Oak Park Elementary School District 97 was recently recognized for its exceptional communications efforts during the 2018-19 school year.
The Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) held its annual Communications Contest Awards Luncheon on Sept. 13, at which the top communications initiatives in the state were recognized in a variety of categories. Professional school communicators from across the country judged the 158 submissions.
District 97 received an award of merit in the Special Purpose category for its staff profile series, "We Are D97." The series highlights the work being done across the district to advance its vision, achieve its goals, and create a strong sense of community and belonging. The six profiles we completed during the 2018-19 school year are hosted on the district website, and feature both a video and written component.
The award was presented to the district's communications team, Amanda Siegfried and Chris Jasculca.
“We are proud to recognize the winners of the 2019 Communications Contest, whose outstanding work exemplifies the best school communications in Illinois,” said INSPRA President Kristine Liptrot, director of communications and community engagement for Yorkville CUSD 115.
“Understanding how to communicate and then creating a successful communication is not easy and it is not something that just anyone can do well,” she said. “Knowing how to communicate a complex concept to people who are from multiple generations using various communication tools is incredibly challenging. Professional school communicators must be flexible and evolve to meet the needs of both their districts and their intended audiences. It takes education, it takes training, and it takes practice. Through this contest, we recognize the quality work of INSPRA members and their dedication to continued growth.”
The 2018-19 "We Are D97" profiles can be viewed at https://www.op97.org/communications/we-are-d97