@SPPS_News One Voice, Multiple Languages National School Public Relations Association Seminar July, 2015 Alejandra Bosch Saint Paul Public Schools

@SPPS_News Agenda Demographics History Goal Keys to Success Challenges

@SPPS_News 40,000 students 6,500 employees Demographics

@SPPS_News History Department was created by ELL in 2002 – Staffed with Hmong, Somali and Spanish translators – Karen translator added in 2009 Moved to Office of Communications, Marketing & Development (CMD) in 2010

@SPPS_News Translations = Multilingual Communications No cookie-cutter approaches | Translations affects ALL families

@SPPS_News Translations Require Plain Language Before The key to autonomy is understanding the context of your school then starting to build collaborative, coalitions and groups together to put forward what we believe is best for this unique site. After First, understand your school and your community. Then build partnerships that will support what’s best for the students.

@SPPS_News Goals Family EngagementStudent Success Requirements and Policies

@SPPS_News Requirements and Policies Saint Paul Public Schools Policy Parent Guardian Conferences: Communications Guidelines for Serving Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), by the Minnesota Department of Education ESEA No Child Left Behind. Parent Involvement section, Title III-Sec Civil Rights Act EL Guidance by the Department of Justice (representing the Office of Civil Rights) and the Department of Education

@SPPS_News Student Success Parents can better support homework Parents more comfortable with schools/teachers Learning day can be extended to home Expectations can be heightened

@SPPS_News Family Engagement Meetings Written translations Phone calls Video Social media

@SPPS_News Over 200,000 words translated last year Quality | Consistency | Timeliness

@SPPS_News Districtwide Translations School Selection Guide Back to School newsletter Lunch menus Strategic Plan Student progress reports Testing letters Summer school information Student’s Rights and Responsibilities handbook

@SPPS_News School Translations School handbook (per school request) Incident letters – Based on student language. 10% or higher Fliers, postcards, etc.

@SPPS_News Video Support Transportation Nutrition Services Strategic Plan District-wide Budget Script translations and voice- overs in Hmong, Somali, Spanish and Karen Play Video

@SPPS_News Connect5 Phone Calls Welcome back to school School closings due to weather Parent meeting reminders

@SPPS_News Social Media

@SPPS_News Interpretation 150 on-call interpreters (24 languages) available for: Parent-teacher conferences School and district-wide events Phone banks Parent meetings, etc. Language Line 24/7 access to interpreters over the phone in more than 200 languages

@SPPS_News Keys to Success Identify Needs and Resources Leadership support Roll with the punches and expect criticism

@SPPS_News Challenges Constantly evolving Lack of qualified interpreters/translators in newly arrived populations Funding with decreasing budgets Knowledge of a language is not the same as having interpreter/translation skill or background

@SPPS_News Translations Makes All SPPS Communications Better

@SPPS_News Questions? Alejandra Bosch, Translations Manager | fb.me/SaintPaulPublicSchools spps.org For more examples, visit