Mastering Social Media for Schools

By Andrea GribbleBusiness Education How To Marketing

Mastering Social Media for Schools episodes

November 18, 2024Backpack Journalist: More, Better, Faster Content for Schools with Ren Luebbering
You are going to learn SO MUCH by listening to this episode! Ren is a storyteller at heart and she’ll break down their district’s approach to social media with over 25,000 students and 3,800 employees.
Twitter is dead; long live LinkedIn! Find out some impressive stats on how Springfield is growing their reach on LinkedIn.
Short-form videos can ignite your social media reach! Discover Ren’s secrets to sharing 2-3 short Reels each week on Facebook & Instagram. She even shares them as YouTube Shorts as well!
Discover some of the best stories that Ren has uncovered - all because she focuses on visiting 7-10 campuses each week! You heard that right - she prioritizes this time at the schools because that is where the stories are.

SPECIAL GUEST
Ren Luebbering
Coordinator of Marketing & Digital Strategies
Springfield Public Schools, Missouri

Email: [email protected]
Twitter/X: @renluebbering
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ren-bishop-luebbering-55141033/

Website: https://www.sps.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/springfieldpublicschools/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialsps/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/officialSPS
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/springfield-public-schools/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/officialsps

USEFUL INFORMATION
Collin’s viral graduation Reel
One of Ren’s favorite stories: Mr. Vernon, he’s like my third grandpa! She also told it through a Reel as well.
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/

MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
48 min
November 11, 2024Digital Accessibility Doesn't Have To Be Scary with Emily F. Popek, APR
Understanding the New Regulations: Learn about the latest federal regulations on digital accessibility and how they impact schools, including a clear breakdown of what "WCAG 2.1 level AA" really means and why it matters.
The Four Key Principles of Accessibility: Discover the four core principles—perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust—and how these apply specifically to school communication and social media.
Practical Tips for Social Media Compliance: Get actionable tips to ensure your social media content meets accessibility standards, from alt text for images to handling emojis and using AI for support.
The Importance of Accessible Content: Hear why accessible content isn't just about compliance but also about making sure your message reaches everyone—and how this aligns with your communication goals.

SPECIAL GUEST
Emily F. Popek, APR
Vice President, Strategic Communications
Nichols Strategies, California

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-f-popek/
Twitter/X: @EmilyPopek

Website: https://nicholsstrategies.com/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/nicholsstrat
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nichols-strategies/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAgfCvRLmrIIDXiFPw2Jl1A

USEFUL INFORMATION
Overview of the new federal rule on accessibility. This page spells out the standards, the timeline, and the exceptions.
Go-to resource for understanding the WCAG standards - w3.org
Follow this page for tips on creating accessible content - https://www.facebook.com/a11yawareness and join this private Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/110948031049165
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
46 min
November 04, 2024How Adding the Role of Communications Specialist Instantly Transformed a District with Travis Judell
Strategic Investment in Communications: In 2021, the School District of Holmen created a new Communications Specialist position. Travis Judell, with his background in media, has revolutionized the district's communication and engagement efforts, serving approximately 3,000 students.
Mastering Multi-Platform Content Strategy: Discover Travis's approach to content development for Facebook and Instagram. He shares his professional toolkit, emphasizing the critical importance of timely content delivery—sometimes posting event coverage within minutes! Learn his secrets for maintaining high-quality, engaging content across platforms.
Relationship-Driven Storytelling: Explore how building strong relationships within the school community leads to discovering compelling stories. Travis reveals how his high-quality content created a positive feedback loop: as students saw their peers featured in professional-grade photos and videos, they actively sought to be part of the storytelling, further enriching the content.
Creating Ripple Effects Through Compelling Content: From viral annual back-to-school videos to heartwarming classroom field trip coverage, Travis shares his favorite stories that have resonated beyond the school community.

SPECIAL GUEST
Travis Judell
Communications Specialist
School District of Holmen, Wisconsin

Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Travis Judell

Website: https://www.holmen.k12.wi.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holmenschools
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holmenschooldistrict

USEFUL INFORMATION
Great stories:
Father vs Son Wrestling Duel
Holmen Devils Lake April 2024
Holmen Devils Lake April 2023
Devils Lake 2022 Video
Bus Driver Story
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
43 min
October 28, 2024Harnessing the Power of a Team in a Department of ONE with Jennifer Salyards, M.Ed.
Jennifer Salyards may have been the Director of Communications at Stephenville ISD, Texas, for just 14 months, but her impact is already making waves. A former Principal, Jennifer is embracing this newly created position and telling the district’s stories like never before.
In this episode, Jennifer shares the key to her success: relationships. Whether connecting with colleagues across the district or networking with peers in other schools, she’s building a strong support system that’s helping her thrive in a department of one.
If you’re tired of wishing social media could be easier, this conversation is for you! Jennifer reveals how joining the #SocialSchool4EDU membership has transformed her approach to storytelling and elevated her district’s social media presence.
Listen in for actionable ideas on telling great stories, and stick around for Jennifer’s game-changing social media tip at the end—it might just revolutionize how you share your school’s stories!
SPECIAL GUEST
Jennifer Salyards, M.Ed.
Director of Communications
Stephenville Independent School District, Texas

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.sville.us
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephenvilleisd/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephenvilleisd/

USEFUL INFORMATION
Jennifer’s examples:
Link to #TBT post
Link to First Day of School post
Link to SRO Vehicle Student Design Contest
Link to SRO Vehicle winning the Texas School Safety Center "Best Police Unit" Contest
Link to Girl Scout Bus Stop Service Project
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
47 min
October 21, 2024Facebook Performance Bonuses for Schools with Luis Gonzales, Jr. & Maria Guajardo
Are you curious about Facebook's Performance Bonus program and how it could benefit your school district? In this episode, we’ll walk you through the steps to set up Facebook performance bonuses for school district social media pages. You'll discover key steps like creating a separate district bank account for receiving funds and assigning the right financial administrators to manage them.
San Benito CISD has already experienced impressive results, generating significant revenue across its district and school pages since March 2023. Find out how much they’ve earned and the strategies that drove their success!
Are you worried about getting your finance department on board? Luis and Maria share practical tips on how they gained buy-in and made the program work for their district.
Plus, you'll learn innovative ways to reinvest these earnings into social media tools and resources that enhance content creation, boost engagement, and drive even greater results!

SPECIAL GUESTS
Luis Gonzales, Jr.
Director of Public Relations and Social Media
San Benito CISD, Texas

Email: [email protected]

Maria Guajardo
Communications Specialist
San Benito CISD, Texas

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.sbcisd.net/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/sbcisd
Instagram: https://instagram.com/sanbenito.cisd

USEFUL INFORMATION
Link to a video post that was shared more than 90 times - Cheers to 50 Years!
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
53 min
October 14, 2024Using Social Media to Grow Enrollment and Build a United Culture with Mrs. Emily Hagen
Discover how St. Joseph Catholic School increased enrollment from 140 to 201 students in just four years through strategic marketing and social media efforts.
Uncover three proven strategies to boost enrollment at your school, including the power of dedicated marketing personnel and multi-channel communications.
Learn how to elevate your school's brand on a budget with practical tips on color psychology, style guides, and capturing compelling "marketing photos."
Master the art of "controlling the parking lot" - a powerful technique to influence positive word-of-mouth marketing among parents and the community.
Gain unique insights on balancing religious content in social media for faith-based schools, attracting diverse families while maintaining your school’s identity.

SPECIAL GUEST
Mrs. Emily Hagen
Director of Marketing and Advancement
St. Joseph Catholic School - Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Email: [email protected]
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emily.hagen.908/
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emihag87/

Website: https://www.sjsricelake.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJSricelake/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjsricelake/

USEFUL INFORMATION
Emily’s examples
Free Facebook Group referenced in the introduction
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
42 min
October 07, 2024Impact of School Storytelling: Building Stronger Connections Through Social Media w/ Carrie Birchler
Community Building through Social Media: Carrie Birchler emphasizes the importance of using social media, especially Facebook and Instagram, to build a sense of community and engage both current and prospective families in a school setting.
Content Gathering from Teachers: She shares her approach to gathering content for social media, including using QR codes and posters to make it easy for staff to submit stories and photos, ensuring regular and authentic content sharing.
Using Asana for Social Media Planning: Carrie discusses how she uses the project management tool Asana to plan and organize social media content for the entire school year, keeping track of recurring tasks and aligning posts with key school events.
Storytelling and Acknowledgement: She highlights the value of acknowledging the contributions of all school community members—students, staff, and parents—in storytelling to showcase a school’s success and foster a supportive environment.

SPECIAL GUEST
Carrie Birchler
Community Engagement, Recruitment and Enrollment Coordinator
Allegiance STEAM Academy, California

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://asathrive.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allegiancesteamacademy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allegiancesteamacademy/

USEFUL INFORMATION
Carrie’s examples:
6TH GRADE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE
FILIPINO DANCE IN PE CLASS
APEX PROTECTION PROJECT VISIT FROM WOLVES
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
42 min
September 30, 2024Maximizing Impact: Video Strategies with Rob Wiltsey
Why Video Matters: Rob Wiltsey breaks down the crucial role that video plays in your social media strategy.
Content Inspiration: Learn how to take what grabs your attention while scrolling and apply it to your school's content.
Engaging Video Hooks: Rob shares three effective video hooks that resonate with traditional social media users.
Creative Strategies: Discover a proven tactic from School Shine that has earned significant shares across districts.
Viral Success Story: Dive into how the Chino Valley Virtual Choir went viral in 2020 and the unique Reddit strategy that caught national media attention.

SPECIAL GUEST
Rob Wiltsey
Founder
School Shine, California

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.schoolshine.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/school-shine/

USEFUL INFORMATION
Video - Covina-Valley Kindergarten Registration
Chino Valley Virtual Choir performance
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
56 min
September 23, 2024Little Voices, Big Impact: How to Interview Students on Camera with Karen Briones, APR
Discover how Karen Briones transitioned from parent volunteer to Communications Coordinator, shaping her role to amplify the district’s voice.
Learn Karen's strategies for capturing authentic student voices in school videos, from interview tips to using natural light for better visuals.
Explore the creative process behind impactful video storytelling, including how to maximize student engagement and showcase your district’s strategic plan.
Get insider tips on editing and repurposing video content to tell compelling stories across multiple platforms, even with limited resources.

SPECIAL GUEST
Karen Briones, APR
Communications Coordinator
Los Gatos Union School District, California

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.lgusd.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LosGatosUnionSchoolDistrict
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearelgusd/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lgusdmedia1859

USEFUL INFORMATION
Karen’s video examples and equipment list
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
38 min
September 16, 2024How to Get Users to See Your Content: Engaging Video Strategy with Jessica Bautista & Luz Capiral
Discover how Higley Unified School District effectively leverages social media to engage young families in a competitive school choice environment.
Learn the video content strategies that drive engagement, including the use of trending audio and authentic storytelling.
Get insider tips on tools like CapCut, Canva, and Adobe Rush to create impactful videos—no expensive equipment needed.
Understand the importance of meeting your audience where they are and speaking their language to enhance communication and engagement.

SPECIAL GUESTS
Jessica Bautista
Director of Marketing & Public Information
Higley Unified School District, Arizona

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @OurLifeinAZ

Luz Capiral
Marketing Specialist
Higley Unified School District, Arizona

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.husd.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HigleyUnifiedSchoolDistrict
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Higley365
Twitter: https://x.com/HigleyDistrict

USEFUL INFORMATION
Job recruitment Reel
POV Graduation Reel
Order your copy of my book Social Media for Schools: Proven Storytelling Strategies & Ideas to Celebrate Your Students & Staff - While Keeping Your Sanity now!
Interested in our membership program? Learn more here: https://socialschool4edu.com/
MORE RESOURCES
Free Video Training: Learn the simple secrets behind social media for K12 schools!
Sign up for our free e-newsletter - click here
www.SocialSchool4EDU.com
43 min

About Mastering Social Media for Schools

From the publisher's feed

Do you manage social media for a K12 school? Then this podcast is for you! Struggling to find time for social media? Wondering why people won’t engage on your Facebook page? Can’t get content from…