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Monday, September 28, 2009

FCPS Wins Local PRSA Thoth Award

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has been named the winner of a 2009 Thoth Award by the National Capital Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) in the Community Relations category. FCPS was one of 24 winners of Thoth Awards for achievement in communications and public relations.

FCPS was honored for its community engagement campaign on changing school start and dismissal times, which used study circles, surveys, and community dialogues to measure the impact of the proposed changes to the bell schedule on families. 

This is the second major award that FCPS has received for this campaign; it was recognized with a Gold Medallion Award from the National School Public Relations Association in the spring.

Among the tools used to encourage community participation were a web page devoted to the bell schedule proposal with regularly updated information; e-mail messages sent through FCPS’ Keep in Touch (KIT) system in multiple languages; periodic news releases to all local media outlets; interviews with Superintendent Jack D. Dale on television and radio; and stories on FCPS’ cable television channel that were also videostreamed online.

As a result, every major Washington, D.C., and Fairfax County newspaper and television station and most radio stations carried stories on the proposed bell schedule change, online survey, and community dialogues. Media outlets across the country also picked up the story. More than 94,000 respondents completed the online survey, and more than 1,500 people participated in the seven community dialogue meetings. School Board members received approximately 3,000 e-mail messages on this issue.

In March, the School Board voted 10-2 to reject the proposed bell schedule and confirm the existing structure of bus transportation and scheduling.

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