletter on a specific date.
- Use photos and graphics to draw attention to important information.
- Take advantage of the opportunity to use custom backgrounds. Find or create a fun background!
- Use a design program like Canva to create graphics and photo collages for your newsletter and for posting to social media.
- You can email directly from SMORE! See information about creating email lists below!
Spotlight will be published bi-monthly for 2018-19!
Submission Guidelines
- Deadline is 3 PM two days prior to publication. HOWEVER, you CAN email or upload information at anytime and as often as you like! Send the info when you get it! (I like to get a head start on creating the newsletter, so early submissions are appreciated!)
- Send information to this email: MCSSComm@mcssk12.org (Not to my work email, please. I don't want to lose any submissions in my daily mail)
- Upload information to your school's folder at this link. Create a folder with the publication date, then upload. I will check the folders one final time at 9 am on the date of publication.
- Follow the basic Who, What, When, Where, and Why when creating write-ups.
- At your discretion, include students' names in write-ups. You may include first names only, if you prefer. Always include employees' names. We want to showcase them!
- Submit write-ups that are similar to your social media posts.
- Include photos and videos too, but, please submit photos/videos and write-ups separately.
- Label or number the photos to match the labeled or numbered write-ups.
- Feel free to create photo collages to send. This allows us post more photos in less space.
- It is up to you whether to include student names, but moms really do like to see their kids smiling faces and names in the spotlight!!
- When submitting videos, please send a vimeo or youtube link.
Examples of Spotlight submissions
Some examples of potential submissions:
College signings
College scholarships
Career Tech classes, field trips, etc.
Local, state, and national awards for publications, etc.
Teachers/Admins earning degrees, NBCT certification, winning awards, appointments to programs, etc.
Outstanding students of the month, Good Citizens, etc.
Band/choral/art awards
School recognition- Top schools, etc.
Athletics recognition: championships, individual awards
Academic recognition, awards, etc.
Volunteer events and recognition
Fun Run/5K Photos
Honors inductions/convocations
Scholars’ Bowl/Math Bowl
Exciting classroom presentations or projects
Other- we've surely missed some great examples on our list, so check with us if you have questions
**NOTE: We reserve the right to edit or omit submissions as needed.
2018/19 MCSS Hashtag will be revealed at Teacher Institute!
#WHATWILLITBE?
Do you have your Hashtag yet?
How to create a Hashtag:
- Be Unique! Don't use a general term that a lot of others use.
- Be positive, think school spirit (ex: #EaglesSoar)
- Keep It Short!
- Build a Community - this hashtag will help brand your school!
- Use school name or initials!
- Use Upper Case letters for easier reading.
- Use it EVERY TIME YOU POST!
Some Hashtags from around MCSS:
- Madison County CNP and Lunchrooms- #EatWellMCSS
- Sparkman High School- #WeAreSparkman
- Sparkman Family- #1Sparkman
- Harvest- #WeRHarvest
- Riverton ES- #WeAreRiverton
- Riverton IS- #RISStrong
- Hazel Green HS- #TrojanNation
- Monrovia MS- #1MMSHawks
- Buckhorn HS- #BuckPride
- Endeavor- #Endeavor2Grow
- Monrovia ES- #WeRHawks
- Madison Co Career Tech- #EveryStudentEveryDay #TechPride
- Owens Cross Roads- #WeSoar
- New Hope HS- #NewPrideNewPassionNewHope
Month-long Recognition for August 2018
**Resources (Links/Photos/Graphics) available at this link: PR Resources
Recognition Days for August 2018
- Friendship Day- August 5
- Left Handers Day- August 13
System Events- August 2018
- Back To School!
- Teachers of the Year- School Nominees
- Support Persons of the Year- School Nominees
- Superintendent's Teacher Advisory Council