1. Judging a Book by its Cover Positive Communications and Style Guide for CCCOE Employees

2. You are a Contra Costa County Office of Education Employee “If we are careless in our communications, the community may wonder what business we have educating…” “We must… communicate clearly. If we don’t, we weaken the public’s trust.”

3. CCCOE Strategic Plan BELIEF: Education is the cornerstone of a successful and democratic society VISION: Offer quality educational services for all CORE VALUES: Teamwork, Communication, Integrity, Ethical Leadership, Creativity, Expertise, Advocacy for all Learners

4. Customer Service Standards Provide courteous, quality service Present a professional image Create a positive environment Communicate in a clear, comprehensive and timely manner Respect others Act with integrity Follow through Be knowledgeable, identify solutions, and respond effectively Listen Follow agency guidelines for telephone, voice mail and email Respond quickly Focus on customer needs Be a problem solver

5. Customer service is not a department, it is an ATTITUDE First step in developing strong relationships and delivering sensational service We all need to be aware of the power we have to shape perceptions about education Don’t underestimate the power of the first impression

6. Positive Communications Telephone Voice Mail Cell Phones Email

7. TELEPHONE Voice Power: 86% of the message a person receives on the phone comes from the tone of your voice Greeting: identify yourself, the agency, and your school or department Offer assistance

8. Voice Mail Only when you are out of the office and there is no one else to take your call Remain professional and NOT make reference to vacations, lunch hours, medical or personal appointments, breaks or give other explanations “I am away from my desk and cannot answer your call. If you need immediate assistance, please contact…”

9. Cell Phones In a meeting, either turn off your cell phone or adjust it to vibrate Avoiding cell phone use during interactions with customers, school district staff, or community members contributes in building a positive image for our office Personal cell phone use is restricted to break times, lunch hours or in case of an emergency.

10. E-mail - Use Property of CCCOE Official use only Best for informal communications Watch your language Protect your password

11. E-mail - Hints Do not ignore grammar or neglect common punctuation. Use a signature In replies, refer to original message DO NOT USE ALL CAPITALS! Save or Delete? Save important emails on your hard drive and delete old emails regularly

12. Mechanics of an Effective Meeting Prepare an agenda with times, items and the purpose for each Appoint leaders Set ground rules Have an issue bin Assign action items Closure: review issue bin, review assignments and action items, debrief using plus/ deltas

13. Media Relations Guidelines CCCOE’S Communications Office is designated as the agency’s principal liaison with the news media The Communications staff is always available to provide support, consultation and training in situations involving the news media

14. When the Media Calls You Take the call right away of return the call within 15 minutes. Refer the media representative to the CCCOE Communications Office at (925) 942-3420 Ask for information: reporter’s name, media outlet, fax and email, deadline, subject of story, what is needed from CCCOE

15. When the Media Show Up Do not say you are not allowed to answer questions “Our agency policy is to refer all media inquires to our Communications Office. You can reach them at (925) 942-3330” Reschedule and work with your manager and the Communications Office to determine the appropriate response

16. Working with the Media CCCOE students within the Parolee Education Program cannot be photographed without written consent Mind your manners Don’t educate

17. When You Want to Call the Media Consult your program coordinator who will consult the Communications Office Contact your program coordinator at least a week in advance

18. CCCOE Publications Procedures Clear that document and/or any program, service, or activity it describes are products of the CCCOE If distributed outside the agency, publication must be reviewed by the Communications Office Do not alter the CCCOE logo

19. Copyright Law To use copyrighted materials: acquire written permission of the author/publisher FAIR USE: if you wish to use a portion of a copyrighted piece within a 24 hour period of copying

20. Written Communication: Grammar and Style Review Review pages 34-77

21. Conclusion “If we are careless in our communications, the community may wonder what business we have educating…” “We must… communicate clearly. If we don’t, we weaken the public’s trust.”