Mastering Social Media for Schools

Today, we’re welcoming a guest from Canada to the podcast! Cindy Nickerson, a veteran school communicator with over a decade of experience, shares her journey of building capacity in school communication as a one-person shop in a school division with 10,000+ students. Here’s what you’ll learn: How Cindy’s Communication Lead Program Started Discover how she developed and trained a team of school-ba...

For those looking for a better system to manage your “do not photo” list for social media, this episode is for you! Today, you’ll meet Colin Anson, the CEO and Co-Founder of Pixevety. Discover the origin story behind this innovative technology solution and how it’s serving schools worldwide. This robust system is economical—listen until the end to learn about the pricing options. SPECIAL GUEST Col...

Feeling overwhelmed by social media? This episode highlights how simplicity and consistency can drive big results. Here's what you'll learn: Meet Laurette Woodward, Communications Coordinator for a school division near Calgary, serving over 11,000 students across 30 schools. Discover how social media is managed at each location with training that sets schools up for success. Learn how us...

Discover the inspiring story of Ollie the Owl and how it became a symbol of connection and storytelling for schools. Learn how Ollie has transformed social media engagement, making communication more meaningful and impactful. Gain practical tips for overcoming social media challenges, like content collection, through creative solutions. Hear heartwarming success stories and actionable ideas for ad...

Can you define the culture and climate in your school? In today’s episode, you’ll find out how - and it all ties back to what your organization respects and values. Discover practical ways to use social media to showcase your school’s culture and climate to your community. Authentic storytelling is a key theme in this episode. You can’t fake the feelings and traditions that make your school unique...

Feeling overwhelmed by the constant shifts in social media, rapid AI advancements, and the lingering chaos of the past election year? In this episode, Andrea Gribble delivers a pep talk and actionable insights to help you keep your storytelling authentic and impactful. Top Podcast Highlights: Discover the 6 must-listen episodes from 2024, featuring tips on content gathering, student storytelling,...

Managing Social Media with a Small Team: Hear how Ben Boothe keeps social media thriving for a school district of 6,000 students, even without a dedicated communications team. He shares his approach to juggling responsibilities and still getting the job done. Easy Content Collection Tips: Ben reveals how making it simple for staff to submit photos and stories transformed their social media content...

Does the fear of receiving an OCR complaint in your district keep you up at night? This fear became a reality for today’s podcast guests in 2017, but they are proof that you can survive! They’ll share the first important steps they took when receiving their letter. You can take some simple, practical steps to enhance your ADA compliance. Gain insights into these and how to implement them in your d...

Meet Lynette White, an influential social media advocate empowering schools in California and beyond with over 15 years of educational experience and author of a must-read new book. Discover Lynette's journey into the art of school storytelling and how her academic background equipped her to become a leader in educational social media. Gain insights into the top 3 common social media challeng...

Do you feel alone or on an island when it comes to managing social media for your school? So did today’s guest. Hear how Lanita has transformed her storytelling efforts for her small Christian school of 600 students in Fort Worth, Texas. Discover the simple change she made that improved her efficiency and reduced stress in celebrating classroom moments—and how you can do it, too. Hear about Lanita...

You are going to learn SO MUCH by listening to this episode! Ren is a storyteller at heart and she’ll break down their district’s approach to social media with over 25,000 students and 3,800 employees. Twitter is dead; long live LinkedIn! Find out some impressive stats on how Springfield is growing their reach on LinkedIn. Short-form videos can ignite your social media reach! Discover Ren’s secret...

Understanding the New Regulations: Learn about the latest federal regulations on digital accessibility and how they impact schools, including a clear breakdown of what "WCAG 2.1 level AA" really means and why it matters. The Four Key Principles of Accessibility: Discover the four core principles—perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust—and how these apply specifically to school...

Strategic Investment in Communications: In 2021, the School District of Holmen created a new Communications Specialist position. Travis Judell, with his background in media, has revolutionized the district's communication and engagement efforts, serving approximately 3,000 students.  Mastering Multi-Platform Content Strategy: Discover Travis's approach to content development for Facebook...

Jennifer Salyards may have been the Director of Communications at Stephenville ISD, Texas, for just 14 months, but her impact is already making waves. A former Principal, Jennifer is embracing this newly created position and telling the district’s stories like never before. In this episode, Jennifer shares the key to her success: relationships. Whether connecting with colleagues across the distric...

Are you curious about Facebook's Performance Bonus program and how it could benefit your school district? In this episode, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up Facebook performance bonuses for school district social media pages. You'll discover key steps like creating a separate district bank account for receiving funds and assigning the right financial administrators to manage the...

Discover how St. Joseph Catholic School increased enrollment from 140 to 201 students in just four years through strategic marketing and social media efforts. Uncover three proven strategies to boost enrollment at your school, including the power of dedicated marketing personnel and multi-channel communications. Learn how to elevate your school's brand on a budget with practical tips on color...

Community Building through Social Media: Carrie Birchler emphasizes the importance of using social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, to build a sense of community and engage both current and prospective families in a school setting. Content Gathering from Teachers: She shares her approach to gathering content for social media, including using QR codes and posters to make it easy for staff...

Why Video Matters: Rob Wiltsey breaks down the crucial role that video plays in your social media strategy. Content Inspiration: Learn how to take what grabs your attention while scrolling and apply it to your school's content. Engaging Video Hooks: Rob shares three effective video hooks that resonate with traditional social media users. Creative Strategies: Discover a proven tactic from Scho...

Discover how Karen Briones transitioned from parent volunteer to Communications Coordinator, shaping her role to amplify the district’s voice. Learn Karen's strategies for capturing authentic student voices in school videos, from interview tips to using natural light for better visuals. Explore the creative process behind impactful video storytelling, including how to maximize student engagem...

Discover how Higley Unified School District effectively leverages social media to engage young families in a competitive school choice environment. Learn the video content strategies that drive engagement, including the use of trending audio and authentic storytelling. Get insider tips on tools like CapCut, Canva, and Adobe Rush to create impactful videos—no expensive equipment needed. Understand...

October is National Principal Month! Tune in for a lively discussion packed with creative ideas to celebrate your principals on social media. Pressed for time? We’ve got you covered with quick and easy post ideas that take less than 5 minutes—no graphics required! Ready to jump in with a little more effort? We’ll share some fun questions you can ask your principals to help your community get to kn...

The evolution of social media and communication has come a long way since Brian started working after college in the ‘90s. Take a quick trip down memory lane to see how far we’ve come. Social media is worth it. We discuss the impact and importance of this powerful communication tool for schools. There is a new program available called the Donovan Group Communication Academy. Currently available in...

As a Principal - you can impact family engagement with social media posts! Learn how Angie does this in her small elementary school of 350 students. Learn about the project-based learning project College Wear Wednesdays! This program is so much more than a social media photo opportunity. Are you struggling with student privacy? Angie shares her practical advice. SPECIAL GUEST Angie Balius Principa...

Discover the ins and outs of social media management at Lincoln Unified School District with Tyler Heberle, a one-person communications powerhouse. Tyler manages the social media presence for 12 schools and the district, showcasing how he balances it all. Don’t miss Tyler’s insights on leveraging video strategy, including a viral moment featuring a simple yet impactful marching band clip. Learn ho...

Listen in to learn more about: Leveraging Social Media for School Engagement: Montana shares how she revived Maricopa Unified School District's social media presence, transforming inactive accounts into vibrant platforms for community engagement. Navigating Career Transitions: Montana discusses her journey from being laid off in HR to finding her passion in school communications, emphasizing...