Above / District 204 receives national awards for communications that educate the community with video series and smartphone app.
Indian Prairie School District 204’s Communications Department recently received two Golden Achievement Awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). The department was recognized for the Explore 204 video series and creating the district’s smartphone app.
The Golden Achievement Award recognizes exemplary work in school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement. NSPRA presented a total of 128 Golden Achievement Awards nationally this year, and District 204 was one of only four school districts in Illinois to receive this recognition.
Launched in September 2015, Explore 204 is a video series that invites viewers to take a look inside the classroom. Each month, Explore 204 showcases one story that highlights the outstanding activities happening throughout the district. Past episodes have featured an all-girls elementary school robotics team, transforming one of the oldest libraries in the district into a collaborative learning space, the efforts of one school to build an outdoor classroom, and how high school marketing students received real-world experience revamping Fox Valley Mall. The videos are shared through email and also posted on the district’s website.
Explore 204
Janet Buglio, executive director of communications, said Explore 204 was created as a way to share stories with the community.
“There are so many wonderful stories to tell about our district,” noted Buglio in a news release. “This gives community members the opportunity to see for themselves the amazing work of our students and staff.”
204 smartphone app
The district’s smartphone app was also honored by NSPRA. Created by Lead Web Developer Greg Gibson, the app enhances communication with parents, students, and the community. It was designed to provide the most sought-after information in one convenient location on a user’s smartphone. Users can do everything from viewing lunch menus to easily adding important dates to their calendar. Gibson developed the app for both IOS and Android users. By developing the app in-house, the district was able to enhance communication without incurring the significant cost of hiring an outside company. Since its launch in 2014, the app has had more than 16,000 downloads.
News submitted by Janet Buglio, Executive Director of Communication Services, for Indian Prairie School District 204.
Editor’s Note / PN has been a big longtime fan of www.204TV.org where school board meetings have been available on demand, even before the Explore 204 videos.
Naperville Community School District 203 also was recognized with a Golden Achievement Award for its Digital Learning Initiative by Jen Hannon, Communications Manager.
According the NSPRA website, the award “recognizes exemplary work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement. Each entry is judged individually against the contest criteria – not against other entries – and judges select as many winners as meet the award criteria.”
