I share a unique similarity with today’s two amazing communicators – SCN Encourager

I’m hoping it’s a big time resume booster!

For me, that is.

The two school communicators featured today are doing just fine on their own.

But take a look and ponder this “odd parallel.”

It can’t be denied.

And I never even noticed this until I asked them to contribute to this week’s compilation of key takeaways from NSPRA 2016. [Day One]  [Day Two]

But it’s stunning.

Fact: Kristin Magette is the director of communications for Eudora Schools in Eudora, KS.

Fact: Jennifer Harris is the director of communications for Arlington Public Schools in Arlington, VA.

Fact: I’m the director of communications for Holland Public Schools in Holland, MI.

Now, isn’t it eerie how all three of us work for school districts that incorporate the exact same name of our cities?

Wow! I’m convinced this forever ties my fate to their rising stars.

Oh sure, it’d be nice to some of Kristin’s and Jennifer’s incredible skill and energy, but I’ll take what I can.

Just sharing that all important “school district = city name” match-up is enough for me.

It could be the game-changer I’ve been hoping for.

Kristin has been a good friend to SCN for quite awhile.

In fact, about 16 months ago we profiled Kristin, her book, and her recommendations for effective ways school districts can embrace using social media.

Kristin earned her APR (accredited PR honors) this summer and since NSPRA 2016, she’s been named to several notable “school PR” leaders lists.

When asked to name a key takeaway from the NSPRA 2016 Seminar, Kristin wrote:

“It’s so hard to choose just one, but if I look at it from the big picture POV, it’s definitely a changed (and now strategic) mindset around creating inclusive school systems. Inclusion — transgender, poverty, ESL, refugee — is about culture, not court decisions. And creating an inclusive system happens when leaders are thoughtful and intentional about creating policies and procedures that are good for ALL kids and families.”

Good thoughts, agreed?

Although Kristin fooled me and I had to look up what POV meant. I had guessed “Pile of Velcro.” But this was way off. It means Point of View. (No wonder I haven’t earned an APR.)

Jennifer leads a fantastic team of school communicators in her countywide school district in Virginia.

Back in January, Jen and two of her colleagues demonstrated their friendliness and wide-ranging expertise with host Holly McCaw on one of our first SCN Lunchinars.

No doubt this also proves she’s an unabashed high level risk-taker.

But I’m grateful for her school PR acumen, nonetheless.

A speedy-kwik click-thru of the Arlington Public Schools website shows that Jen is also an agile “big picture POV” thinker like Kristin.

And she recommends we take a moment to think about this:

“Authentic, two-way, face-to-face communications matters. Reminding ourselves that we must think of our stakeholders along more than one axis (race, gender, marital status, citizenship, faith, economic status, and so much more influence who we are and how we view issues). We’ll be incorporating that strategy into many of our communications plans this year.”

I will certainly give Jen’s advice some more thought.

It obviously shoots to heck my standard practice of using insincere, one-way, hide-your-face communication solely targeted toward old guys who love sports.

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