Page 173 - draft

Date: August 2020

To: Board of Education
From: Dr. Johnnie Thomas

Re: Executive Summary (Confidential)

Communications

In July 2020, the Communications Department at Rich Township High School District 227 collaborated with
Educational Services, Business Office, and Human Resources Department to develop and distribute multiple
crisis communications documents and videos in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020-21 school
year information, distributed the District’s summer school graduation ceremony for Rich Central, Rich East,
and Rich South High Schools, collaborated with the Community Relations Committee to begin school song
and mascot introduction production, and continued film production for a project that communicates 2020-21
school year information.
In June 2020, the Department distributed written and video updates from the Superintendent’s Office on July
7, 11, 19, and 24. These videos provide an opportunity for stakeholders to have a personal connection with
the Superintendent during these times of isolation due to social distancing and allow the District to monitor
feedback from stakeholders. The messages primarily included updates on the District’s reopening plan and
online enrollment and registration. Regarding our plans to reopen schools under a hybrid model, several
stakeholder groups (parents, teachers, and community members) expressed concerns regarding the safety of
our staff and students. Parent's and teacher's concerns surrounded the risk of catching COVID-19 in a school
setting that will allow for hundreds of people to be on-campus and the inability to secure childcare for
younger children. Community members expressed concerns about the District’s schedule not being aligned
with the feeder school districts’ decision to begin the school year under a fully remote learning model. After
receiving community feedback, the Communications Department recommended the District host a town hall
meeting to allow for stakeholders to express their concerns before the Rich Township Board of Education.
Stakeholders have previously indicated that decisions have been made without the consideration of public
input. Thus a town hall meeting is an arena where stakeholders can voice their opinions on issues that affect
the community at large. The Special Board of Education Meeting was August 6, 2020, at 6:30 pm on the
ZOOM platform.
The Department collaborated with the Community Relations Committee to produce a school song and
soundbite that will introduce the District’s new mascot: the Raptors! Committee members recommended that
the District sponsor the production of a school song to help build school pride amongst students and staff as
they transition from Rich Central, Rich East and Rich South, to simple one Rich Township High School. A
committee member collaborated with songwriters and lyricists in New York City to produce a school song
for the District, which school song sub-committee members must provide input on before final
determination. In addition, committee members helped to produce an ~40- second sound bite that introduces