2019 Recap: Top 5 Stories Capturing Everyone's Interest

Summer is fast approaching, which means we’re nearly halfway through 2019. Can you believe it?

Summer break represents a short—but important—period to recharge and reassess your strategies for next school year. That means taking a look back at the trends and issues impacting schools.

To help, we’ve compiled the five most popular stories on TrustED so far this year.

We hope they provide insight into the issues school leaders are facing across the country, particularly around school safety, community engagement, and customer experience.

5 tips for communicating about school lockdowns

At least four million students experienced a school lockdown in the 2017-2018 school year, according to a recent Washington Post analysis. School leaders and staff walk a fine line during lockdowns, often with two competing priorities–keeping students safe and keeping parents informed. Here are five tips, based on our discussions with school leaders, for effectively communicating before, during, and after lockdowns. Read the story.

5 big mistakes schools make when engaging parents

Recent research confirms what education leaders and researchers have long known: Parent involvement is vital to student success. But, effectively engaging parents is easier said than done. Here are five common mistakes school leaders make when trying to involve parents in their children’s education. Read the story.

Amid limited budgets, school districts put their money on the customer experience

In recent years, converging budgets and increasing cutbacks have made funding key school initiatives challenging. While many school leaders remain laser-focused on academic programs, a growing number are also reporting increased value—and progress—in programs and trainings designed to measure and improve other areas of the school experience, including community engagement and customer service. Read the story.

All learning is social and emotional

In one of the most popular editions of ASCD’s Learning Reimagined, leading education researchers Doug Fisher and Nancy Frey explore the value of strong, positive relationships between students and their schools. Read the story.

Facing competition in your district? School marketing is just the first step

As school districts face increasing competition, many are using traditional marketing tactics to stay competitive. But, school leaders should also be investing in a strong school customer experience, says Melissa Martinez, chief communications officer at El Paso Independent School District in Texas. Here’s how Martinez and her team are making customer service a priority. Read the story.

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