Brian Woodland, Director, Communications & Strategic Planning, Peel District School Board
The 1.3 million-person community the Peel District School Board serves in Ontario is one of the fastest-growing in North America, with 150,000 students in 232 schools. Half of
the schools' students speak a language other than English at home, and during the last three years more than 11,000 of its registered students came from families new to Canada. To
create a more unified identity within the district, the school board's Brian Woodland devised a "what have you done for the students today?" approach, and stepped back in the
classroom.
Head of the Class
Recognizing that learning isn't just for students, Woodland administered public relations training to senior administration, managers and supervisors in the district. He taught
staffs at more than 30 schools about crisis communications, customer service and the power personnel has over public image.
"Research says that the No. 1 factor in school reputation is what our staff says about schools, so the key audience is internal. [Our mission is] to make sure that staff
understands the power they have over school reputation," Woodland says. Some of his tactics:
- To ensure schools welcomed newcomer families, Woodland integrated a "We Welcome the World" initiative last year into all major board activities. Schools received a
"Welcome to School" toolkit, with more than 50 parent resources, each translated into 25 languages.
- Woodland shaped the board's organizational response to new provincial legislation about school safety and discipline, and orchestrated crisis communication response on issues
such as student deaths.
School Days
Despite Woodland's hectic schedule (he's a sought-after keynote speaker across North America), he says he meets weekly with the schools to provide counsel on organizational
concerns. "It is an absolute privilege and a pleasure to be in an organization where everyone is so committed to caring for children, a place where each person in each role wants
to help children succeed," Woodland says. "There is no more rewarding career choice as a PR person."
Honorable Mention
Denise Keyes, Associate Dean for Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Georgetown University
Denise Keyes had two goals in mind when she was assigned the task of developing a new master's in public relations program: maintain the academic rigor expected of the
university, and bring PR industry leaders into the classroom to help train a new generation of communication leaders. The curriculum emphasizes communications responsibility with
a comprehensive understanding of ethics and corporate social responsibility, providing graduating students with a competitive advantage in the digital age.