Mastering Social Media for Schools

Your school’s brand is more than a logo—it’s how your community connects with your story. In this episode, Andrea chats with Kelly May from CEL Marketing PR & Design to break down a 10-item checklist to ensure your brand is ready for social media. From templates to accessibility, you’ll walk away with practical tips you can apply immediately.

4 Key Takeaways:

1. Why consistent branding builds trust – and how to reflect your scho...

In this episode, you’ll hear from Lisa Streckert at St. Croix Lutheran Academy in Minnesota and learn her best tips for successful school storytelling on social media.

• Consistency Builds Engagement: Posting daily and encouraging simple interactions from parents and teachers can lead to strong, consistent engagement, even in a smaller school setting.
• Use a School-Owned iPhone: Having a dedicated phone for photos, content collectio...

• Extra, extra—scroll all about it! Former journalist turned school communicator Daniel Langhorne shares how his newsroom background helps him uncover and celebrate the best stories at Sage Hill School in Newport Beach, California.
• Timeliness and authenticity matter! Learn why Daniel and his team treat school PR like a small newsroom—focusing on real-time, engaging content that makes an impact.
• Mastering Instagram storytelling – Sa...

Managing social media for your school shouldn’t feel overwhelming—good news, there’s a better way! In this episode, we dive into expert insights and a powerful tool that can help you streamline your process and save time. 

Tune in to learn:

• The Evolution of Social Media Management – How a journalist-turned-expert helps schools simplify their social strategy.
• Maximizing Efficiency – A game-changing tool that can cut social media wo...

1. Building Trust and Credibility in School Communications - School PR is more than marketing; it’s about strategic storytelling and transparency to build trust. Sandra shares how her district rebuilt trust after a failed bond project, leading to a 71% approval on the next vote.
2. Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in School PR - Many communicators feel unqualified due to the wide skill set required, but recognizing strengths helps build c...

In this episode, we're diving into free and effective marketing strategies for schools! Whether you're looking to boost enrollment, engage your community, or simply spread more positive stories, this episode is packed with practical ideas. Plus, stick around until the end for a special giveaway opportunity!

• 19 Free Marketing Strategies – Get a breakdown of 19 actionable ways to market your school effectively in 2025.
• Wh...

In this episode of Mastering Social Media for Schools, Andrea sits down with Erin Montgomery, the mastermind behind Promote419 in Ohio. Erin, a former full-time school counselor turned social media consultant, shares real, practical advice on how to cover school events in a way that engages and moves your audience.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to capture and share school events like spelling bees, teacher highlight...

This episode is a must-listen for school leaders looking to elevate their communication and build community pride! 🚀🎙️

5 Key Takeaways for Listeners:

1. Tell Your School’s Story Consistently – If you don’t share it, someone else will. A structured communication plan ensures positive stories reach your community.
2. Lead by Example – Dr. Breunig models engagement by visiting classrooms, taking photos, and actively participating in stor...

In this episode, you'll get a data-driven look at how schools are using social media based on survey responses from over 550 school communication professionals. We'll cover:

• Top platforms: Are Facebook and Instagram still on top? What about Twitter/X?
• Biggest challenges: Lack of time and collecting content remain the top struggles for school social media managers.
• Key goals: The priority list for 2025 includes increasing...

1. Meet Sparsh Shah, a 21-year-old musical prodigy, inspirational speaker, and Guinness World Records holder. Known to many as Purhythm, Sparsh is a singer, rapper, songwriter, music producer, and philanthropist. Despite being born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a rare and incurable disorder that makes his bones extremely fragile, Sparsh has turned his challenges into a platform for inspiring others.
2. Leveraging Social Media for Good...

In today’s competitive landscape—where declining birth rates and the rise of school choice and open enrollment are shifting the education system—it’s crucial for schools to rethink their marketing strategies. But how can you do it the right way? Tune in to hear expert Brendan Schneider, author of a new book designed to help schools tackle this challenge.

• Discover the 3 biggest mistakes schools are making in their marketing effor...

How are teens using social media today, and what challenges are they facing? In this week’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Justin Patchin, Professor of Criminal Justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Co-Director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, to explore these pressing questions and more.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• 📱 The surprising trends in how teens balance multiple platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Insta...

Key Listener Takeaways:

• Crisis Communication Plan vs. Toolkit - Discover the difference between your crisis communication plan (the strategy and steps) and your crisis communication toolkit (the practical resources and tools you’ll need on hand).
• Real-Life Application: Employee Arrest Scenario - Hear how the toolkit was put to use during a sensitive employee arrest situation and how it helped manage communication a...

Staff shortages are impacting schools everywhere, and bus driver recruitment is a top challenge. In this episode, we dive into how Peoria Unified School District tackled its bus driver shortage with creative strategies, unique research, and a focus on storytelling.

Sara Meredith shares:

• The Power of Research: Discover the insights they uncovered to shape their campaign.
• Employee Value Proposition: Learn what it is, why it's e...

Today, we’re welcoming a guest from Canada to the podcast! Cindy Nickerson, a veteran school communicator with over a decade of experience, shares her journey of building capacity in school communication as a one-person shop in a school division with 10,000+ students.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How Cindy’s Communication Lead Program Started
  Discover how she developed and trained a team of school-based communication leads to sh...

1. For those looking for a better system to manage your “do not photo” list for social media, this episode is for you! Today, you’ll meet Colin Anson, the CEO and Co-Founder of Pixevety.
2. Discover the origin story behind this innovative technology solution and how it’s serving schools worldwide.
3. This robust system is economical—listen until the end to learn about the pricing options.

SPECIAL GUEST

Colin Anson

CEO and Co-F...

Feeling overwhelmed by social media? This episode highlights how simplicity and consistency can drive big results. Here's what you'll learn:

• Meet Laurette Woodward, Communications Coordinator for a school division near Calgary, serving over 11,000 students across 30 schools.
• Discover how social media is managed at each location with training that sets schools up for success.
• Learn how using a social media rubric can set ...

1. Discover the inspiring story of Ollie the Owl and how it became a symbol of connection and storytelling for schools.
2. Learn how Ollie has transformed social media engagement, making communication more meaningful and impactful.
3. Gain practical tips for overcoming social media challenges, like content collection, through creative solutions.
4. Hear heartwarming success stories and actionable ideas for adapting Ollie’s approach to elevate...

1. Can you define the culture and climate in your school? In today’s episode, you’ll find out how - and it all ties back to what your organization respects and values.
2. Discover practical ways to use social media to showcase your school’s culture and climate to your community.
3. Authentic storytelling is a key theme in this episode. You can’t fake the feelings and traditions that make your school unique. Be intentional about the posts ...