Add infographics to your content toolbox

Infographics are not new. As media consumers, we frequently come across these visual data tools that break down technical or complex information into easy-to-understand content. They are effective because many people are visual learners. Images increase engagement and help people understand information, and infographics, specifically, help simplify concepts and tell stories.

How to use infographics

Infographics can be an effective part of any content strategy for internal or external audiences at the district level. They also can be used by schools to share information with parents and by teachers for instruction.

They can accompany almost any information you need to share, from proposed budgets to annual reports, administrative cost ratios, student achievement gains and bond election facts. In some cases, they can replace the stories you write about these topics.

Post them online and include links in key communicator and staff emails. Have colorful copies available at board meetings, forums, news briefings, staff in-service sessions or just about any gathering you organize. Turn them into large posters and display in lobbies and at meetings, receptions and even sports, music and graduation events.

What makes an infographic effective?

According to Creative Bloq Art and Design Inspiration, “The best infographics should tell the story of a piece of data in an entertaining and concise way. Infographics should spark interest in the data story, and allow people to understand it at a glance.” (http://links.ohioschoolboards.org/59466)

Visme, an infographic and presentation content maker, breaks down the fundamental elements of successful infographic design (http://links.ohioschoolboards.org/15384):

  • It should tell a story.
  • It should lead your eyes through the information.
  • It should be well-structured.
  • It should send a clear message.
  • It should be visually appealing.
  • It should be accurate and well-planned.

For inspiration, there are countless examples of effective infographics online. Search the web for specific ideas and check out these examples of effective designs:

Tips for making infographics

If your communications plan does not include infographics, there are easy ways to create these visual files without having graphic design expertise. A good design is essential, but first, you must plan and organize the information.

For tips, refer to How to Make an Infographic in 5 Steps (Beginner Guide) at http://links.ohioschoolboards.org/59304:

  1. Outline and define the goals of your infographic. Why are you making this infographic and what are you trying to communicate? This should include a very specific solution to a communication goal for your specifically defined audience. See the question pyramid in the how-to guide referenced above to help you flesh out the burning problem, supporting questions and probing questions that will be the basis for your graphic.
  2. Collect data for your infographic. Start with your own data, such as test scores, absentee rates and teacher education levels, and add supporting data through online searches of census data, Pew Research Center and Google Scholar and more.
  3. Visualize the data for your infographic. One strategy is to use the ICCORE method to determine the primary goals for your data: inform, compare, change, organize, reveal relationships or explore.
  4. Lay out your infographic design. It should have a natural information flow and a grid layout to add structure and balance. A grid is a predefined symmetrical layout of columns and rows. It is a standard structure in graphic design that provides order and helps guide the reader through the design.
  5. Add style to your infographic design. Pick fonts that are simple. As this is a visual summary, be sure only to include text that is necessary for understanding concepts and supplementing visuals. Don’t be afraid to use large headings and subheadings. In fact, be sure to use big fonts to call attention to your messages. Choose colors carefully, and follow the principles of good design: alignment, consistency, repetition, negative space and color.

Use templates and tools

You don’t have to be a professional graphic designer to make infographics. It helps to have an understanding of good design, but there are many free and fee-based

tools and templates that will help you create a good data image.

If you are a design novice or lack the time to design from scratch, take a shortcut with an online infographic tool. Read reviews on Creative Bloq’s list of 19 incredible options (http://links.ohioschoolboards.org/83706). Here are the top five on the list:

  • Piktochart: Entry-level tool with customizable templates (www.piktochart.com).
  • Biteable: Free high-quality video infographics for social media (www.biteable.com).
  • Mural: Fee-based interactive, collaborative design tool (www.mural.co).
  • BeFunky: Free customizable template library for exportable infographics (www.befunky.com).
  • Visme: Free infographic maker with more than 100 free fonts, a large image and icon library and the ability to include video, audio and animations (www.visme.co).

Contributed by Marcia Latta, communications consultant

Adding student work to your content strategy

As you sketch out your school communication strategies, consider how you can involve students’ work.

There are many benefits. Parents, taxpayers and staff members learn from reading, seeing and hearing firsthand student experiences. The process of creating these submissions enables students to broaden and apply their communication skills, and their storytelling can expand the content and reach of your communication channels. They may stand a better chance of getting difficult messages across to parents and guardians, from guidance on why not to be a helicopter parent to why consistent school attendance matters so much. After all, youth are the experts on their lives.

For school communicators, there also are at least three self-serving — but very worthwhile — reasons to incorporate student submissions. One is that students bring energy, which can be a refreshing antidote to a draining day at the office. A second is that students always are doing something interesting and often want to share their news, so there is no shortage of material. A third is the reality that the student becomes the teacher. Working with students will improve your skills and understanding in unexpected ways.

You might start by brainstorming ways to involve students. Think broadly. Consider:

  • The outlets: school district, individual schools, classrooms, parent/teacher/student groups, businesses, civic organizations, local governments, news media and others.
  • The methods: websites, social media, newsletters, meetings, public events and others.
  • The format: videos; essays, letters and other writings; soundtracks; photographs; computer programs; and in-person speeches and presentations.
  • The student work: original content produced for your distribution; work done for a class or club project; or work put together with the help of a teacher, coach, club adviser or another adult.

Student content strategy

The options are so widespread that you could spend all your time curating student submissions. Instead, find opportunities that offer good returns on your time investment, add something new or different to your communications and/or target a specific audience or need.

For example, student submissions can help get the school year off to a strong start for students and families. Pre-K and kindergarten students certainly will have different contributions than high school seniors, but all can be valuable to your audiences.

Because a new academic year can be scary, peer stories can help alleviate those fears. High school students could put together video interviews with students and/or staff on topics such as “What it’s like going to school here” “How to make new friends in school” or “What I wish I’d known on the first day of school (with answers).”

Young students could be asked to list words to describe their classroom or school day. Their communications might be put together as a photograph, collage or composite video of interview snippets, which would entail help from staff. In any case, the project should start in the previous school year, so it will be ready before the new year.

Tips for a productive student newsroom

Here are things to keep in mind, whether you are dealing directly with student submitters or working through district staff:

  • Think about how you will solicit contributions, how you will graciously weed them out if there are too many and how you will encourage more if there are too few.
  • Tap into interests, such as a student’s desire to put together a regular sports podcast, a review of the week’s scientific advancements or a cooking show.
  • Capitalize on already produced work, such as student radio, TV or newspaper stories that you can republish through your channels.
  • Be clear,  without going overboard, about what you’re seeking. Your role is to encourage opportunity, not throw up obstacles.
  • Treat the students with the same respect and cordiality as you would anyone else. As much as possible, these presentations should be done from the students’ perspective. They need to be authentic, not perfect, so a light editing touch is preferable. On the other hand, the results should not embarrass or make fun of anyone.
  • Have clear deadlines and, as necessary, check-in with students. Help them learn and apply the stages of project development using Gantt charts or project management tools. What is important is getting the work done in time for your use so be willing to bend arbitrary deadlines as necessary and permit students to develop better work habits over time. As with any project, build in time for things to go wrong.
  • Listen for the students’ questions instead of making assumptions.
  • Seek ideas from district staff about students who could contribute submissions — whether something prepared for you or something already done. My first professionally published piece was a vocabulary essay written for my 10th-grade English class that my teacher, Mrs. Abernethy, suggested I submit to the local newspaper as a letter to the editor.
  • Appreciate that everyone is overworked. Look for mutually beneficial opportunities to capitalize on what students, classes and clubs already are doing.
  • Create templates so you don’t have to reinvent the relevant information each time.
  • Only ask for as much as you can handle.
  • Have fun. Keep brainstorming.

Contributed by Dick Hughes, communications consultant. Contact him at TheHughesisms@Gmail.com.

Improving your attendance rates

It’s a simple truth: Students can’t learn if they’re not in school. Yet more than 8 million students across the United States miss so many days of school each year that they are academically at risk.

People sometimes blame negligent parents for not caring enough to make sure their children get to school or older students choosing to skip school. But many times the absences are tied to health problems, such as asthma, diabetes and mental health issues, or family circumstances, such as the lack of a car, need for daycare for younger siblings or job instability.

Whatever the reason, absenteeism from school has serious consequences that can impact a child’s future success. Did you know:

  • Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half of the students who miss two to four days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
  • Poor attendance can influence whether a child reads proficiently by the end of third grade or will be held back.
  • By sixth grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

Why should we care?

While it’s easy to think chronic absenteeism is a parent problem or a school problem, it’s a community problem. It should matter to all of us that the children in our community are in school and getting a good education.

Business leaders understand this and support efforts to keep students in school. They know that:

  • Absenteeism contributes to high school dropout rates. If students aren’t in school, they’re not acquiring the knowledge and skills they need to compete in the modern workforce.
  • Schools help teach students the “soft skills,” such as punctuality, dependability and persistence, that are critical for success in the workplace.
  • When children miss school, their parents often miss work to care for them. So employers have a real stake in reducing the number of days that children stay home.

Many states have started aggressive campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of regular school attendance and to reduce chronic absenteeism. The state departments of education list a variety of resources for both parents and educators on their websites. See http://links.ohioschoolboards.org/44559 for Ohio

Department of Education resources. Another good source is Attendance Works (attendanceworks.org), a state and national initiative to reduce chronic absenteeism. Its website offers strategies and tools for addressing chronic absenteeism. Among the resources is a parent engagement toolkit.

Strategies for reducing absences

By working together with parents, businesses and communities, schools can make a positive impact on reducing absenteeism and keeping students in school and learning. Here are a few ways educators can help prevent or reduce absences:

  • Make school a welcoming place. One of the best ways to combat absenteeism is to ensure that school is a place where students want to be. Assign staff members to stand in the entrance each morning to warmly greet students and their families and make them feel welcome. Plan fun and educational activities throughout the year that motivate students to come to school. Establish positive behavior expectations that encourage students to be kind and act appropriately. Implement anti-bullying strategies so students feel safe and welcome.
  • Communicate attendance expectations.  Reach out to families before the school year begins to stress the importance of regular attendance. Use your welcome-back letters and social media to communicate about how important attendance is for student achievement. Emphasize why being on time and in school matters. Hang posters that illustrate the importance of regular attendance for student success.
  • Form an attendance team, and intervene early. An attendance team can play a critical role in helping schools reduce the number of student absences. Attendance should be monitored daily, and criteria set for when the attendance team is notified. For example, the criteria might be to notify the team if a student is absent more than two days in a row or a certain number of days in a quarter. With early intervention, the team can step in before attendance becomes a bigger issue and meet with parents and offer additional resources if needed.
  • Celebrate successes. Set school goals for attendance, and then celebrate progress toward those goals throughout the year. Create ways to celebrate successes along the way, such as school assemblies or monthly pizza parties for the class that has the highest attendance. Offer individual rewards to students who meet attendance goals.
  • Don’t forget the parents. Parents want the best for their students, but sometimes they don’t understand the negative impact of too many student absences, especially in the early grades. Keep them informed about your attendance strategies and school goals, and offer resources to help them improve their child’s attendance.

Contributed by Connie Potter, communications consultant

Making budgets easier to understand

Budget season for next school year is around the corner, and now is a good time to prepare. School budgets are complicated, influenced by difficult-to- explain variables like federal and state mandates, and part of a long process that may seem daunting or inaccessible to members of the public.

Sharing information through existing communication channels is only effective if you can engage people enough to bring them along through the process. Generally, interest lacks unless budget decisions threaten special-interest projects for groups or constituencies.

Setting budgets is a key role for school boards. Your staff, parents and community may seem apathetic during the process, but you should continue efforts to educate and engage them, especially if there is a likelihood of complaints after the budget is adopted.

Outline the process

Be sure that the district calendar includes all budget meeting dates, locations and times. Make a note of meetings that will allow time for public input. Post it on your website and publish to your social media channels.

Include a budget section on your website that has a list of budget committee members; links to policy; key dates, such as the adoption date; and links to past approved budgets. Summarize the process in an infographic, with clear and simple charts and graphs.

Use plain language that is easy to understand and explain references to factors that affect the district’s budget: program mandates, the status and amount of legislative appropriations and outside funds that are restricted, such as bond money for capital projects.

Watch your language

Information about budgets can get muddled by technical terms, which can be confusing to people who don’t deal with government funding processes. These tips can help improve understanding of budget issues and terms:

  • Relate the school budget to a household budget. Discuss income (revenue), expenses (bills) and contingency funds (emergency fund) in terms that everyone can relate to.
  • Avoid acronyms. This is a good rule for educational operations and programs in general. If you work at the district office, you are fluent in “educationese;” if not, you probably need a translator.

Other terms that may need translation:

  • Fiscal year: A 12-month period covered by the budget, usually from July 1 to June 30.
  • Revenue or income: The available funds from local taxes, state and federal governments and other sources.
  • Expenditures: The amount of money the district spends to operate schools, including salaries, supplies and materials, facility operational costs, transportation and more.
  • Fringe benefits or APCs: Total employee costs except salaries. These costs are usually part of a collective bargaining agreement with employee unions and they include insurance, retirement, Social Security, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and paid time off.
  • FTE: Full-time equivalent is the number of employees a district would have if it totaled all employee hours and divided them by eight hours per day, a full workday. For example, six part-time employees working four hours a day is equal to three full-time equivalents.
  • Contingency fund: The money set aside in the budget for emergencies or unforeseen expenses.
  • Reserve fund: A fund established in the budget to set aside money from one fiscal year to another for a specific purpose.

Break down the costs. Many people can’t relate to the big numbers in school budgets. Translate million-dollar terms into single-dollar terms. If $60 million of your $100 million budget is allocated to teaching and $4 million is for administration, say, “60 cents of every dollar are spent on teaching and learning. Four cents of every dollar are spent on administration.”

Keep them informed

Continue to share information throughout the budget process. Post the superintendent’s message and budget proposal as soon as it’s available. Contact your local media to share information. And, don’t forget to talk to staff. They are relaying information to parents and community members in their networks. Be sure they have the latest news.

Staff are trusted information sources

Staff members are trusted sources of information. Enlist them to tell your budget story. By simply talking to friends and neighbors about budget issues, well- informed staff members can raise community awareness and support.

From bus drivers to administrators, staff members have a wide circle of influence: neighbors, friends, relatives, parents at their schools or their children’s schools, and friends and acquaintances at clubs or places of worship. If they have the facts, staff members can share about school funding and the budget process in a personal way whenever those conversations occur.

Informing staff about budget issues and decisions, inviting their input and involving them closely in the budget process can create or strengthen a sense of connection and ownership of district-level decisions. A staff member who feels deeply connected to the district can be a powerful advocate for schools among his or her circle of influence.

Provide your staff with access to tools to help them understand and communicate the intricacies of school funding, such as:

  • Side-by-side charts that show funding sources and changes in funding over time.
  • Charts that show categories of allocations and percentages. Make sure it is clear how much of the budget goes to teaching and learning.
  • Lists or charts that show mandated vs. nonmandated expenditures.
  • Charts that show funding per student vs. cost per student.
  • Background on the rationale or priorities used to make budget decisions.

Ideally, the superintendent and/or board chair should be available for questions from staff. If you plan a speaking tour about your budget, include staff meetings in the schedule. Make sure staff members hear about new issues or decisions internally before information is shared with the community. This is crucial to building a sense of belonging to a team among your staff.

Keep staff up to date on budget issues and decision- making. Include a budget update in every issue of the staff newsletter or send out a budget update email on a regular basis. Make sure staff has access to budget committee meeting times and minutes. Provide staff with scenarios and tips, such as how to answer difficult questions or how to handle someone who is misinformed or angry.

And finally, be sure staff know how to share this information. Let them know if you are asking them to post on social media, respond to questions as employees or stay informed so they can answer questions.

Contributed by Candace Wilson, communications consultant

Your primer for using PR consultants: When, why and how, plus do’s and don’ts

Ever wonder why folks “just don’t understand and support us these days?” You’re posting on social media, keeping your website current, sending emails and robocalls or using text messaging to reach parents — all the right stuff.

Or, maybe you’re facing a crisis or just want to introduce your new superintendent and feel unsure about being effective in today’s sadly familiar “fake news” environment.

A consultant can help, not only with great solutions, but in using those scarce “outside vendor” resources wisely, often in unexpected ways with benefits lasting far beyond the life of the contract.

Consultants are not a silver bullet — but they come to the rescue

These experts offer deep levels of expertise in specific areas, or they can provide an overall view of what you should be doing to communicate and build support. They can deliver a short-term project, like a focus group, help you ease the pain of closing a school or transition your brand with a new logo or presence on social media.

When should you hire one?

  • If you already have a good PR plan and know what you need, contractors can fill in the gaps for things needing a professional touch, such as videos, writing features/speeches or web content.
  • If you don’t have a plan and find yourself “needing a brochure” (red flag!), a good expert won’t simply do what you ask. He or she will help you dig deeper to learn your needs or what problems need solutions.
  • A good consultant should also give value-added benefits such as new tools and ideas the staff can continue on their own.

When not to hire

  • If you already have a good two-way, systematic PR program in place and you’ve passed a recent finance measure, you have feedback tools suited to each audience and you are proactive when issues emerge. However, consider an audit or an hour or two of a consultant’s time to brush up your efforts with new ideas. Check the National School Public Relations Association website (www.nspra.org) for resources.

What is the most important thing a consultant can do for you?

  • Provide insight or tools you haven’t thought of. He or she should recommend system improvements, even if they are doing a very small project in a neutral and unbiased way.
  • Consultants should leave behind tools/templates that make the project easily repeatable.

How do they work?

  • Some contracts are long-term or cyclic in nature. Most contracts are time-limited, should have a termination date and be very specific to an organizational need — preferably one based on research, or the need for it, since consultants are experts in that area.
  • Meet with a prospective consultant to discuss whether your needs fit into a short-time service or something cyclical. A good contractor will be honest and would welcome the opportunity to meet again.
  • Most long-term large contracts over $10,000 are conducted through formal requests for proposals (RFPs) and conducted through a formal bidding process. Work with your business staff on setting them up.

What do they cost?

Consultants often charge up to three times above what their salaried peers make per hour. That’s because they do not cost overhead and benefits and are legally responsible for their own equipment and all operating costs, from insurance to taxes. Be sure to ask for documentation of legal status. The higher cost also is because they:

  • Get things done quickly and on deadline, and often have relationships with vendors that drive down some of the hard costs of a project, like catering or printing.
  • Can get a unique or “solo” project done (a special event or new program) because it may be their only focus, unlike what your busy staff face every day.
  • Gain new insights into a situation because they’ve already done these projects for others.
  • Problem-solve new solutions to issues or barriers that may currently be affecting organizational performance. People tend to trust consultants because they’re the independent third-party expert.

Common contract options and terms

Because of the open-ended nature of a scope of work, the client (you) and the consultant may agree to:

  • An open, hourly billing system. Depending on your location, most consultants bill at least $175 per hour.
  • A project retainer, which may be subject to change- of-work orders if your organization alters or makes additions or changes to a scope of work.
  • A flat project fee.

Also, do not be put off by a high hourly rate. Savvy consultants should offer you audited hours along with their invoice. You may be surprised at how fast and cost-effect they are. Ask what they’ve charged for similar projects with other clients.

How do they manage their time?

  • It is the consultant’s responsibility to monitor their time, define and, if necessary, refine the scope of work.
  • Depending on your agreement they log hours worked, not including mileage costs, which should be part of the overall cost you agree to unless otherwise noted. Contractors usually build those costs into the contract.
  • Make regular check-in times, even by phone, text or email, part of your agreement to discuss progress.

What questions should you ask consultants?

  • Consultants should be able to address how and why they bill.
  • They must be able to document their legal status as a licensed independent contractor.
  • Ask for references, especially from other districts or public organizations. They should have a list handy, or if they have a website, look for testimonials.
  • Interview them like you’d interview an employee candidate. They should treat this opportunity as a job interview.
  • Ask to see their portfolio. If they’re able to post some work online, that’s a good sign. Although, realize their work is proprietary. Make sure they use a variety of tools, from social media to printed publications.
  • Judge their seriousness about learning your needs. They should ask for data and access to your communication tools, and they may even ask for a list of parents, businesses and other key communicators to contact, depending on the depth of the work you need.
  • If they are providing photography, clarify how often you may use their photos. Ask who has rights to the photos. Some photographers allow only a one-time-only use since they own the rights to their work.
  • Ask what they’ve charged for similar work with other clients.

What questions should you expect contractors to ask you?

  • The questions they ask will tell you whether they’re a good choice. Don’t let a consultant waste your time. Within a 60-minute interview, they may ask for everything from your organizational chart to your mission statement. That’s okay. But don’t overshare before a contract is signed.
  • If the work is under a formal RFP, most questions about the scope of work already should be answered. However, consultants should be entitled to ask questions about individuals or teams they may be working with and how the work is to be approved.
  • The scope of work of the project may dictate that consultants, after they are hired, will need to interview and speak to several other staff members.

Where do you find them? What qualifications should they have?

  • Consultants typically are listed on their professional association directory and have a strong online presence.
  • Meet them at workshops, civic events or through articles they’ve published.
  • Ask colleagues and nonbiased third parties for a referral.
  • Consultants should have background information detailing education, experience, any credentials and details about how they work.
  • Do not choose a consultant exclusively based on their LinkedIn account or website. Meet them face to face or over the phone. Many great consultancies are now virtual.

The Do’s and Don’ts of working with contractors

  • DO hire based on personality and past performance. There must be a good feeling of trust in a consultant.
  • DON’T expect them to meet with you or your team more than two times before you are able to either accept or decline their services.
  • DO expect consultants to ask lots of questions about your organization before and during their work. It shows they’re doing the research.
  • DON’T expect lots of emails. Good consultants let their clients know what they are doing, but don’t “nag” with too many email reports or phone calls.
  • DO use a formal RFP process for long-term or major work. Include time before the RFP is due to allow the consultant to ask how you think progress will be measured.
  • DON’T expect consultants to know your organizational culture instantly. But DO expect them to pick up on these important internal realities very quickly.
  • DO rely on first impressions. The consultant’s “vibe” should be revealed by a face-to-face interview and followed up by calls to references.
  • DON’T sit on the bill. Most consultants are small businesses with big bills to pay.
  • DO ask for regular reporting, especially if the consultant does not offer this. Most will have several types of progress reporting tools in place to offer. Hint: professionals love to see the results of their work, which encourages them even more. There’s nothing more frustrating than recommending a plan and not seeing progress.
  • DO expect accurate invoicing — no sticker shock when the consultant invoices your organization.

Contributed by Shannon Priem, APR, former public information director for the Oregon School Boards Association; senior content specialist for Salem Health.

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