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difficult it can be to get kids back on track if they’re interrupted during instructional time – all of the things you intuitively know if you’ve worked on a campus but have no clue about otherwise. You will have more fulfillment in school PR than anything else you’ve ever done because you know you are making a difference each day. Even on my worst day in school PR, I can look at what I did that day and point out at least one thing I did to make a difference in my community, for the people who live, learn and work here. It’s incredibly fulfilling and satisfying, and I am so lucky that I get to do this job every day!
KIMBERLY SIMPSON Chief of Communications Lancaster ISD
Advocating for the school PR role When I started to work in school communications, I was amazed at how some individuals didn’t recognize the value of having a dedicated person or team handle school communications. As I transitioned into school PR, I found myself constantly educating and advocating for the importance of the role and sometimes having to defend why our positions were needed. Finally, I realized that school PR professionals must be advocates for our industry. We have the responsibility of setting the tone on the importance of our roles and proving why we are a vital part of the daily operation of a school district. Self-care One school year, I became extremely ill with the flu and bronchitis. It was horrible. I was off work for two weeks and couldn’t stand that I was sick and missing so much time from work. My superintendent at the time called to check on me
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and ended our phone conversation by saying, “Kim, you need to take care of yourself. Health is wealth, and remember, there will always be more work for you to do. Get well soon.” He was right. At that moment, I realized that I needed to focus on myself to recover. I wish I had known I needed to detach from my job to heal, during that time. I now know, especially after working in school PR during a global pandemic, that self-care is essential, and it is more than ok to take the time you need to heal. If we are not at our best, we cannot perform at our best, and our school districts need their communication practitioners at their best. Discovering school PR I learned about school PR during my time as a photojournalist at an NBC affiliate in central Texas. While covering a story, I was able to interview the PIO of Waco ISD. During that interview, I discovered what the role of the PIO did, and it intrigued me. While in college, I learned about several job options in the communications industry; however, I had not considered the role in a school district setting. Had I known that role existed earlier on, I probably would have considered school PR track earlier in my career. Networking I can’t stress to individuals the importance of networking. At the beginning of my career, I knew it was imperative to venture out and meet as many people in our industry as possible. I was told to join and volunteer for organizations, attend conferences and do the work to improve as a communications professional. Although I did this reluctantly at times, it has benefited me greatly. I did not know that the connections made early in my career would prove beneficial now in my career. I am grateful that I was taught the value of relationships and the power of networking.
