Driven by a desire to create quality educational products, we constantly push ourselves to the limits to provide educators with resources that make a difference in the classroom. All too often we get wrapped up in numbers, especially when creating so many math products. A couple of numbers we are proud to be associated with come in the form of some newly released rankings. Mentoring Minds was recently identified as Inc. Magazine as one of their 2010 Top 500/5000 companies (http://www.inc.com/inc5000/profile/mentoring-minds). We came in at number 2734, leaving plenty room for growth, but also reminding us how far we’ve come from our humble beginnings in a garage in 2002.

We also received recognition from the Hispanic Business magazine (http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/) as one of the 2010 fastest growing companies. We came in at number 16, up from 22 last year. In addition, we were ranked at 373 of the top 500 Hispanic businesses.

With all the counting, there’s one thing that you can continue to count on, and that’s our dedication to providing materials that make a difference in children’s lives.

Every school administrator plays the role of a public relations director. Building public relations on the campus and in the community does not happen by accident, and should not occur because controversy or difficult times are on the horizon. The good news about activities and achievements of a campus and its teachers and students must be shared on a regular basis. A conscious effort toward PR must become a priority of the campus administrator. The saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” should be the guiding factor in helping schools be proactive. An essential part of any plan must include recognition of faculty. Such bragging helps a community know the campus team better, but also shows teachers and staff how much they are genuinely appreciated. Building support from within the campus and branching out to the community gives direction to your plan. There are multitudes of resources from which to acquire a wealth of tips and to draw ideas and strategies that strengthen relations with all stakeholders.
The following suggestions provide variety and several choices from which to recognize and sell your campus.

• Share as much information about the opening days of school in advance to achieve a smoother opening.
• Use the marquee as a way to publicize positive messages to the public.
• Use the web site link to communicate timely information to parents and to publicize happenings. Keep this positive, up-to-date, and reflective of the culture of the school.
• Use the report card as a means to include important information.
• Create newsletters to promote the programs, successes, and needs of the campus and place them in local businesses. Use this media to cultivate mutual trust with the general public since they have a voice in determining the direction of schools.
• Support for an event, issue or change can be garnered when the school and community are fully alerted to details. It is also important that the community see themselves value as partners. When sufficient information is provided ahead of time, stakeholders are better prepared to give their support for a campus and its initiatives.
• Promote the school by sharing the goals, achievements, history, and community involvement through a brochure that is prominently displayed and available to all who enter.
• Work with students and faculty to develop descriptive statements of things a campus is most proud of. Display these statements everywhere: office areas, classrooms, gym, cafeteria, drop-off areas, newsletters, and web sites. When a crisis or troublesome event arises, remember to bring the focus back to these statements of pride.
• Showcase the history of your school with a wall of significant pictures, photographs, or other pertinent items. Involve the community, former students, and current students and staff in this ongoing project.
• Record major events and campus happenings throughout the year on a DVD and show it at the end of the year. Eventually, this could be preserved as part of the school’s history.
• Establish a permanent and visible location on the campus to display news articles, pictures of students, or news of awards or successes of students and faculty and staff. Keep these happenings current, selecting some to add to a history of the school scrapbook at a later date.
• Regular and clear communication must be shared with the faculty about what goes on in the school, including important decisions. Remember much of the support that is built in the community for a school comes from within.
• Support staff should always be fully informed of what is occurring so they can communicate appropriately to the general public. Make time to get to know the support staff and meet with them to talk about the school. Invite their comments and answer their questions.
• Take time to give recognition to the campus and staff often and sincerely. Acknowledge their contributions through emails, individual notes, mailed postcards, faculty meetings, newsletters, and with public comments made during and outside of school. Taking care of the school’s family is essential!

Campus administrators must continually strive to be strong advocates for their schools and connect with the stakeholders. Building public relations is an integral part of achieving success on a campus, so campus administrators must take the time to broadcast campus news. Regular communication that informs the faculty, parents, and community can benefit the students and the campus, bringing about a renewed level of support, relationships, and satisfaction. Always search for ways to share good news, activities, and accomplishments about your school!

Can you hear the ringing of school bells in the not-so-distant future? Did June, July, and August seem to go by in a flash? The shock of moving from those relaxing days of summer to the hustle and bustle of a new school year can be eased by following a few simple steps.
Take time to set up your classroom in a functional manner. Arrange your room so that it is neat and organized. Clear your files of any unnecessary items. Sort through and get rid of old materials in your closets and bookshelves.
When your room is in tip-top shape, begin preparing for your new students. Make seating assignments. Create nametags and “Welcome Back” bulletin boards. Design sign-up sheets for parents to gain information on how students are to go home from school, volunteers for class parties, tutors, etc. Send postcards to welcome students to your classroom. Prepare hand-outs that explain classroom procedures. Make phone calls to students expressing how excited you are about having them in your class.
Finally, meet with your teammates to map out the school year. Look at the calendar and decide which special events and field trips you would like to schedule. Discuss day-to-day lesson plans. Share ideas and materials for reaching goals during the school year. Make specific lesson plans for the first day of school. Remember to prepare some time-filler and icebreaker activities to have available those first few weeks of school. By following these tips, you’ll be on the right track to a fun and successful time of learning. Get ready for an adventure as you look to the exciting possibilities of a new school year. Good luck as I can hear those school bells now…brrring!

You will need one sticky note for each teacher. On each note write the name of a celebrity, book character, an idea you are studying, etc. Place a sticky note on the back of each teacher. Have each teacher find a partner and read each other’s sticky notes. Allow each person to ask the partner 3 questions about what is on the partner’s note. Once the questions have been asked, the teacher makes a guess as to what the note says. If the answer is correct, the teacher moves his/her note to his/her chest and gives clues to others. If not correct, the teacher has to find another partner and continue to guess the identity.

Instruct everyone on how they should approach parents and students in order to make them feel welcome.

Expect office personnel to warmly greet everyone who enters the office.

Make the entryway of your school inviting. Place such things as benches, rocking chairs, and plants in this area to create a welcoming environment for all who enter the school.

Stand in a visible location to welcome students, parents, and faculty members as they enter the school each morning. Be personable as you greet all by shaking hands, waving, or by saying, “Good to see you”, “Have a great day!”, or “I’m happy to see you today.”

Establish a parent information center in the school lobby. Provide materials that promote the school and highlight the accomplishments of students, faculty members, and the school.