School Leader Soundbites Veronica V Sopher

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're talking about how to Use the Summer to Build Your Leadership Brand Assets.

▪️Yes, Educators do work over the summer!
-We prepare for the new school year, getting schools in order, taking care of other things that can't get done during the year.

▪️Take time to reflect & recharge
-DO take your vacation time
-Use vacation to reflect on your Leadership journey & blessings
-Explore the types of social media and blog posts you had
-Think about what shifts you can make to improve
-Use the summer to develop some outlines & build into your content calendar

▪️Aspirations for higher leadership positions?
-Reflect on your personal brand
-What are you passionate about and where is your zone of genius?
-Celebrate big wins
-When you are out interviewing, they will look at your social media activity- what you share, what you comments on, what you like etc.

▪️Check your digital footprint & branding
-Utilize your digital footprint in a way that supports your brand
-Your brand is a whole spectrum- colors, hashtags, etc
-Put together a logo that matches the content you are posting to social media
-Go through your slide deck, notecards and work on improvements
-Update your website and share your accomplishments
-Make sure people know how to reach you

▪️Get ahead of the hiring season
-Make sure your materials are fresh, branded, and your social media is updated
-Your content should be consistent, sharp and on-brand
-Make sure your references have been contacted

Make sure you are using those summer months to reflect, recharge, check your digital footprint and get ahead of the hiring season. Read those books, listen to podcasts, take care of yourself & time off. If you need any help with this, please contact me or drop questions in the comments. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.

Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher

K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.

Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're talking about Leveraging Traditional and Non-Traditional Media to Forward Your Message.

▪️What is going on with traditional journalistic way of doing things when school districts are engaging with reporters?
   -Traditional media does not work the way it used to
   -You used to know what to expect- not so much anymore
   -Reporters come out, put their phones on tripods and record you
   -Think about how you can support media 

▪️Be mindful where people are consuming their media & cater to those needs.
   -This will build rapport with that media outlet
   -Build trust with your community
   -Invite them in to talk about legal things happening

▪️Traditional vs Non-Traditional Media
  -Non-Traditional Media- bloggers, influencers, people running for-profit digital platforms, sharing things that are not neutral
  -They are not held to the traditional media standards
  -You have to engage with them because they are feeding the information vacuum that your community often has.
  -Develop a communication strategy for both traditional and non-traditional media.
  -Note: when they reach out and request to talk with you, you don't have to do it. However, in certain circumstances it can benefit you to talk to them.

▪️Know what your community values and wants you to talk about
  -One of the best ways to do this is with surveys
  -Once you get that data and know what they are wanting to know about, you can go to both types of media and share some of the insights of what you are using in your district to address those situations.

Traditional media is earned media, something you strive to get as often as you can. As you enter into the emerging space of Non-traditional media, I encourage you to invite them in as well. They can create value and help share things happening in your district as well. If you need any help with this, please contact me or drop questions in the comments. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.

Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher

K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.

Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're talking about Crisis Communication: Ensuring Safety and Trust.
PwC’s Global Crisis and Resilience Survey 2023 highlights the importance of resilience and proactive response to disruption, suggesting that organizations are focusing on building resilience to thrive in a state of constant crisis and disruption. This includes having a strategic approach to resilience, executive leadership, upskilled teams, and technology-powered resilience programs that can adapt and respond to crises effectively (PwC).  https://www.pwc.com/.../crisis.../global-crisis-survey.html
Rapid Response: El Paso ISD, like any educational institution, can face sudden crises ranging from natural disasters to safety threats. Timely and accurate communication during such events is paramount to ensure the safety of students, staff, and the community.
Maintaining Trust: Effective crisis communication helps maintain and even build trust with parents, students, and the community. By providing clear, transparent, and consistent information, EPISD can demonstrate its commitment to student safety and well-being.
Reputation Management: How a district manages crises can have a lasting impact on its reputation. Professional and adept communication can mitigate negative perceptions and highlight the district's strengths and responsiveness.
If you need help getting a crisis plan in place, please send me a message. My team and I help districts all over the country with crisis strategies. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.
Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher
K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.
Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're diving into a topic critical for every K-12 leader: Cultivating Your Leader Brand.
 The Significance of Leader BrandingIn an era where personal branding reigns supreme, establishing your leader brand is paramount. It's not just about self-promotion; it's about showcasing your unique value and vision to your school community. Especially with competitive hiring processes for superintendent and K-12 leadership roles, branding can be the defining differentiator you have in your back pocket. Data Personal InsightCrafting Your Leader Brand IdentityAuthenticityValue PropositionConsistencyAmplifying Your Leader BrandOnline PresenceContent CreationEngagementBuilding Your Leader Brand ToolkitHere's how to craft a toolkit that reflects your values and amplifies your impact.Define Your Brand IdentityCreate Consistent Visual AssetsCraft Compelling MessagingUtilize Online PlatformsEngage with Your CommunityPersonal PerspectivesRemember that your unique story and expertise are powerful assets that can propel you toward greater success as a K-12 leader. If you're ready to unlock your full potential and elevate your leadership impact, reach out to me for personalized brand coaching and support. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.
Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher
K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.
Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher

Content Calendars - Maximizing Communication Effectiveness
Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're diving into a critical topic: content calendars and how they can maximize the effectiveness of your communications efforts.
The Importance of Content CalendarsContent calendars are essential tools for planning and organizing your school communications effectively. Whether you're a K-12 leader, superintendent, or communications practitioner, having a well-designed content calendar can streamline your efforts and ensure consistent messaging across all channels.InsightBuilding Your Content CalendarIdentify Goals and ObjectivesAudience SegmentationContent CategoriesTimeline and FrequencyMaximizing Engagement and ImpactExplore strategies for boosting engagement and impact with your content calendar.Visual StorytellingInteractive ContentMetrics and AnalyticsContent OptimizationCommunity Engagement Initiatives Leveraging Comprehensive Communication ServicesRemember that a well-designed content calendar is the cornerstone of effective school communications. 
By implementing the strategies and insights shared today, you can take your communication efforts to the next level and build stronger connections within your school community. If you found this episode valuable, be sure to share it with your colleagues, and stay tuned for more insights and tips on School Leader Soundbites. 
If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.
Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher
K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.
Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher

Welcome to School Leader Soundbites, a podcast dedicated to empowering K-12 leaders with the latest insights and strategies in marketing and communications! Today, we're tackling a topic that a lot of leaders in the space may not think about: Translating Eduspeak.
Understanding the Language BarrierIn the world of education, we often find ourselves drowning in a sea of acronyms, jargon, and edu-speak. While these terms may be familiar to us, they can create a significant barrier to communication for parents, students, and community members.
Data Personal InsightDecoding EduspeakIEP (Individualized Education Program) → Personalized Learning PlanSEL (Social-Emotional Learning) → Emotional Skills DevelopmentPLC (Professional Learning Community) → Collaborative Teacher TeamRTI (Response to Intervention) → Targeted Student SupportSTEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) → Integrated Learning ApproachStrategies for Clarity and AccessibilityPlain Language: Use simple, straightforward language that everyone can understand. Think about the kind of language you would understand before you became an experienced K-12 leader.Define Terms: When introducing education-related terms, provide clear definitions and examples.Visual Aids: Incorporate visual elements like infographics and charts to complement verbal explanations.Feedback Loops: Solicit feedback from diverse stakeholders to gauge comprehension and adjust communication strategies accordingly.Case Study/Success StoryRemember that effective communication is the cornerstone of strong school-community relationships. By breaking down the barriers of eduspeak and speaking the language of our audience, we can foster greater understanding, collaboration, and trust. Be sure to share this episode with your colleagues! If you have any questions or suggestions for future topics, I'm here to listen. Thanks for tuning in to School Leader Soundbites.
Connect with Veronica here: https://www.veronicavsopher.com/
Social: @VeronicaVSopher


K12 Insight partners with schools and districts to build stronger relationships with parents, students, and staff. They believe that trust is the foundation of successful education, and their solutions are designed to foster engagement, promote transparency, and turn feedback into actionable results.


Want to explore the impactful ways Let's Talk and K12 Insight's comprehensive suite of customer service solutions can amplify your school's efforts and strategic goals? Get an in-depth look at how these tools can benefit your district, visit go.k12insight.com/sopher