Foundation Update (Spring 2006 issue)
Feature
SOUND STRATEGY
A newspaper’s advisory committee puts NIE on the inside track with the educational community.
By Susan L. Anthony
We continue to beat the drum that great circulation numbers and substantive educational programming spell success for Newspaper In Education (Newspaper In Education).
But we often don’t bother with a vehicle that can drive both: an advisory committee. Setting aside excuses like we just don’t have the time, energy or budget, some of us avoid advisory boards. Are we apprehensive about losing control of our program, or do we worry about just what advisers might tell us about ourselves?
Having served on many a committee, we also know how unproductive and unorganized some groups are. It’s sometimes easier going it alone.
The NIE advisory committee at The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa., has been and continues to be the linchpin of our award-winning program.
It started more than 25 years ago as a gentleman’s club of sorts. The then all-male school superintendents enjoyed golf and lunch at a local country club while NIE and newspaper staff filed in and out to report on various projects and programs.
Very much a grass-roots organization now, the committee includes school administrators, curriculum coordinators, reading specialists, principals and teachers. Early childhood, elementary, secondary, higher and adult education all are represented, as is an intermediate unit. The committee is open to public, parochial, independent and home schools in urban, suburban and rural environments.
Some schools appoint representatives. Or, enthusiastic and passionate educators appear on our radar screen, and we invite these individuals to join our cause. We obtain release time from their administrators.
Rather than elect a leader, we ask someone to chair the committee for a renewable two-year stint. From helping to place topics on meeting agendas to making newspaper hats for thousands of children at a family festival for eight hours in 90-degree heat, this person might as well be on staff.
We schedule two all-day meetings at the newspaper. Why would we meet somewhere other than where it all happens? We advance meeting dates to committee members in May for the next school year.
Committee service involves a completely unenforceable but respected contract. Even though they are volunteers, attendance at meetings is expected. We also ask members to be responsible for taking NIE information to their respective educational settings. They are ambassadors, facilitators, conductors, cheerleaders, advocates and more.
We supply NIE school representative stationery and an NIE school representative banner for over the classroom doorway. Members bring their committee three-ring binders to meetings, and we fill them with hole-punched materials. We also provide camera-ready fliers, letters and scholastic subscription order forms that can simply and immediately be copied and distributed.
Committee members hold our feet to the fire to present a school-year calendar of all programs, projects, curricula, special sections and observances complete with due dates. They can then turn around and get NIE Week, for example, printed on the district calendar.
We currently are acting on advice from the committee to create a chart of NIE services with participation dates, subject/grade level compatibility and relationship to standards and anchors. Right out of what could be “NIE for Dummies,” this cheat sheet is marketing at its best.
If an NIE opportunity crops up unexpectedly during the school year, we bounce a plan off of several committee members to be sure we are on the right path, and then we announce the new project to members by U.S. mail, fax or e-mail. We literally “cc” committee members on all communications to schools. Everyone appreciates being in the loop.
Committee meetings are a mix of fun and hard work. There’s always an icebreaker newspaper activity followed by introductions that include personal updates on life’s celebrations and sorrows.
Our NIE team talks more in the fall because we announce plans for the school year. We listen more in the spring as we hear members tell us what was good and what needs to be improved for the next school year.
At our spring meeting, we share statistics and tell members which schools participated in what projects. We name names (of teachers, students, corporate sponsors who deserve applause for participation). We even share our NIE circulation figures and financial commitments.
We not only discuss NIE at our committee meetings, but we also talk about our newspaper and the newspaper industry. If there’s a change in format or a new columnist, they know about it. If there’s some controversy related to content, we talk about it.
Members of our editorial department frequently attend meetings. Editors pick the brains of these educators for future coverage, and educators comment on what they love and hate seeing in print. Educators and their students are sometimes tapped as sources for stories.
Committee members have heard from our publisher. They have been congratulated by our circulation director for developing what should be a lifelong newspaper habit. They themselves have congratulated circulation customer service representatives who exceeded goals in attaining vacation donations from subscribers for classroom newspaper use.
Committee members assist in the selection of story serializations and curriculum. We select what we believe will work and they make the final choices. They write curriculum and/or correlate it to standards and anchors.
In addition, they strategize with us on how to have a greater impact. They tell us about coming educational trends and current school challenges. They are guest presenters and voices of experience at professional development workshops. They also adjudicate student entries for several special sections. They volunteer at family literacy events.
We, in turn, provide professional development certification hours. We always serve food – good food, too. Table centerpieces are given away. Comic umbrellas or Patriot-News T-shirts are presented. If the newspaper sponsors a table at a fund-raiser for education, we invite them.
A good advisory committee holds you as accountable for educational excellence as your circulation department does for growing numbers. A great advisory group expects organization and clarity.
And gaining respect from the committee involves almost every department at the newspaper. Our superb editorial package, reliable circulation ordering and delivery process, and accurate billing and business operations pave our way and cement our relationship.
You need to know your clients, and an advisory committee puts you on the inside track. An advisory committee will increase your productivity and provide vibrancy and authenticity to your NIE program and newspaper.
Susan L. Anthony is manager of the community service department of The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pa., and a member of the NAA Foundation’s Youth Services Committee. She can be reached at
santhony@patriot-news.com.
