Communications Co-Op
August 11, 2025
By Ariane Kitenge
Superintendents aren’t just leading schools—they’re building communities. The earlier you start engaging in regular, consistent, two-way conversation with stakeholders, the stronger your foundation will be.
Why community engagement is essential
Schools cannot thrive alone. They exist in partnership with their communities, woven together by a shared mission to help students succeed. When a district creates authentic opportunities for the public to learn, question, and participate, it builds trust and a sense of shared purpose. Decades of research confirm that engaged families and community members improve student outcomes, strengthen attendance, and boost motivation (Harvard Graduate School of Education, 2023). A strong school-community relationship also leads to greater public confidence in the district’s leadership, especially during challenging decisions.
“Engaging the community was a fundamental part of my role as a superintendent,” Ron Wilke, retired Minnesota superintendent and strategic consultant with DehlerPR, shared. “It’s about bringing together all stakeholders—parents, staff, students, and community members—to build a shared mission and vision.”
What authentic community engagement looks like
Community engagement means actively involving community members—parents, students, staff, and neighbors—in meaningful dialogue and shared decision-making that strengthens schools.
It goes far beyond newsletters or one-time surveys. It is a two-way conversation—a culture of participation built over time.
DehlerPR Senior Strategist, Sara Thompson put it clearly: “There’s nothing worse than asking for people’s opinions and then ignoring them. If engagement feels like a checkbox, it will do more harm than good. It has to be authentic.”
Authentic engagement includes:
- Consistent opportunities to listen and respond
- Welcoming diverse voices, especially from underrepresented groups
- Sharing data transparently and in plain language
- Creating space for honest feedback
- Following up to show how input shaped decisions
“You can’t do engagement once and check the box,” Wilke emphasized. “You have to live it, model it, and make sure your staff has the tools to do it too.”
Community engagement is not a tactic—it is a mindset. Your leadership sets the tone for the entire district. When you show you are listening, collaborating, and inviting others to the table, you build a culture of trust.
The benefits go beyond any ballot
Community engagement benefits schools in countless ways, far beyond referendums or funding votes. A solid community engagement strategy:
- Builds public trust and confidence;
- Improves family-school relationships;
- Supports student belonging and attendance;
- Encourages volunteerism and partnerships; and
- Strengthens the district’s reputation.
“Schools exist to benefit the community,” Thompson said. “Because they rely on public support, they must show up, invite people in, and create opportunities for genuine participation.”
As ThoughtExchange (2023) highlighted, school-community partnerships also help bridge socioeconomic gaps and create more equitable learning opportunities for students.
Yes, strong engagement pays off during referendums—but it pays off every day in a healthier, more connected school community.
“You can’t do engagement once and check the box. You have to live it, model it, and make sure your staff has the tools to do it too.” Ron Wilke, DehlerPR
How to do it well
District leaders can weave community engagement into their culture by starting with a few core practices:
- Hosting listening sessions with students, parents, staff, and community.
- Building advisory committees of local leaders, parents, and youth.
- Conducting regular surveys with space for open-ended responses. And sharing the feedback publicly.
- Offering community events in familiar, trusted spaces—community centers, faith halls, or in partnership with cultural gatherings.
- Messaging with transparency through multiple platforms (print, digital, and social media).
As Wilke puts it: “No matter where you are on your engagement journey, you’ve got to listen. Talk less, listen more. That’s the place to start.”
Start now, stay consistent
Community engagement is not something you turn on before a referendum or any other school district initiative and switch off after the results. It is a year-round, ongoing investment in trust and shared purpose.
“The most successful districts build community engagement into their culture, with open doors and regular conversations, not just when they need a referendum to pass,” Thompson emphasized.
This series on strategic communications in schools is provided as a service from Resource Training and Solutions to provide additional resources to busy school leaders.
Ariane Kitenge is an intern with DehlerPR. She is a recent graduate in public relations and creative writing and will begin her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
References
Brookings Institution. (2021). Why local leaders should champion community schools to improve
student, family, and neighborhood well-being. Brookings.
ECRA Group. (2023, April 10). Using data to build trust during a winning school district
referendum process. ECRA Group. https://ecragroup.com/2025/04/10/using-data-to-build-trust-during-a-winning-school-district-referendum-process/
ExpandED Schools. (2013). School-community learning partnerships: Essential for expanded
learning success. ExpandED Schools.
Harvard Graduate School of Education. (2023, March 21). The case for strong family and
community engagement in schools. Usable Knowledge.
Learning Policy Institute. (2017). Community schools as an effective school improvement
strategy: A review of the evidence. Learning Policy Institute.
https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/community-schools-outcomes-factsheet
ThoughtExchange. (2023). How community involvement in schools will help students prosper.
ThoughtExchange. https://thoughtexchange.com/blog/community-involvement-in-schools