1. Paddling Upstream in a Public School Canoe . . .
Dr. John Draper
National School Public Relations Association
Power Point is available on my website.

2. “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.”
Henry David Thoreau
Today I want to give you specific, easy-to-implement actions that will strike at the root of the problem.
After Crucial supts ask, “What can I do?”

3. Where are we in Public Schools today?

4. We’re in the dark!

5. Good to Great for the Public Sector by Jim Collins
Political Skill
Public Support
Political Skill, no matter how effective, will eventually succumb to Public Will
We have had enormous political skill—NEA, AFT, NSBA, AASA, NASSP, NAESP
Stand up and Fight—isn’t working for us
When we fight we lose—I want to win without a fight
We don’t want a war!

6. The North Wind and the Sun had a contest . . .
If we’re going to paddle a PS canoe
We need win it with the people
The higher profile the fight, the more damage inflicted on ourselves
The more we fight, the more we polarize the people

7. Fundamental Facts
A strong majority of parents, community members and school employees give their own schools honor roll ratings, but believe that the nation’s public schools are bad
Most school employees are reluctant political advocates, dislike controversy, and don’t like to brag on themselves or their schools
There are 8 million public school employees in the USA— leading them to effective, active support of our schools is the first step to changing public opinion about all public schools
How do we help 8 million employees to become
Effectively proactive?
What is the root of the evil?

8. Results from recent PDK/Gallup Polls show little change from recent years

9. What grade do you give to your oldest child’s school?
A/B 77%

10. What grade do you give to your local schools?
A/B 49%

11. What grade do you give to the nation’s schools?
A/B 18%

12. So what’s the problem? My community thinks our schools are doing pretty good! Why rock the boat!?!

13. There are always more people ‘out there’ and they think your schools are bad!

14. Our schools are good, but the rest are lousy!
The public myth, the evil root, that undermines support for all public schools is
Our schools are good, but the rest are lousy!
PDK poll consistently shows that almost 80% of parents give AB to local
But nation’s public schools get less than 20% AB

15. This public myth undermines support for all public schools
This public myth undermines support for all public schools. It encourages many elected officials to punish or reconstruct our “failing” public schools.
The strongest lobby with powerful research won’t overcome
A lack of public support!

16. A new understanding

17. We don’t have to change public opinion about public schools . . .
. . . we only have to extend the way they feel about their schools—to all schools!

18. If you are in a hole the first step is to stop digging!
We are our own worst enemy!
We work so hard to make our district look good—
Sometimes at the expense of others.

19. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid public comparisons of school districts—particularly economically unequal districts!
Can you think of a school district that is worse than yours?
Every district is a reflection of the community in which it is found.

20. Independent behavior in an interdependent reality is foolish
Independent behavior in an interdependent reality is foolish! Stephen Covey We are locally led but nationally fed!
State control and local boards mask the interdependent reality of our schools.
We are connected!
Our natural tendency toward competition hurts us all!
We are a PLC!

21. Three Unfortunate Facts About Public Schools
Everyone who went to school feels qualified to run a school
The worst schools define all schools
Your district’s support is linked to the perception of the worst schools in your state
Dentist and root canal!
Bad behavior by a board or district is negative for all of us
Counterintuitive—improving the image of worst districts helps yours the most!

22. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Test scores are an unfair comparison. We know it’s a flawed system.
If you use a broken yardstick you get a misleading result! Children are more than a test score.

23. The Public doesn’t understand test scores but they get graduation
The Public doesn’t understand test scores but they get graduation! It’s a Destination Postcard
We can impact more directly graduation requirements.
We have more control over graduation.
Kids who don’t graduate aren’t there!

24. Graduation is a celebration that resonates with the public!
Let’s start making it a party!
One of the best things about graduation??
I fought to make Graduation Formal.
The students who don’t make it aren’t there!
It is a focus on the positive!
Most recent report, 80% of high school students graduated!

25. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Test scores are an unfair comparison. We know it’s a flawed system.
If you use a broken yardstick you get a misleading result! Children are more than a test score.

26. TABLE TALK! Are you falling into one or both of these traps?
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Are you falling into one or both of these traps?
Share an idea on how to handle district/school comparisons and test scores.

27. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal school districts
Don’t allow test scores alone to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire teachers with a “Successory” program—if you don’t feed the teachers . . .
Dr. Paul Gausmann at Sioux City, Iowa.

28. Weak leaders focus on themselves . . . great leaders focus on the team!
What do your employees need to be better partners in the effort to support schools?
How do you get more employees to vote??
Speak?? Participate?
Great leaders remove obstacles for their teams! Public Schools Can’t Do it Alone-Jamie Vollmer

29. The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team by Patrick Lencione—
Youtube Video
Help others find a voice to support our cause.
Teachers need something to say!

30. Teachers are working harder than ever before.
They need encouragement to keep going.
They need good news to share with others.
If you don’t feed the teachers they’ll eat the kids!

31. College planning with a 4th grader!

32. Just one a year is enough to live on!

33. Successory Program is a No-Brainer!
Give students a Successory Form (self-duplicating) just before each grading period ends
Invite them to complete form, give one copy to “Successory” and drop the other in office basket
After one week draw a winner and award chosen Successory a $25 Gift Certificate to local restaurant
Send some of the best forms to Central Office for sharing with Board and Media—and after Public Comments fiasco
Strong teachers love this—weaker teachers are uncomfortable!

34. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores alone to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire your teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—use technology to connect and inspire

35. You are Chief Morale Officer!
No longer just the instructional leader
Motivating the troops is an essential function
You’re the CMO!
You are Chief Morale Officer!

36. Waterloo Iowa Celebration Day Believe!
Dr. Gary Norris Superintendent
1600 attendees,
staff encouraged to invite a community member
each one bring one
Believe Video—I believe in you—the students do, too

37. Celebration Day Ideas!
Encourage every staff member to bring a community member
Feature a new teacher and/or a veteran teacher
Interview a group of 1st graders
Feature a support group Please welcome our bus drivers!
Bring the students to the party using video technology

38. Waterloo Schools Believe Videoat

39. Link to Waterloo Schools Celebration Day “Believe” Video at
Technology has made it easy and affordable to produce quality video that motivates staff Use it!
Link to Waterloo Schools Celebration Day “Believe” Video at

40. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores alone to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire your teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—use technology to connect and inspire

41. TABLE TALK!
Inspire your teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—use technology to connect and inspire
On a scale of 1-10, how important to student academic success is your role of inspiring teachers?
In your school/district how much time do you spend motivating teachers?
Share one idea for celebrating the profession of teaching and one idea for recognizing outstanding teachers.

42. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—using technology to connect and inspire
Use stories to overcome the Villains of Communication

43. Three Communication Villains for School Leaders
Curse of Knowledge
Information Overload
Presenter Polish

44. We are in the dark and held captive by the Curse of Knowledge!
The more you know about education
The harder it is too communicate with
Normal people!

45. The Curse of Knowledge
You know how essential Public Schools are to this country
You know that Public Schools are better than they have ever been
You know the wonderful things that happen in your Public Schools
You know because you have spent your life in Public Schools
You DON’T KNOW what it is like not to know what you know!
Answer stage ruins your success in the Sharing stage.
The more you know the deeper your curse of knowledge
Stories convince without confrontation!

46. The Star Spangled Banner
Happy Birthday comparison
You overcome Curse of Knowledge with stories!

47. Three Villains for School Leaders
Curse of Knowledge
Information Overload
Presenter Polish

48. High School Journalism Class Assignment: Use the information below to write a story for our student newspaper
The Superintendent just announced that Dr. Bruce Hunter, Senior Associate of the American Association of School Administrators, will speak to all district administrators and teachers next Friday morning in the high school auditorium.
Dr. Hunter is the Chief Congressional Lobbyist for AASA, the largest superintendent association in the nation, and is known for his ability to focus on national educational issues and not politics.
Dr. Hunter has been a junior high school social studies and English teacher, a Head Start teacher, a sociology instructor, a grant administrator, and a policy analyst. He was born and raised in Wyoming and has worked in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
What is the headline for this story—for the student newspaper?
WHAT’S THE HEADLINE?

49. NO SCHOOL NEXT FRIDAY!
Don’t overload with info!

50. Don’t talk too much about data
Don’t talk too much about data put it in a handout or online, but remember that the heart is the gateway to the mind!
Never put an excel spreadsheet on powerpoint!

51. Three Villains for School Leaders
Curse of Knowledge
Information Overload
Presenter Polish
Superintendents are haunted by this one
Many or most are good public speakers which,
Combined with the Curse of Knowledge is the
KISS of DEATH!

52. Chip Heath’s Speech Study using his Stanford Students
Information shared by composed, charismatic, and motivational presenters was forgotten, but less polished speakers who told stories were remembered!
They laughed when I told a story, but when we won the bond referendum in a landslide vote . . .
Too much information kills your message
Too much data kills your effectiveness
Have data but use it only in a story!
Use charts or graphs only if it is a picture story
Never Use Spreadsheet!!!

53. Dr. Paul Gausman, Superintendent of Sioux City, tells about a custodian!
I did it on my own time!

54. Great story opening for any meeting
Great story opening for any meeting! Think of a teacher who had a positive impact in your life—elementary, middle or high school; a teacher who really cared about you.
Now imagine an entire school district filled with teachers just like that. That’s our goal!
Stories don’t have to be long
The heart is the gateway to the mind

55. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—using technology to connect and inspire
Use stories to overcome the Villains of Communication
Put a face on children of poverty—tell the stories of individual students

56. When I was a 3rd grader in Birmingham, Alabama, on a Sunday morning at a church downtown in September 1963, Pastor John Cross was preparing to preach a sermon titled “A Love that Forgives” based on Luke 23:34.
On September 15, 1963, at 10:22am, the bombing killed 4 girls
and blew out most of the stained glass windows in the church. Only one survived.
The large window with a picture of Jesus knocking at the garden door.
The blast damaged only one section of the main sanctuary window—it blew out the face of Jesus.

57. White citizens who had passively accepted the segregation of the past could no longer ignore the evils of it.
Less than a year later President Lyndon Johnson signed the 1964 Civil Rights Act into law.
Though the stained-glass Jesus lost his face in the explosion—
The faces of the 4 little girls killed in the blast were etched into the conscience of the nation.

58. Killed in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on September 15, 1963.
(clockwise from top left) Addie Mae Collins (14) Cynthia Wesley (14) Carole Robertson (14) Denise McNair (11)
If we are to mistreat others we must keep them at arms length. We justify discrimination by claiming superiority or ascribing evil to the oppressed.
In the early 1900’s the Klan was promoted primarily by white, Protestant clergy as a way to protect/preserve the family, the church and the schools.
These girls put a true face on the evil of racism.

59. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—using technology to connect and inspire
Use stories to overcome the Villains of Communication
Put a face on children of poverty—tell the stories of individual students.
Intentionally build connections with faith organizations, first-responders, and veterans to retool our image!

60. There is a declining trust in government
There is a declining trust in government. Public schools must disassociate with Congress and the state legislatures and build identification with the faith organizations, first-responders, and veterans who are held in high esteem by the American People.
Government schools is a very negative term
We must align with the best of our society and gov’t
Faith and Service organizations, first-responders, veterans

61. Soldier Dad Surprises Son in School Assembly
Youtube video

62. Public Schools are the way America delivers on the promise of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness!
25 million hungry students are fed daily in our public schools
8 million public school employees provide care and support for students
Over 50 million children are served in public schools
We are the good guys. Interesting research—when asked what motivates you--noble, magnanimous
But that’s not what you think motivates others!

63. TABLE TALK!
Use stories to overcome the Villains of Communication
Put a face on children of poverty—tell the stories of individual students.
Intentionally build connections with faith organizations, first- responders, and veterans to retool our image!
How does your school/district provide positive information for employees to share?
How does your school/district find positive PR items to share with the public?
Share at least one good idea with your group.

64. 7 Habits of Highly Collaborative School Leaders
Avoid comparisons of unequal schools or districts
Don’t allow test scores to define your school—fully embrace Every Child a Graduate
Inspire teachers with a “Successory” program
Plan celebrations of success—using technology to connect and inspire
Use stories to overcome the Villains of Communication
Put a face on children of poverty—tell the stories of individual students
Intentionally build connections with faith organizations, first-responders, and veterans to retool our image
7 Simple, cheap and easy things for a school leaders to do
But wait, there’s more . . .

65. How do you make paddling upstream easy?
Reverse the Flow!
Unity among schools Locally led, nationally fed
The myth-breaker is “Our schools are good, but so are theirs”

66. Turning the Flow! Send 2nd graders out to sing for seniors
Have 6th graders interview an adult to find out what it was like before cell phones—how has the world changed?
Have 10th graders interview a business leader or working adult gathering advice on careers
Have Senior class leaders participate in a Local Government Day—each shadowing a local official
Have all graduating Seniors develop and submit a Next Steps plan for college, career, or military service

67. BRING 8 MILLION EMPLOYEES ON BOARD!
IF STUDENTS GET A GOOD EDUCATION THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY!
AMERICANS WHO WORK THEIR WAY OUT OF POVERTY GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES NEED STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS!
WITHOUT GOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROBLEMS LIKE CRIME AND WELFARE INCREASE!
IT’S CHEAPER AND BETTER TO EDUCATE THAN INCARCERATE!
PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE THE ENGINE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR AMERICA!
EDUCATION CUTS NEVER HEAL!

68. Help staff realize the difference they make! Inspire them and lead them. Remind them that miracles happen everyday in all public schools.
Right now we are the ones paddling upstream.
Reverse the flow and make the non-supporters of public schools face the uphill climb!
This video is 2 minutes, no spoken message, 6 students, 5 adults and some cardboard boxes.
Believe!

69. Believe In Children Video

70. Paddling Upstream in a Public School Canoe
Paddling Upstream in a Public School Canoe For copies of this presentation go to
Dr. John Draper
National School Public Relations Association
Public Schools that Work!