Contact:

Deborah Bush-Suflita, (518) 464-3960
dbushsuf@gw.neric.org

CoSer: 611-7511
Service Code: 611.010

With more than two decades of experience to draw upon, the Capital Region BOCES Communications team helps school leaders communicate in an open and timely manner about important news and information in our schools. We help school leaders build trust and credibility with their publics through a planned and strategic program of two-way communication aligned with district goals and priorities.

Winston Churchill once said, “A lie gets half way around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” And that was before the Internet and social media! If you create an information void, your critics will fill it—and today’s critics have better communication tools at their disposal. We live in an increasingly combative society, so schools must work harder than ever to earn the public’s trust.

The BOCES Communications Service will help you be the FIRST and BEST source of information about what is happening in your classrooms and your board room. Schools no longer have to depend on the media to get out news. We now have high-tech communication tools at our own disposal to increase traffic to our own websites… build our own social networks… and break our own news through direct and unfiltered channels.

School officials know they can count on the BOCES Communications team to provide best practices in school communications—from crisis communications to parenting information and campaigns that help build informed consent for budgets and bond issues. We were the first service of our kind in the state, and today we are the largest, serving more than 50 school districts and four BOCES in 15 counties.

Because each district is different, customized service packages are created to fit each district’s communication needs and budget. Generally, districts contract for one or more communications specialists who are based in their schools and who work closely with their administrative teams. Backing them up at BOCES is a creative team of graphic designers, Web and video developers, and print management specialists. The core service comes with design services on retainer (amount determined by level of contract).

The result is much more than the sum of its parts. Members of our team collaborate regularly on each district’s behalf to provide a depth and breadth of service that no single district would be able to replicate on its own. Along the way we help districts institutionalize best practices in school communications. Count on this service for:

Annual communications plans that align with district goals and priorities

Design and management of award-winning school websites that stand out from the crowd

Public engagement and consent-building strategies to help schools get important work implemented

Budget and bond vote campaigns

Crisis communications—incorporating best practices from two decades in education

Skilled management of social media, as an integral part of communications

Media relations and spokesperson training

Community, school and staff newsletters—both print and electronic

Writing, design and photography for brochures, student handbooks, annual reports, recruitment materials, etc.

Videos for the Web or special events

Communication workshops for school leaders

Regional communication pieces on timely topics such as New York’s new tax levy “cap”

2012-13 Pricing:

$20,637 for services equivalent to 1 day/week

$30,956 for services equivalent to 1.5 days/week

$41,275 for services equivalent to 2 days/week

$51,594 for services equivalent to 2.5 days/week

$61,912 for services equivalent to 3 days/week

$72,231 for services equivalent to 3.5 days/week

$82,550 for services equivalent to 4 days/week

$92,869 for services equivalent to 4.5 days/week

$103,187 for services equivalent to 5 days/week