District Hires New School Communications Coordinator
Current Pulaski School District Director of Communications Rachel Vesco will take over in the superintendent's office.
Pulaski School District Director of Communications Rachel Vesco will take over Shorewood schools' public relations after being hired to the role of communications coordinator Tuesday night.
The position has been vacant since former Public Information Officer Kim Robinson resigned last spring.
Vesco is a 2011 graduate of the University of Wisconsin in Madison where she studied journalism and strategic communication. She has also served as online editor for the Badger Herald and the executive director of the Wisconsin Student Lobby.
Additionally, she has significant experience in communication using social media, in website management, and in video production, district officials say.
Superintendent Martin Lexmond said the job posting attracted strong interest with an interview panel that included parents, teachers and administrators interviewing six applicants.
The Donny Show
8:22 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I think this is a bit over the top?
She graduated 18 months ago. How can she have extensive experience in ANYTHING?
I wish her the best of luck but overhype is not going to help her.
CowDung
8:40 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
From the description of her 'extensive experience', it sounds like anyone that is a heavy Facebook user has comparable experience...
On the plus side, as a fairly recent grad, she probably doesn't command a huge salary yet...
The Donny Show
8:51 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Adam ought to do an open records request to see her salary.
N. Peske
5:07 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
What part of the article seemed like "overhype"?
Many social media experts are recent grads or still in college. Nothing against my generation, the boomers, but in my work I've noticed it's usually the Millennials who are most adept at using social media for promotion. We boomers do try to keep up but I'm still figuring out Bing, Ping, and pingbacks!
The Donny Show
8:45 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
C'mon Peske. The words "extensive experience" are overhype. I am sure she has social media experience. EVERYONE under 30 does. My point is no 24 year old has extensive experience in ANYTHING. They are just starting out.
CowDung
9:32 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Isn't that part of most every announcement like this, Donny? They always try to put everything in the most positive light as possible. They can be booting a guy out the door, and still they will heap on the praise for the many years of dedicated service and lament his departure...
Joe Peterlin
2:21 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Another Marxist hire. They could at least hire a few token Conservatives for the sake of the diversity they so like to tout.
N. Peske
5:04 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Welcome to our new communications director! I'm glad we've hired someone with social media experience.
My suggestion is to promote the Twitter and Facebook accounts via the weekly school emails and Thursday bags, and keep an eye on the YouTube videos re: Shorewood, as there have been some alarming videos posted by certain former Shorewood students that don't reflect well on the district (they've since been removed). We also could do more to toot our horn when we win awards or when alumni make the news--the alumni association has been great on the latter but we could use more horn tooting on the website and district social media pages or accounts.
CowDung
5:08 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Shouldn't the District be acting to change/improve the things reflected in those YouTube videos rather than just having them removed?
Sunrocket
8:44 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Are bad apples not allowed? Only a positive spin like medication trials - toss out the bad to make it seem good. Are Shorewood youth not allowed mistakes? All proof of mistakes are to be eliminated? I have no skin in the game so it doesn't matter to me but they are still my tax dollars and I would have preferred someone with more experience under their belt - and not social media experience. 10 year olds have that. What really bothers me the most is Shorewood parents that absolutely refuse to acknowledge that not all of their precious little pinch bugs are perfect.
Alol
8:49 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
"pinch bugs". I like that. Gonna start using it.
N. Peske
7:19 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I'm curious what some of these anonymous poster are to doing to improve our schools and help children develop positive qualities? And do they pass along their cynicism to our youth through example in person as well as online?
Also, I would think most Shorewood parents would want the policies stated in the student handbook followed and consequences doled out when they are not. We do have policies regarding the use of social media to bully other students, fortunately.
Since most social media sites require a user to be 13, I highly doubt most 10 year olds have any experience with it--even the very tech savvy kids in the district. Certainly, none of the tech savvy kids I know use social media--too busy playing Minecraft.
The communications director is also responsible for keeping parents informed of events and changes in policies. There could be improvements there, but if we want to attract young families, we need to do a better job getting out the word on our accomplishments. Posters who imply that parents have no say in the budget decisions, or who consistently post comments hostile to teachers, administrators, and students, aren't exactly helping that effort, particularly when lying about budget input, but I suspect they couldn't possibly care less about improving our schools and enhancing or promoting what is good about them.
CowDung
8:45 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
I thought it was parent volunteers that send out the newsletters keeping everyone informed of events. The latest newsletter arrived in my inbox this morning...
It doesn't take a fifth grade level of education to get around the age requirements for social media sites, but I will agree with you that most 10 year olds (at least the boys) tend to be much more interested in Minecraft than Facebook, but they do like to spend quite a bit of time on Youtube.
N. Peske
6:48 am on Friday, January 25, 2013
Youtube is definitely big among boys, Cowdung. It's certainly the reason why I know who Eddie Izzard is ("the clever use of flags!"), but what I was referring to was not watching but uploading videos of specific incidents on school grounds.
The newsletters coming home from SIS wisely tack on links and announcements for Rec. Dept. offerings appropriate for 7th and 8th graders. It's this kind of cooperation in communications that can be really helpful to the community.
People need to hear something more than once, so making use of all the communications tools to say it over and over again can be very effective.
Jeff Lawson
11:25 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013
Wow, what an incredibly stupid move!!!
It's amazing how these government monopolies think they need marketing and communications experts. I thought all of the Shorewood teachers and administrators were World Class. If they are why would they need someone with NO EXPERIENCE communicating for them?
No wonder state funding is never enough! Lexmond and the spineless school board are too busy hiring completely unnecessary positions.