INSPRA recognized District 58’s exceptional communication efforts
The Illinois chapter of the National School Public Relations Association, or INSPRA, presented Downers Grove Grade School District 58 with six communication awards during its annual Communications Contest award ceremony on Friday, Sept. 13. These awards recognize District 58’s exceptional communication efforts during the 2018-19 school year.
District 58 earned four Awards of Merit and two Awards of Excellence. According to INSPRA, Awards of Merit go to outstanding entries, and Awards of Excellence represent this year's very best in Illinois school communications.
District 58 received INSPRA awards in the following categories:
Awards of Excellence:
- Annual Report: 2018 District 58 Annual Report to the Community
- Special Purpose: Professional Learning in District 58 (Part 1 and Part 2)
Awards of Merit:
- E-newsletter: Communicate 58 Newsletter (scroll to see archives)
- Marketing Materials: Welcome to El Sierra School Brochure
- Website: District 58 Strategic Plan Website and Dashboard
- Website: Kindergarten Resource Guide
The INSPRA Communications Contest annually invites school districts across Illinois to submit publications and projects for judging by a panel of communication experts. The judges use a rubric to evaluate each entry against professional communication best practices, and only the top scores receive awards. This year, 158 entries were submitted.
“We are proud to recognize the winners of the 2019 Communications Contest, whose outstanding work exemplifies the best school communications in Illinois,” said INSPRA President Kristine Liptrot, director of communications and community engagement for Yorkville CUSD 115.
“Understanding how to communicate and then creating a successful communication is not easy and it is not something that just anyone can do well,” she said. “Knowing how to communicate a complex concept to people who are from multiple generations using various communication tools is incredibly challenging. Professional school communicators must be flexible and evolve to meet the needs of both their districts and their intended audiences. It takes education, it takes training, and it takes practice. Through this contest, we recognize the quality work of INSPRA members and their dedication to continued growth.”