Denny Patzer - MASBDania H. Bazzi, PhD - Ferndale Public Schools

Introductions

• Name• District• Role

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Imagine there is an invisible line straight across the room

You can’t stand right on the middle of the line

Look at each picture then silently move to the area of the line that represents which you prefer

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Be Smart Work Hard

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

The value continuum is an activity to guide people through the importance of understanding that we all have differentvalues, preferences and ideas, but when it comes to our school family we must be on the same page to moveforward with the core of our work with students. We have to have a common vision to support student learning.

Value Continuum Activity / Tool

Struggles with unity of vision

Getting Started• Unified Board• Hire Architect & Construction Manager• Study the District Voting History• Be Open & Transparent - Earns Trust• Be Good Listeners - Be Patient

It’s a process

Data Sources• Facility Study - Board Tour All Facilities• History of Recent Maintenance/Repair Costs• Financial Bonding History/Current Capacity• District - Enrollment, Staffing, Budget• Conduct a District Survey • Ask Questions

Know the facts - rely on data!

Hiring reliable firms is key to a successful bond campaign!• Do you research!• Interview architectural firms.• Select architectural prior to construction firm.

Hire Architectural and Construction Firm

EPIC MRA Survey• We had one failed Bond attempt at Galesburg-Augusta

in 2015. So we asked….• What was the single most important reason why you voted No on the

bond proposal? • 20% Stadium-Athletics

Listen to your voters!

• All survey respondents were asked what the Galesburg-Augusta Community School District should do in the future about another bond proposal. The top response, at 42 percent, was to develop a “different bond proposal for voters to consider,” 27 percent said a “proposal should be placed on the ballot that is similar to the one defeated,” 14 percent said “the same proposal should be placed on the ballot again,” and 12 percent said the district “should NOT develop a new bond proposal at all.”

• All respondents were asked how they would vote if two proposals were placed on the ballot. A 43 percent plurality said they would vote “yes” on both proposal, with another 31 percent saying they would vote “yes” on the main proposal to improve existing school buildings, but they would vote “no” on the stadium proposal, which would likely produce a combined total “yes” vote of up to 74 percent for the main proposal of $11 million.

Listen...

Seeking Community Support• Takes Time - Be Good Listeners• Vision for Future Student Learning• Set up Key Communicators• Present Only 1 Story• Repeat Over & Over

Telling your story

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings• Personal Contact - Go to the People• Forums, Coffees, Door to Door Canvassing• Updates at every Board Meeting• Parents AND Those Without Students• Provide the Data Clearly & Keep it Simple

Telling your story cont...

Accentuate the Positive• Designate or Hire Someone

Dedicated to Communications• Written Materials, Brochures• Website, Twitter, FaceBook,

Videos, Instagram, etc

Communication

Game Changers• Impact of Social Media• Increase of Absentee Voters• Will Be Positive (supportive) and Negative (critical)• Managing the Negative (critical)

Communication

Social Media Example

Video 1 Video 2

Print Example

Social Media, Videos, and Print!

Community Support• Campaign Steering Committee - Campaign Slogan,

Fundraising• Presence at school/community events, networking• FAQ’s, fast facts, postcards, signs, wristbands, etc.• Voter Identification - Absentee Voters

Working towards YES!

Focus on Yes Voters• Monitor precincts• Election Day Reminders -

cell, text, email, etc.• Possibly Provide

Transportation• Evening Celebration

Election Day

Thank You

Questions?