Fort Mill School District Transforms Community Engagement Through Unified Communications Platform
New district implements Smore for Teams across all schools, establishing consistent, branded messaging for its entire community
FORT MILL, SC—May 29, 2025—Fort Mill School District, the largest in York County, South Carolina, has transformed its community engagement approach by implementing Smore for Teams as the district-wide communications platform. The district now reaches families with consistent, branded messaging across all schools, ending a fragmented approach that had previously challenged its otherwise strong community connections.
Key Outcomes:
- 27 newsletters published in April 2025, averaging 667 readers per edition
- Widespread adoption among Principals with no formal training required
- Unified messaging replaced previously scattered communication channels
- Enhanced ability to respond rapidly to emerging situations
“Everyone was using their own thing, or nothing at all,” said Joe Burke, Chief Communication Officer at Fort Mill School District. “We wanted all Principals to have access to the same solution, and we needed district-level flexibility to communicate with students, families, our broader community, and even prospective teachers during recruitment. Smore for Teams solved all these challenges with one intuitive platform.“
Why It Matters
School districts nationwide are facing increasing pressure to maintain transparent, consistent communication with families while competing with social media misinformation. Fort Mill’s approach demonstrates how a unified communications strategy can strengthen community connections and position the district as the authoritative voice on school matters.
From Fragmented to Unified: The Implementation Journey
Fort Mill’s transition to Smore stands out for its speed and unanimity. Unlike typical technology rollouts that face adoption barriers, the district’s principals began publishing professionally designed newsletters immediately, without formal training.
“It was a quick rollout,” Mr. Burke noted. “People were creating custom backgrounds and experimenting with content blocks right away. The platform is intuitive enough that no training was needed.”
The platform’s flexible capabilities meet diverse needs across the district:
- School principals embed YouTube videos to create multimedia updates
- Recruitment teams leverage Canva integrations for branded visuals
- District leadership sends mass communications without per-recipient costs
Data-Driven Communication Strategy
While Fort Mill already enjoyed strong community engagement, Smore’s analytics have revealed deeper insights about content performance. The district now tracks which stories capture reader attention through click-through rates and measures actual engagement time versus casual browsing.
In a community where staying informed is deeply valued, these metrics help ensure that newsletters remain relevant and responsive to family interests.
Communication Speed as a Strategic Advantage
For Mr. Burke, one of Smore’s most valuable benefits is the ability to respond rapidly to emerging situations—from inclement weather events to school closures to social media misinformation. “Just 10 years ago, social media was in its infancy. Now, it’s one of the primary tools for sharing information, and it’s only going to get bigger. Unfortunately, some of the information that spreads there can be inaccurate, incorrect, or incomplete.”
He adds, “Being able to publish in minutes is the difference between being the news source and just trying to keep up with the news.” This capability has positioned the district as the authoritative voice in its community, reducing confusion and building trust through timely, accurate information.
A Model for Modern School Communications
Dr. Kara Stern, Smore Director of Education, sees Fort Mill’s approach as exemplary of emerging best practices in school-community relations.
“The future of education communications isn’t just about sending information—it’s about creating consistent touchpoints that build relationship capital with families,” Dr. Stern notes. “Districts like Fort Mill are pioneering approaches that will become standard practice as schools recognize that strategic communications directly impact student success. We’re seeing districts that implement unified communication strategies experiencing measurable improvements in family participation, staff retention, and ultimately, student outcomes.”
Looking Ahead: From Information to Participation
Fort Mill is building on its communication foundation to increase community participation in school initiatives. Mr. Burke envisions an ecosystem where strong communication channels lead to more active involvement.
“Gone are the days of educational systems working in siloes,” Mr. Burke said. “Everything in schools has become community-oriented, and you want to keep people involved and informed so they’re positively participating in schools.”
With its unified communications approach firmly established, Fort Mill is positioned to leverage these channels for deeper community collaboration and engagement.
About Smore for Teams
Smore for Teams empowers school and district leaders to create professional, engaging newsletters—no design experience needed. With templates, brand controls, and detailed analytics, Smore helps districts unify communication, connect with families, and build trust in every message.
Media Contact:
Annmarie Ely
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
[email protected]
267.454.4686
