Welcome Back, LESLEY WEAVER by Brooke Ezzo | photo courtesy of Anthony Tosie
A
familiar face is back leading the communications department for Northwest Independent School District.
Lesley Weaver, the district’s director of communications from 2007 to 2013, brings more than 20 years of experience to her new role as the executive director of communications. She will be responsible for communication services at the district-level. Mrs. Weaver earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in public relations from Temple University in Philadelphia and her master’s degree in school administration from Lamar University. “I came out of school doing public relations at the university level,” Weaver said. “My aunt, who just retired after 40 years in education, always encouraged me to get into education.” With a coaching and softball background, she stepped down from her public relations job and became alternatively certified to teach high school.
communication like a weather delay, a
closure, or COVID-19
updates, the department
For six years, Mrs. Weaver served as the director of communications for Northwest and then held a similar communications role in Irving ISD for several years. “It gave me an opportunity for more leadership and decision-making responsibility at the district-level,” Weaver said. Now that she is back at Northwest in her role as executive director, she will oversee the responsibilities of print and electronic communications, media relations, community relations, district partnerships, and special events.
“WE HAVE OUR HANDS IN QUITE A FEW THINGS.”
“I taught and coached for several years, and my aunt was right, I did love it,” Weaver said. “But, this opportunity opened up in Northwest back in 2007, and it combined my love of both worlds;
24 | 35 WEST | JULY 2020
my love of journalism and telling stories, and my love of education.”
“That’s what I am really excited about now, I will still be handson with some of the day-to-day communications functions, where my passion is and where my strengths are,” Weaver said. “But, I will also be able to be a cabinet-level decision-maker and have input.”
Communications for the district plays a large role in keeping parents, caregivers, and staff informed daily of district news. Any time-sensitive information or crisis
is responsible for getting those notifications out
to all media outlets in a timely manner.
“In our department, we
handle everything from
the Partners in Education program and all of the
community engagement
and partnerships with businesses and
local organizations to the videography
that gets pushed out through our social media and all of our special events,”
Weaver said. “We have our hands in quite a few things.”
Mrs. Weaver said over the course of
her career that she has had to adapt
due to the increase of technology and
social media and be able to communicate with people in the format that makes sense to them.
Lesley Weaver started in her new role as executive director of communications on July 1st and looks forward to the
opportunity to strengthen relationships between schools and families.
She and her husband, Tim, have lived
in the district since 2008 and have two children, Matthew and Danielle.
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