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WCS Communications Department Earns National Recognition

Published June 20, 2014

The Williamson County Schools Communications Department is earning national acclaim. This month, the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) presented the department with three Golden Achievement Awards. These awards are given annually in recognition of exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement.

“Being recognized by NSPRA is quite an honor,” said Communications Director Carol Birdsong. “Our staff works hard to keep parents informed so they can be involved in their child’s education. I greatly appreciate all of the friends of Williamson County Schools who worked with us to produce these videos and to help us carry out our mission.”

A Split Second Decision Can Last a Lifetime

The WCS Communications Department received a Golden Achievement Award for its work on a series of Public Service Announcements entitled A Split Second Decision Can Last a Lifetime.

Last summer, WCS partnered with members of the Franklin Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the 21st District Attorney General's Office to produce several short vignettes that tackle topics like sexting, digital citizenship and internet safety.

"Multifaceted outreach initiatives, like the Split-Second Decision series, reach out and touch people right where they are," said Franklin Police Sgt. Charles Warner. "This kind of stuff makes a huge difference, and helps to keep our future doctors, future scholars, future police officers, and future parents on a sure-footed path that leads to success. Being part of this award-winning series was a distinct honor."

District Attorney General Kim Helper hopes partnerships like this will provide young people with the guidance and direction that allow them to be successful and productive members of the community.

“Our office appreciated the opportunity to participate in the A Split Second Decision Can Last A Lifetime video series," said Helper. "Partnering with Williamson County Schools gave us the chance to educate young people and hopefully to prevent them from becoming part of the criminal justice system in the future."

The Split Second Decision video series can be viewed online at http://wcstube.wcs.edu/Search.aspx?Keywords=split%20second.

WCS Week in Review

The department also received a Golden Achievement Award for the WCS Week in Review which is produced by Media Production and Technology Coordinator Bobby Blevins. This popular video series debuted last August as a way of showcasing the wonderful things that happen in our schools on a weekly basis.

"The WCS Week in Review has generated a great deal of excitement among our parents, students and staff," said Communications Specialist Cory Mason. "Not only are the videos fun and uplifting, but they also give us a rare glimpse inside the classroom. Our goal is to make each video both informational and entertaining and Bobby does a great job of that."

Each edition is produced with the support of the high school media production teachers and students as well as the school media contacts. The WCS Week in Review will return in mid-August for the 2014-15 school year.

Parenting Playbook

Lastly, Williamson County School's Parenting Playbook video series was also recognized for excellence with a Golden Achievement Award. The videos feature former NFL player and 2013 WCS Ambassador Freddie Scott, II as he shares practical keys to success in the areas of family and leadership.

The idea for the video series was born out of Freddie's involvement with the WCS Ambassador program, which is designed to provide business and community leaders with an in depth look at how WCS provides the quality education that brings families and businesses to Williamson County.

"Having the opportunity to collaborate with Williamson County Schools to engage the parents of our students was such a rewarding experience," said Scott. "Parenting isn't always easy, but it is the most rewarding role a person will ever have in life. Equipping families with practical tools to lead their children to success is what this was all about."

The Parenting Playbook video series can be viewed online at http://wcstube.wcs.edu/Search.aspx?keywords=parenting%20playbook&contributor=&userIdSearch=&categoryId=0.