Mastering Social Media for Schools

Do you need a pep talk as we start the new school year? This is it! No one, not even me, has as much energy and passion for school communications as Ashley-Michelle Thublin, APR! What is your focus this school year? Enrollment, crisis communication, AI, or involving students in your storytelling? We cover it all in this episode! If you would like more support in your role, consider attending the N...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 19 - Your Professional Learning Community. Are you a one-person communications shop? Or maybe you don’t even have communications or PR in your title, but you’re handling social media? It can be a lonely job, but there is a community of support if you know where to look. Megan, who...

School communicators from around the country are all asking the same thing…What in the world should I do about our school's Twitter account? Learn about the changes Elon Musk is making that impact schools the most. Ask yourself these 4 questions to determine your plan for Twitter. Consider these 4 options for addressing your strategy on Twitter (or X). Should your school jump into Threads? I...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 16 - Video Tips. Short-form videos gain traction on social media, but video takes more time than photos. How does a communicator make that work? Laraine shares simple ways she collects content and encourages us “not to overthink it.” Editing takes valuable time and is not always r...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 15 - Handling Negative Comments. If you or others in your school are worried about negative comments, you are not alone. Having a plan is the best approach. Learn exactly how Holly approaches this concern in her district in Michigan. SPECIAL GUEST Holly McCaw, APR Director of Comm...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the story shared by Melissa Hartley in Chapter 11 - Stories to Share (and What to Skip). Are you bombarded with requests to share fundraisers, announcements, performances, and more on your social media channels? We understand! Today you’ll learn the perfect approach to getting this information out without cloggin...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through a story shared in Chapter 8 - Graphics, Tips, and Templates. Save time next school year by prepping some ready-made graphics that you can use for social media. Learn exactly how Natalie looks like a graphic designer, even though she is a classroom teacher with no formal graphics training! SPECIAL GUEST Natalie Ei...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 4 - Pages You’ll Run. Are you feeling overwhelmed with managing several different pages within your district? Peg has an approach that she’d like to share with you! If the sound of a “one-stop shop” for celebrating your district sounds good, you definitely want to listen to today’...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 3 - Purpose and Goals. Brendan provides a simple approach when it comes to setting goals for your social media efforts. It’s all about the attraction and retention of students! You can’t always be “promoting” or “selling” your school. Brendan shares the balanced approach he recomm...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 2 - Social Media Policy. Do you have staff asking you about starting their own social media accounts? Learn how Lana has managed this process with internal policies and a contract that staff has to sign. Internal use of social media is just one aspect. What about commenting guidel...

My brand new book is available now, and today you get to listen in as we talk through the case study shared in Chapter 1 - It Starts at the Top! “Social Media for Schools - Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity” is for anyone responsible for social media for a K12 school. Learn more about the challenge Jerry Almendarez faced w...

Today’s episode is a special one! You get to meet the woman behind helping me bring my new book to the world, Michelle Rayburn. She started her career as a nurse, but after having children, she rediscovered her love of writing. Michelle is an accomplished author and expert on self-publishing books through platforms like KDP on Amazon. What’s the very first step in writing a book? Michelle explains...

Dr. Joe Sanfelippo was my first mentor when I started this business, and we’ve got a special podcast episode today! Joe shares his philosophy of what makes Fall Creek different. They recognize when good things are happening, acknowledge it, and extend and share that news with others.  Joe’s latest book, Lead From Where You Are , is perfect for you and your leadership team to read this summer! Lear...

Not every technology coordinator has a marketing degree, but this week’s guest does! After helping her district successfully pass a bond, she added social media strategist to her title! Just like a washing machine can help you leverage technology to get your clothes washed quickly, Artificial Intelligence can enable you to do some tasks more efficiently. Heather will explain how and why she is usi...

Get ready to be inspired by Lynette’s journey into the #SchoolPR world! What started as a part-time office position has led to her current role in a district of 5,000 students. Looking for additional schooling to support your role in school communications? You’ll learn of two online programs to check out! You cannot tell stories alone. Lynette shares the details behind her Brand Ambassador program...

Can you imagine doing social media in a district of 180,000 students? If you can’t, today’s interview will provide a sneak peek. And it’s not as scary as you might think. Planning is everything, and you’ll grab some helpful tips and strategies. Looking for a safe way to do an Instagram takeover? Try the “Collab” feature. Delaina will share the details behind her “Grad Collab” program she did with...

Are you working for a service agency (BOCES, ESC, or Office of Education) or are you a one-person communication shop? If so - listen in! There is so much value in today’s podcast! Jacqueline shares her APR project with us, including a usable social media strategic plan that you can implement for your school or organization. We’ll break down identifying goals, evaluating results, and pivoting your...

With 35 years in education, today’s guest is sharing a wealth of knowledge when it comes to educators and social media. You are going to want to take some notes! Dr. Robin Finley often shares scenarios in her Teaching Time classes that ask educators to guess whether the teacher kept their job or was fired. We play a version of this game, and I didn’t do very well… Can teachers share photos of stud...

After nine years of managing social media for schools and training others to do the same, I’ve written a book to help schools celebrate their students and staff. It is called “Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies and Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity.” This episode shares the introductory chapter of my book! As a school communicator, you a...

Have you ever been told, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all?” Well - if you’re in school communications, you can’t really use that advice. Lucky for you, today’s guest has written a book to help you know what you actually can say! With nearly 3 decades of experience as a speaker, Sarita knows how to inspire a crowd through her keynote speaking on communicating with...

Les Atkins and his small communications team are slaying the social media engagement game with their powerful storytelling in a district of 38 schools, 23,000 students, and 3,500 staff. Learn what features Alamance-Burlington uses to drive staff morale, staff recruitment, and community engagement. North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) recently recognized Les and his team with...

Listeners, today’s guest is a treat! She was nervous to hop on and hit the record button, but the wisdom she shares from her school district in Wisconsin is solid gold! Kari shares how she started in her role and how she built relationships with staff, focusing on her supporting role to highlight the incredible things happening in the schools. Focusing on authentic moments has been part of Kari’s...

After surveying more than 490 principals across the state of Minnesota, Dr. Janet Swiecichowski, APR has some powerful findings to share with us today on employee well-being and burnout in schools. Burnout isn’t just about personal self-care. It relates back to organizational problems and work conditions, and Janet shares the 5 areas organizations need to focus on to reduce staff burnout. Are you...

This country is facing rising issues with mental health, and today I want to be open, vulnerable, and honest with my own journey. Nearly 50 million American adults report having a mental illness, but 50% of adults don’t receive any treatment. It made sense to me that I had severe anxiety when I lost my job and had to move in with my parents back in 2014, but why did I face depression in the fall o...

Meet my twin business owner serving school nutrition programs, Liz Roesel, president and founder of SEA Level Social! Liz shares oodles of tips in this episode, but she specifically describes how to share engaging content about your food program. What do schools get wrong when it comes to social media? It’s easy, and you’ll learn all about it in this episode. It’s National School Breakfast Week ri...