Reflection #2

A point that was discussed that really resonated with me was the importance of communicating to the community and parents your school's good work, achievements, significant events etc. How can a principal expect stakeholders like parents, politicians, local businesss etc. to get involved or collaborate on any kind of project to benefit the school if they don't know about anything going on in it? Additionally, it can serve as a motivation for staff when they know that their hard work is being recognized and publicized whether through a newsletter, school website, etc. In my line of work, I often meet teachers and therapists that work very hard yet are under-rated and not appreciated. I find that it is often the case that these individuals are not doing any "personal PR", so the parents/school are not aware of their significant contributions. I advise those individuals to send home samples of their work or the children's accomplishments, establish some form of a daily/weekly collaboration through a notebook or newsletter, and even take children to visit the principal or director of their program once in a while for the children to "show off" a special project they worked hard on or a new skill they have acquired. PR is important!