Dilemma: How do you get publicity for your school's success stories?

NEA Today, Apr 2001

During the course of a school year, both good and bad news happens. We must be prepared to deal with both as gracefully and intelligently as possible. Here are a few tips for dealing with media:

Don't wait for them to come to you. Call or write them and ask them to visit your school. Invite them to lunch in the cafeteria.

Think of projects you can do together. Hold a writing, drawing, or photo contest sponsored by the newspaper.

Field trips to newspaper plants or broadcast media offer a multitude of opportunities for close encounters.

Prepare a press release about a special activity or display at your school. Make sure to include the name and all contact information of the person in charge of the project, whatever it is.

Be prepared for the worst. The day everything breaks loose is the day your relationship with the media becomes more valuable than gold. When you hear the voice on the other end of the line say, "Before we print these allegations, we'd like to run them by you," you'll be grateful you took time to build bridges with the media. Gwen "Lisa" Kaneshiro Fifth grade teacher Kamuela, Hawaii

* When I asked Julie Martin, managing editor of the Asheville-Citizen Times newspaper, this question, here's what she had to say. You can increase print coverage of school news by making it easier for reporters to talk to teachers and staff. Designate a school contact person to maintain open lines of communication between school personnel and reporters.

Often reporters are "put off" by attitudes of teachers and staff who don't want to talk about a topic. Inviting reporters to a public relations staff development at the school would help break negative attitudes and help administrators and teachers feel more comfortable in talking to reporters about school news.

Carol Fabrey

Vocational teacher

Asheville, North Carolina

* Getting publicity for the good news in schools is easy for us because teachers and students do the reporting in this rural county. Our media consists of one weekly newspaper and one radio station. Both have welcomed news items from our schools.

Teachers and students submit articles and photos for publication, sometimes via E-mail. High school students produce a weekly news show. Both forms of media have showcased accomplishments of individual students and teachers. as well as the activities of classes and student organizations.

The key has been for us to take the initiative and do some of the reporting work. It also helps to invite the media to attend special events.

Mary Sue Burns

High school chemistry and physics teacher

Dunmore, West Virginia

* Our district has a publicity committee (one representative each from eight schools) responsible for obtaining positive items and interesting events about our schools. As our school's representative, I send "news flashes" to my list of local media. If a reporter or photographer can't attend, I send a story and photos to print. Remember, the media doesn't know what we're doing unless we tell them.

Sophia Ramdass

Seventh grade, math teacher

Lake Zurich, Illinois

* Getting publicity takes time. But a fax or E-mail isn't enough. The personal touch is necessary. It's essential to follow up with a phone call. Politely ask if the reporter received the fax or E-mail and if the paper might send a reporter or photographer to your event. Your chances of gaining coverage increase if you send the initial request up to two or three weeks early and then followup. If your request is denied, ask to send a photograph and a short paragraph about the event once it's taken place. Should the item run in the paper, be sure to call or E-mail to thank the editor.

Hope Blecher Sass

ESL teacher

Clark, New Jersey

Got an Answer?

How do you keep students from losing ground over the summer?.

E-mail your answer to dilemma2@ neatoday.nea.org. Or send by regular mail, or fax to 202/822-7206. Please include your name, city, state, and job title. Published respondents will receive an NEA Today mug!