SCN = The School Communicators Network

SCN is a weekly online resource platform that assists PreK-12 school communicators at every level build their capacity for promoting positive impressions of their schools and district — for less than $100 per year.

SCN is committed to helping school communicators:

recruit and retain students
gain unique insights about their profession u0026amp; skills
improve the quality and effectiveness of their communications planning and support teams
and provide ways to more efficiently and effectively manage their special projects and crisis management challenges.

SCN was created by a team of active educators, communication specialists, and business professionals. The idea-stimulating and practical resources offered by SCN align with the respected principles, expertise, and higher-level advocacy promoted by NSPRA and state school PR association.

Here’s who we are. The SCN team would like to connect with you, too!

Elizabeth Moraw is our SCN President (a brave soul indeed, to be honest!). She is a former 3rd grade teacher, K-5 building principal, and district curriculum specialist. Elizabeth is a highly regarded educator in West Michigan and is always on the lookout for ways to impact student achievement and build stronger school and family relationships. She burns through calendars big-time as an active gymnastics and hockey mom.

Tom Page is our SCN managing editor (happily willing to let Elizabeth do the heavy lifting!). He has an entrepreneur’s heart, in that, he lots of mistakes and learns what he can from most of them. Tom’s a former elementary and adult ed. teacher who has been a school district communications director for nearly two decades. Interest areas include school marketing, PR, campaigns u0026amp; elections, crisis management, and frankly, giving priority attention to the challenges of school choosers and the daily tasks assigned by his boss – his school superintendent!

Kym Reinstadler is our SCN features writer (possessing an amazing inner curiosity for all people and all topics). Unbelievably, when she asks someone, “What’s happening?” she really means it and actually takes the time to listen. Pretty nutty, right? But don’t worry – Kym also loves cooking and sports – so she’s normal! As a former newspaper reporter, Kym covered West Michigan for the Grand Rapids Press for more than 20 years, which is how she met most of the SCN team. (But not during the time frame she covered the police beat for awhile back in the ’90s before moving on to education! SCN is squeaky clean . . . as far as she knows.) Kym’s focus is simple: she loves writing about the unique insights and “a-ha moments” leaders and educators confide in her. And we all benefit as a result.

jim Camenga is our SCN site editor (and as a former radio guy, he’s been doing the school district communications thing even longer than Tom!). Jim works closely with SCN’s two contributing experts, college instructor Rob Pocock and leadership coach Mark de Roo. If ever you decide to contribute to SCN a guest post, a video tutorial, or even a holiday turkey, you’ll work with Jim. He’s friendly and funny; you’ll enjoy connecting with him. So, relish the experience with Jim. It’s offered to all of our contributors in lieu of cash. Jim graduated from the University of Colorado in Journalism, and for more than 31 years, he has been successfully keeping what parents desire to know front and center. And, by the way, Jim’s made the transition from radio guy to video guy big-time. And hang in there with SCN in the coming months, too … Jim is dying to share more with you about his paper toy hobby! We may not be able to hold him back!

Barb Terpstra is SCN’s Reader-in-Residence u0026amp; Book Reviewer (a woman who reads a lot more than most in other words). As an active and responsible executive assistant to several top district administrators during her career, you might think Barb’s smile is fake. But nope – she’s great at what she does and enjoys her role as a go-to person for school leaders. Given her many roles, it’s incredible that Barb can read all that she does; let alone find time to write about it! But she is able to stay awake while the rest of us our nodding off. No virtual assistants for SCN. Barb writes review books the old fashioned way: thinking about what authors say and passing along to us some things we might want to know. School communicators are her sole target audience. Believe it or not.

Sandy Heerspink is our SCN numbers-cruncher and associate editor (yet another of our multi-skilled, much-experienced top district executive assistants helping to ensure good school operations). Sandy as a knack for facts and figures, and once SCN actually has some numbers to crunch, we’re ready! But until that day comes, SCN is taking full advantage of Sandy’s “in the trenches” insights on school issues. Can you think of any tough school situation that you’ve had to address recently? We’re not kidding around. We challenge you to think of one! We’re betting that Sandy has experience with something like this, too. (Oops! Sandy just notified us that we can’t bet any money, though … still no numbers to crunch. Rats. Will you take a check?)

Rob Pocock is our SCN “Comm 101” prof (taking us all back to our communications fundamentals on our main scnforyou.com resource platform). Rob is a full-time corporate communications executive and a longtime part-time faculty member at Hope College in Holland, Michigan. Don’t let the suit and tie fool you, he’s on our side, folks! He and Tom have worked together for years on a number of campaigns and elections, and they’re still on speaking terms, so you know what a good guy Rob must be. Rob is also able to approach his “Comm 101” observations from many angles. He’s a husband, dad, grandpa, and school u0026amp; community volunteer. Rob knows his stuff: public speaking, crisis management, PR, marketing, advertising, and political campaigns. With private consulting also on his schedule, we’re grateful Rob shares so much to SCN members. (He’s not an easy-A, though.)

Mark de Roo is our SCN “Huddle Up” leadership coach (pumping all of us up, like Rob, every week on our scnforyou.com platform). Mark is a certified leadership coach and team trainer. Chances are good that if you own a big company in West Michigan, or are a visionary leader of a local non-profit organization, you already think highly of Mark’s talents and expertise and have contracted with him (and are wondering how the heck little ol’ SCN got Mark to sign up with them!). Well, despite this background mystery, you’ll value Mark’s “Huddle Up” perspectives. Like Rob, he’s a husband, public school parent, and grandpa. He loves mountain climbing, but happily leaves the ability to “leap tall buildings” to the caped crusader types. Mark’s just interested in helping us do better, be better. You’ll understand why his Keystone Coaching clients are so pleased. Prepare ye to be challenged!

Here we are. We’d love to hear from you. Your ideas and comments are invited. Contact us.