Cedar Rapids schools aims to build trust with new strategic communication plan

CEDAR RAPIDS — A multiyear strategic communication plan aims to build trust in the Cedar Rapids Community School District between the district and schools, and the district and the community.

The plan emphasizes a unified vision, consistent messaging, frequent surveys and focus groups to measure effectiveness and improve as needed. It also calls for annual impact reports to show progress and a concerted effort around community event participation.

The 54-page strategic plan presented to the Cedar Rapids school board Monday was created by Wixted & Company — a public relations firm in West Des Moines — and the Cedar Rapids district’s communication team.

The Cedar Rapids school district’s end goal is sustained high levels of trust and active community engagement.

Eileen Wixted, principal of Wixted & Company, said the first year will focus on internally improving communication between the district and school staff.

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“A clear divide that has emerged between central administration and individual schools, with communication breakdowns occurring across multiple organizational levels,” the report states.

A clear, compelling vision for the future could improve retention and performance of staff and engage stakeholders in district initiatives, bond measures and policy changes, she said.

“Ultimately, we want all stakeholders to feel personally invested in student success, leading to increased support and involvement across the community, shifting an ‘us’ versus ‘them’ dynamic to a more unified, collaborative partnership between administration, staff, parents and community members,” Wixted said.

“That doesn’t mean everybody’s going to love what you communicate, but at least they will say, ‘I received the information in an accurate, timely fashion in a cohesive and understandable manner,’ and that’s really important,” she said.

The plan establishes a communications framework, standardizing templates and communication protocols — including social media guidelines — timelines for disseminating information and a way to collect feedback and track progress through surveys.

“In the absence of information, people believe the worst. If they don’t hear from you, they figure you’re not doing anything. You have a tremendous number of headwinds, like all other education and school districts are facing,” Wixted said.

“If people in the community are wondering what’s happening in the district, saying I don’t know what’s going on, I really want others to say, ‘I cannot imagine that you don’t know what’s going on. All you have to do is look, read, open the email, attend the open house, come to a board meeting,’ so people feel so very invested,” Wixted said.

Sharing positive stories from around the district on the district’s website, in newsletters and on social media will boost engagement, “reduce uncertainty” and “foster positive relationships” between the community and district, she said.

Wixted said the district needs to proactively share “the good, the bad and the in between.”

“The district is often playing catch-up with communication rather than getting ahead of issues, which makes it harder to build meaningful relationships with the community,” the report states.

“What I want to tell you is we are living in a low trust environment just from a societal standpoint. So there’s a lack of trust, and you’re seeing that in your district as well with regard to relationships,” Wixted said.

Wixted & Company previously has worked with former Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter, former University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld, former University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allen, UI Athletics, and Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

The cost of the school district’s agreement with Wixted & Company was not immediately available Tuesday.

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