OPENING A NEW SCHOOL

Transcription

1 OPENING A NEW SCHOOL Guidelines for DEDICATION CEREMONIES RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES CORNERSTONE CEREMONIES Prepared by Washoe County School District Communications Office June, 1998 Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 1 of 12

2 INTRODUCTION Talk to anyone who has opened a new school and they will tell you that it is a most rewarding yet exhausting project. You pray the building is ready on time, and there are the time-consuming tasks of ordering necessary furniture and supplies, hiring staff and planning the educational program for students. Too often the dedication of the new building and the cornerstone ceremonies are seen as extra items on the to do list. They are unfortunately overlooked as a wonderful opportunities to celebrate new beginnings, to thank those who have made it all possible, and to establish community pride and ownership. Following are suggestions and ideas to assist you with planning the dedication of your new school and with the cornerstone ceremony. Information has been gathered from six principals who have opened new schools in Washoe County within the last six years, from local PR and marketing professionals, and from assorted (school) public relations texts. The information is in checklist form, and follows a logical sequence of planning. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 2 of 12

3 RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES Ribbon cutting ceremonies are used in public relations as a visual and ceremonial way to gain publicity for a new company, organization or service soon to be or actually opening for business. Sometimes, a ribbon cutting ceremony is held when ground is broken for a new building, again with the idea of publicizing the arrival of a new company or service. The consensus of local PR and marketing professionals is that ribbon cutting ceremonies rarely generate much publicity. Because schools open to educate youth rather than to sell a product, ribbon cutting ceremonies may not be considered necessary. For schools, it may be best to conduct the ribbon cutting ceremony at the s t art of a dedication ceremony, or to eliminate the ribbon cutting altogether. Again, it is perceived more as a we re open for business gesture. The significant event in celebrating the opening of your new school will be the dedication ceremony. If you choose to do both, the same dignitaries to be invited would be involved in both ceremonies. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 3 of 12

4 DEDICATION CEREMONIES Prior to outlining the steps to be taken to prepare for the dedication of your new school, consider the following advice and information from the authors of The School and Community Relations. The dedication of a new school building can provide opportunities for school school-community relations. Frequently, however, many such opportunities are overlooked. To help prepare an effective dedication ideas regarding open house nights can be expanded upon. It must be recognized that the dedication undertaking requires specific plans. The dedication of a new building can be a source of community pride and achievement. School officials should make every effort to demonstrate how the building will benefit many people in many ways. For example, if a new gym or multi-purpose room is to be used by community groups, representatives of the groups should be invited to the dedication. If your school will have a joint-use library, representatives from the Library System should be invited. Newsletters and news release should point out how many people are expected to benefit from the facility. The Green Bay, Wisconsin schools have capitalized on dedication opportunities to show the curriculum to thousands of people who may not otherwise take the time to learn about it. Combining the dedication and open house, as many districts do, Green Bay incorporated the following ideas in its effort: - The person responsible for the dedication meets with the staff to explain the idea behind the emphasis on curriculum. The staff provides give-away information for Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 4 of 12

5 visitors, bulletin board information, and display materials. The staff also receives the dedication and open-house brochure in advance. - A mass mailing is sent about two weeks before the event; a copy of the program, a tour guide booklet and invitation are included. - Media promotion is begun about two weeks to 10 days before the event. - Prior to the official open house and dedication, a special tour and a dinner are held for board members, town officials and other dignitaries. - The date is planned to avoid conflicts with major athletic events and programs in the community. - Staff members are identified with name tags or shirts in school colors so guests know who can answer questions. - Student guides are stationed throughout the building. Preparing Publications Underlying the planning should be the thought that whatever the building is, it will benefit children and others in the community in some way. This means that materials prepared for and about the official dedication ceremony should focus on the people the building will serve rather than on the building itself. The publication should applaud the efforts of the people who made the building possible. This includes all taxpayers, who should be shown how the building will contribute to the overall wellbeing of the community. Key community figures should be invited to the ceremony. Area media representatives should be given sufficient notice to assign personnel to attend. Often Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 5 of 12

6 forgotten are school board members who played important roles in the initial effort to make the building possible. Frequently these men and women are no longer board members when the building is dedicated; a good practice is to invite them and recognize them at the dedication ceremony. Planning for the dedication must be thorough. To forget someone who contributed in a major way is one way to lose a friend for the schools. In planning your dedication ceremony for a new school in Washoe County, the following guidelines are offered: 1) Utilize the open house dedication format to include as many publics in the festivities as possible, including the press, school officials, board members, parents, students, city officials, your Partner in Education (if you ve been assigned one), the architect and contractor, citizens in the neighborhood and any others you may feel will be associated with the school. 2) Form a committee and chair it. This is certainly a very important public relations activity and celebration. Oversee the plans to assure a first class event. Include teachers and your PTA or PTO officers. 3) The date will be determined sometimes by factors beyond your control. Obviously, the building must have passed all inspections and be open to the public at the time of the dedication. If you are planning a fall opening of school, you may want to plan a late August (before school starts) or an early September (soon after school starts) dedication/open house ceremony. The time of your event must be carefully considered. A 7:00-8:00 p.m. dedication ceremony, followed by a social with refreshments usually works well. Weekend events are usually not as well attended. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 6 of 12

7 4) The ceremony itself may be different, depending on whether the school has been named after a person living (i.e. Bud Beasley Elementary), who will be present, or a person deceased (Sarah Winnemucca), who family or descendants will be present, or if the school has been given a geographical name (Galena H.S., Spanish Springs Elementary). In any case, you may want to contact the district carpentry shop to order a standard display case. Have your committee visit Billinghurst, Mendive, Bud Beasley, or Marvin Moss schools to gather ideas for contents of the display case which will pay tribute to the school s namesake. You will obviously need the cooperation of the family after whom the school has been named. You will want to unveil the display case at the dedication ceremony. If the school has a geographical name, direct your committee to gather items which appropriately recognize the events and meaning of the school name. For example, the display case of Donner Springs Elementary School contains photos and artifacts which pay tribute to the pioneer spirit, as well as explain the significant events which occurred in history at the school site. If the school has a namesake, obviously, he/she and family members will be the focus of the dedication ceremony. If the school has a geographical name, a number of activities may be considered. At the Sarah Winnemucca Elementary School dedication/open house, a woman who portrays Sarah Winnemucca (at the annual Chautauqua event) spoke before the audience, acquainting the public with the significant life events and contributions of Sarah Winnemucca. Native Americans performed ceremonial dances. It was a wonderful, colorful and memorable ceremony. We have many local resources who may be interested in providing historical orations to celebrate the opening of your school. Do not overlook local folks like Fred Horlacher (retired Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 7 of 12

8 Reed H.S. history teacher) and other Chautauqua actors who are well versed about significant people in Nevada s history. 5) Your invitation list is very important. Send invitations to dignitaries no less than thirty days prior to the dedication ceremony. Invite everyone; parents, students, teachers, the contractor, architect, local public officials, Partner in Education, school dignitaries, School Board members, etc. Information systems can generate mailing labels for students and parents. Contact your local City Council office for names and addresses of current elected officials. Plant Facilities can provide names of officials to invite representing the contractor. Mail invitations to parents and students 2-3 weeks prior to the ceremony. Have a large, attractive sign in the entrance noting the time and date. 6) As you plan your agenda for the dedication ceremony, start with appropriate patriotic ceremonies. Utilize your local high school JROTC Color Guards. Music adds so much to a ceremony and to the after-ceremony socials. Your local high school orchestras, bands, choirs, and strings groups should be considered. Most often, a adequate notice, the music directors are happy to have their students perform publicly. If you are opening a new high school and the programs are not yet organized, consider the feeder middle school, or high school closest to your site. 7) Be sure to introduce key invited guests. An oversight here will lead to embarrassment. 8) When asking people to speak at the ceremony, structure their address by providing some focus for comments, and also provide a time limit. It is wise to focus on Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 8 of 12

9 how the new school will serve the community and children. This is not a time for political or long, rambling messages, etc. Your guests will appreciate knowing how much to say and what topic to focus upon. 9) Entertainment, whether by students or an invited guest, always adds to a ceremony. If your school will have a very diverse population, consider ethnic dancing or singing. Again, be sure to consider carefully all details, and do not overlook important groups. 10) Strongly consider providing all guests with a pamphlet or brochure as they arrive to your dedication ceremony, which will contain the agenda and any other pertinent information about the school. Select greeters to be at the front door to guide guests to appropriate areas. Provide a map of the school and a suggested tour route. Plan for guides and for appropriate supervision in areas such as computer rooms and the library. If the ceremony is before the first day of school, include registration or first week of school information in your brochure. If your site will house a joint use library or park, include pertinent information in your brochure. Your site may offer special community based programs and you may wish to include information about your resource center in your brochure. Remember that the Print Shop is usually very busy just prior to the start of school. Give amply time for your brochure to be printed. A dedication ceremony agenda insert can always be added. In addition, to the brochures, set up an information table for parents. As your PTA or PTO to have a table with membership materials and/or volunteer sign-ups. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 9 of 12

10 10) Plan for refreshments. Keep it simple, soft drinks and cookies, cake or ice cream. Utilize your parent group. Contact Nutrition Services for banquet items. Simple items such as table cloths and flowers will add to a first class evening. Again, consider music. A high school strings orchestra will add much to your social. 11) Be sure you have an adequate sound system. Contact the Video and AV Office for help if you do not yet have working equipment in your school. 12) Two weeks prior to the dedication ceremony, contact local media including newspapers and television stations. Provide them with as much information about your school as possible. As you put your committee together, you can see it may be wise to have subcommittees and to assign chairmen for the following tasks: publicity, invitations, brochures, display case, decorations, refreshments, ceremony agenda, set up, entertainment, tours and greetings. Whether you choose to chair the dedication ceremony or not, you ultimately will be held responsible for the outcome. It is wise to check all details to assure your dedication ceremony at your new school is a very positive and inviting event, a true community celebration. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 10 of 12

11 CORNERSTONE CEREMONIES Planning your cornerstone ceremony will be a task made much easier thanks to the Masons. Typically, the cornerstone ceremony is conducted in the Spring after the opening of the school. This allows time for staff and students to collect significant items for the time capsule. Following are your responsibilities in planning a cornerstone ceremony. 1. Select committee members to include staff, parents, students. Because you as principal are ultimately responsible, it is suggested you chair the committee, or carefully oversee the planning and implementation process. 2. Select a date. Most schools which open in the fall select a May cornerstone ceremony date. This gives the planning committee time to gather meaningful items for the capsule. The Masons prefer to perform cornerstone ceremonies on Saturdays, although other days may be possible to arrange. Some have been done on Fridays and involved children. 3. In the fall, contact: The Grand Lodge, 40 W. 1st. Street, Reno, Nevada, Phone: Set a meeting with your committee and the Masonic Lodge representative. The Masons will take care of the actual laying of the cornerstone, but will rely on you to organize the ceremony, invite the appropriate dignitaries and to serve as a master of ceremony. Specifically, the Masons will need you to: Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 11 of 12

12 a) Invite guests and select people to symbolically lay cement at the ceremony. Include a male student, a female student, a parent, an employee of the contractor, a school dignitary, a school board member, a city official, and any others representing agencies affiliated with the school. For example, if you are going to house a j joint use library, you would want to include a representative from the library system. Likewise, if you are a joint park facility, be sure to include a representative from Parks and Recreation at your cornerstone ceremony. b) Provide the sound system. Call the District AV office if you have special needs or want technical assistance. c) Serve as master of ceremonies. The Masons will assist you with an appropriate agenda. d) Prepare items for the time capsule. Your planning committee will want to include students and staff in planning items for the capsule. e) Plan an appropriate patriotic ceremony. Usually, your local high school JROTC color guard will be happy to do the presentation of the colors. Contact your local high school JROTC instructors to arrange for this. f) Refreshments for those attending, and a tour of the school are optional, but add an additional positive touch. g) Arrange for media coverage. Two weeks prior to the cornerstone ceremony, call local newspapers and television stations. h) Send a letter of thanks to all those involved immediately after the ceremony. The Communications Office can assist with all of this. Date: 6/30/98, Rev. A COM-G002 Page 12 of 12