Twin Rivers Unified School District Receives 2010 Leadership Through Communication Award

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Twin Rivers Unified School District, a unique school system in suburban Sacramento, Calif., has been named the 2010 recipient of the Leadership through Communication Award jointly sponsored by AlertNow, the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). Twin Rivers USD was created in 2007 from a merger of four North Sacramento area school districts and now serves over 27,000 students in 54 schools covering 120 square miles.

The award recognizes Frank S. Porter, superintendent, and Trinette Marquis, director of communications, for demonstrating exemplary leadership in the enhancement of school-to-parent communication within their school system and the communities they serve.

The judges for this year's program noted that Twin Rivers USD overcame great obstacles to successfully bring four disparate school systems together as a single district. They cited the following three elements as key outstanding components of the consolidation effort:

• Twin Rivers USD galvanized the power of communication to move the communities impacted from conversations about the past to conversations about the future, which was integral to the success of the consolidation initiative;
• They created a systemic communication model that included measurable results, face-to-face communication and a vision for creating new channels of communication; and
• Leaders were relentless in moving the vision from the upper levels of school management through the ranks to the parents and community.

"Twin Rivers USD faced a major communication challenge as part of consolidating four school districts into one. The leadership team used communication at all levels to conquer this challenge and kept the lines of communication open and transparent with both internal and external stakeholders. It is a great case study on how to communicate well in challenging times," said Rich Bagin, APR, NSPRA executive director.

"On behalf of AlertNow, I commend Superintendent Porter, Trinette Marquis and the entire Twin Rivers USD leadership team for an outstanding communication effort that uses a variety of communication vehicles and strategies designed to make strong connections with all constituents," said Jason Bedford, vice president of AlertNow.

AASA's Executive Director, Daniel A. Domenech, applauded Twin Rivers USD for taking a leadership role in establishing effective communication systems. "Twin Rivers USD has created an effective communication program and a new vision for student success by engaging families, staff, students and the community, and using a forward-thinking, strategic approach to communication throughout the school system," said Domenech. "AASA is pleased to honor the district for developing strategic communication programs that benefit the entire school community."

The Leadership through Communication Award program is open to all school districts throughout the United States and Canada. The award will be presented at AASA's National Conference on Education in Phoenix, Arizona on February 13, 2010. A $10,000 contribution will be made by AlertNow to Twin Rivers USD to be used for student scholarships or communication activities that benefit students and schools. District leaders will also give a panel presentation on their communication program at the AASA Conference.

About AlertNow

AlertNow is an industry-leading rapid communications provider that takes pride in delivering exceptional 24/7/365 customer service and offering cost-effective solutions with a versatile, user-friendly interface. AlertNow is used to enhance parental involvement, increase student attendance and bridge language barriers between parents and schools. AlertNow is committed to helping school systems improve and expand their communication efforts and is proud to recognize educators who understand the critical importance of effective communication in today's high-tech world. For more information, visit www.alertnow.com.

About AASA

AASA, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA's mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to the highest quality public education for all children. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.

About NSPRA

NSPRA is a professional association dedicated to advancing education through communication and has been providing training, services and support to school leaders in North America since 1935. For more information, visit www.nspra.org.

SOURCE AlertNow