Key Communicator Network
How to set up a Key Communicator Network
- Begin by contacting members of your staff and others from your community
that represent various churches, clubs, civic associations, occupations
and so on. Be sure to include all socioeconomic levels. Explain that you
are trying to compile a list of people in the community who are not necessarily
visible leaders, but who are respected and listened to and/or who are in
a position to interact with a number and variety of other people.
- Ask them to survey their friends and neighbors for the names and addresses
of people they feel fit this description.
- Tell them to give those names and addresses to your key communicator
organizer who will combine the lists and determine the names that appear
most often. These are the people who will become the nucleus of your key
communicator system. Study the list of names to be sure that all identifiable
groups are covered. Since students and employees are prime relayers of
information about the schools, be sure that the key communicators from
within the schools are part of this list. In addition, analyze each key
communicator in terms of district or specific school or area impact.
- Send a letter to each person on the list to explain the concept and point
out how they can assist the district. Assure them it will entail only one
meeting and ask them to attend that brief meeting (at a specific time and
place) to discuss the program. Point out that you are not asking them to
do anything that they aren’t already doing but that you want to be sure
they know some important information about the schools.
- Follow up with a personal phone call. Letters alone attract only about
half of those invited to meetings. A call by the principal or superintendent
will usually generate a larger turnout.
- Hold the meeting at a school or in the district office. Keep the agenda
and the tone informal. Explain the key communicator concept and illustrate
how it might work by sharing specific examples of things that have happened
in your district. (Most schools and districts already have small, informal
key communicator groups working for them, and explaining how such a group
has helped your district is a solid argument for setting up a slightly
more formal system.) Caution: Don’t structure the group. Never appoint
a chairperson or committees.
- Emphasize that the key communicator program is built on two-way communications.
You will keep them informed about what’s going on, and you want them to
tell you about rumblings in the community, questions that many people seem
to be asking or rumors that are flying.
- Keep them informed. Send them a monthly letter, background reports, school
board agendas and minutes – anything that will help them help you.
- Return their calls promptly. Nothing will turn off a key communicator
more quickly than not getting your attention when they have something to
report or a question that needs answering.
As the year progresses, track your contacts with key communicators to help
you evaluate the program. Ask key communicators for their assessment of the
program.
Periodically review the list of key communicators to make sure it continues
to represent the community.
Adapted from:
Oregon School Boards Association
1201 Court Street NE, Suite 400, Salem, Oregon 97301
(503) 588-2800 | 1-800-578-OSBA | FAX (503) 588-2813
E-mail: info@osba.org
© Copyright 2009
(Used with thanks and permission)
