Craig Verley

It has been kind of fun watching the School Communicators Day observations slowly grow over the past few years. The first year this was a “thing”, I remember thinking, “This seems self-serving, but why not? Everyone else seems to have their day/week/month, why not us?”

Having said that, there was one recent year when I sat in front of my keyboard and computer with one of the graphics created by the National School Public Relations Association that they shared on their social media. The graphic includes the phrases: “You are seen. You are heard. You are valued.”

When I first saw the graphic on one of my feeds, my first thought was one of gratitude that someone thought enough to put the graphic and message together, and how it came from one of our own. However, when I saw it again, it really began to make me stop and think about how it also speaks volumes about the state of school communications as a profession.

You are seen. The reality is we operate as a part of the behind-the-scenes mechanism and usually try not to bring attention to ourselves and how we go about doing our work in support of our students, staff, and districts. What we produce is seen, but not so much the people. Personally, I took pride in my work and that of my small team, especially when reviewing outcomes of all the projects and the heart that went into all of the work. Knowing we did our best was what was important.

You are heard. Depending upon the operational structure, that may not always be the case, and that can be a point of frustration for many.

You are valued. I don’t know about you, but I have never been one who worked expecting or needing recognition. The behind-the-scenes thank-you from individuals I worked with and supported was more than sufficient. But do those come enough for the vast majority of us?

Perhaps it is time we start to focus a little more on tooting our own horns and pulling the curtain back on our involvement in virtually all aspects of district operations. The big question is, how? Most of us have our personal social media accounts, and that may be a good place to start to share some of the day-to-day things that you and your team are doing behind the scenes. Here in the Rio Grande Valley, the McAllen ISD communications team started its own Facebook page to share behind-the-scenes moments and points of department pride. If you regularly post about what other district departments are up to on the district social media and newsletters, etc., why not include your own department in that mix if you are not doing so already?

To help deal with feelings of not being seen, heard, or valued in what you are doing for the district, lean on your TSPRA family. Don’t depend upon the annual state conference or the ability to attend regional meetings for that support. Schedules and budgets may not allow for attending those meetings. Make a phone call, text, DM, or whatever to someone in your region…or across the state for that matter. We are all an extended family of sorts. Use the membership directory on the TSPRA website to get a phone number or email address if you don’t have it.  Don’t do a Craig Verley and say to yourself; “I need to remember to reach out to [insert name here].” So many times, work and life would lead me to forget about making that call or sending that text. Don’t be like me. Be intentional with it. Make an appointment for it on your calendar. It does not have to happen during the workday when we are all busy. Maybe that calendar reminder for the call/text could happen after work hours, when there are usually more opportunities for a quick exchange that could even lead to a longer call. In reaching out with a quick check-in, you are raising the spirits of your TSPRA family but also opening the door for some commiserating that could do you both some good. Plus, it may be just what you needed to help an idea grow, or a spirit lift to get you over a hump. You just may not have realized it at the moment. If you attend the annual conference, you know how all those interactions can be professionally renewing. Don’t rely on the conference to get you through an entire year.

Be seen, heard, and valued by taking matters into your own hands where you can. It’s not being selfish, even if it does feel a little strange to do at first. Many of your TSPRA family would welcome a chat and the opportunity to be that ear to bend on occasion.