Telling Your School's Story

I believe that the time has come for educators to refocus the lens on what matters most - students and learning! How do we accomplish this goal? We use our voices to tell our collective stories so that we can flatten the walls of our buildings and brand the experiences unfolding in our schools. We are taking control of the perception the community has about how we instruct children and are sharing stories, images, anecdotes, demo's that spotlight much of the teaching and learning and unfolding in our schools.

While flattening the walls of the school is a priority, making certain that the brand is transparant to the members within the organization is critical - we must all be telling the same story that we believe in and can stand behind. Work needs to be done during faculty meetings, informal conversations and various moments to ensure that the brand is transparant to the entire team within the organization. This is imperative if we are going to effectively sell the brand outside the school and ensure that the brand promise matches the brand experience, which is the most important component for the students. The possibilities for how schools go about telling their stories are endless; in the seminar 'Telling Your School's Story' we explore the importance of telling our stories, the necessity to build our school brands, the role that social media can play in branding, and the tools and resources to use to bring the stories to life. The time has come for educators, students and families to use their voices, take control of their stories, and begin thinking about how a school can brand their space.

As you prepare to participate in this seminar and begin thinking about how your can brand your school and tell your story, I offer the following guiding questions to anchor your thinking and planning:

• Does the brand promise of your school match your own brand experiences?
• What is your story? What do you believe in? What do you stand for? What do you want for your students and staff?
• If your staff was asked the questions above, would they answer them the same way that you did?
• If your students were asked the questions above, whould their responses match your answers?

Although the target audience of this seminar is the educational leader, I do believe that any and all educators can benefit from interacting with this challenge. We all have a story to tell and instead of allowing others to tell the story based on secondhand information or misperceptions, we need to devote time to this important aspect of our profession - creating a brand and telling a story - our stories. This seminar explains why branding is important in this day and age, offers concrete suggestions and tips how to begin branding your space, and outlines different platforms and tools to use to tell your story. I spotlight various digital tools and resources that can serve as a catalyst for building your brand and sharing your story.

You want to know more? Contact me here on linkedin with a personal message.

Enjoy your day

Peter