Welcome Back Lesley Weaver

by Brooke Ezzo | photo courtesy of Anthony Tosie

Afamiliar face is back leading my love of journalism and the communications department telling stories, and my love for Northwest Independent of education.” School District. For six years, Mrs. Weaver Lesley Weaver, the district’s director served as the director of communications from 2007 to of communications for 2013, brings more than 20 years of Northwest and then held experience to her new role as the a similar communications executive director of communications. role in Irving ISD for She will be responsible for communication several years. services at the district-level. “It gave me an opportunity Mrs. Weaver earned her bachelor’s for more leadership and degree in journalism with an emphasis decision-making responsibility at the in public relations from Temple district-level,” Weaver said. University in Philadelphia and her master’s degree in school administration from Lamar University. Now that she is back at Northwest in her role as executive director, she will oversee the responsibilities of print and electronic “I came out of school doing public communications, media relations, relations at the university level,” Weaver community relations, district partnerships, said. “My aunt, who just retired after and special events. 40 years in education, always encouraged me to get into education.” With a coaching and softball “WE HAVE OUR HANDS “That’s what I am really excited about now, I will still be handson with some of the day-to-day communications functions, background, she stepped IN QUITE where my passion is and where down from her public relations job and became alternatively A FEW my strengths are,” Weaver said. “But, I will also be able to be a certified to teach high school. THINGS.” cabinet-level decision-maker “I taught and coached for and have input.” several years, and my aunt was right, I did Communications for the district plays a love it,” Weaver said. “But, this opportunity large role in keeping parents, caregivers, opened up in Northwest back in 2007, and staff informed daily of district news. and it combined my love of both worlds; Any time-sensitive information or crisis communication like a weather delay, a closure, or COVID-19 updates, the department 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.