As media contact for Cambridge Public Schools, I coordinated our response to many media inquiries. This meant being prepared to provide a swift, reassuring, and highly-quotable response during crises as well as identifying “good stories” taking place in our schools. Following are a few (non-paywalled) examples. Wrote Solicited Managed Crisis Communications Some of our theContinue reading “Media Relations & Crisis Communications for CPS”
Author Archives: Rosalie Rippey
Supporting a youth-serving agency when COVID forced everyone to move online
The Challenge Coronavirus temporarily shut the doors of West End House Boys and Girls Club. As many schools and agencies serving young people posted lists of at-home activities people could do at home, West End House wanted to create something more interactive for youth and more responsive to the needs of families. They had aContinue reading “Supporting a youth-serving agency when COVID forced everyone to move online”
Fresh Ideas for Web Content
Does your leadership team have the talent and the bandwidth to craft consistent, mission-driven messaging about your organizational impact? Here are some ideas for short-term investments that produce long-term results. Storytelling: The content for your website helps your audience to connect with your mission. Research demonstrates that people don’t make decisions based on facts andContinue reading “Fresh Ideas for Web Content”
A More Responsive “Schools at a Glance”
The Challenge Cambridge Public Schools uses a Controlled Choice system for school assignments, which means that when families register for school for the first time, they are asked to choose between a number of options that may have available seats. A lottery is held for Kindergarten seats, but for the rest of the grades (andContinue reading “A More Responsive “Schools at a Glance””
Portfolio: Feature Story for the City of Cambridge
The Challenge I was busy and on a deadline to meet the publication schedule for the City’s magazine-style publication, The Cambridge Life. We had beautiful photographs taken by Bethany Versoy, and I wanted to capture the spirit of the award-winning fine arts programs at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. I had some names of highContinue reading “Portfolio: Feature Story for the City of Cambridge”
Portfolio: Outreach to Build the Cambridge SE-PAC
The Challenge All Massachusetts school districts are required to support development of an advisory group composed of special education parents, known as a SE-PAC. The Cambridge School Committee had voted to create a paid staff position to support the activities of this group, including organizing workshops and meetings and conducting outreach for mutual support andContinue reading “Portfolio: Outreach to Build the Cambridge SE-PAC”
Portfolio: Campaign Package for “Coach’s Campaign”
The Challenge Thanks to good management and sound governance, Cunningham Children’s Home had successfully built two brand new buildings for children and youth with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities in Urbana, Illinois. Both had been made possible through generous support from United Methodist Women across the state, whose faith inspired them to heed the wordsContinue reading “Portfolio: Campaign Package for “Coach’s Campaign””
Portfolio: New Logo & Branding for Cunningham Children’s Home
The Challenge Cunningham Children’s Home, a therapeutic treatment, child welfare and special education agency in West Central Illinois, needed a new logo. The existing logo and color palette did not tell our story and did nothing to convey our mission and work. With help from a talented graphic designer, I led a consultative stakeholder processContinue reading “Portfolio: New Logo & Branding for Cunningham Children’s Home”
Negotiation Tips for Moms
As stressful as it is, I actually love preparing for a negotiation. There are very few situations in which the power of words is more explicit. What you say, how you say it, and the truth behind those words all have the power to make a measurable difference in how things turn out in theContinue reading “Negotiation Tips for Moms”
When Teams Disagree
One of the great gifts in my life has been my two children, both of whom have had challenges that would be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). I have been an active leader among special education parent advocacy groups in my community, and I want to share some of what I haveContinue reading “When Teams Disagree”