The Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award recognizes a practicing superintendent of schools or CEO of an education agency, service center or intermediate unit for outstanding leadership in school public relations and communication.

2011 Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award Recipient

 
Maurice “Mo” Green
Superintendent, Guilford County Schools,
Greensboro, N.C.

When Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green joined Guilford County Schools in 2008, he set in motion a thoughtful, deliberate plan to rebuild public confidence and trust in the schools and to create a culture of inclusivity and transparency. This has been accomplished through open communication, leading with integrity, and building relationships with employees and community members.

To re-engage employees and the community, Green first set out on an ambitious listening and learning tour that included dozens of face-to-face meetings with staff and community members and five town hall forums. In addition, he launched the “Mo Wants to Know” campaign which gathered over 3,500 comments, thoughts and opinions on the district’s first-ever strategic planning process.

Green supported the communications office as it shifted public relations strategy accordingly, moving away from mass communication to public engagement and grassroots outreach backed by more personalized and targeted communications. Among numerous public engagement/communication initiatives, he established superintendent advisory councils for students, teachers and principals, launched internal and external key communicator groups, created a project management process that requires internal and external stakeholder involvement, increased partnerships with faith, business and community organizations and implemented the Guilford Parent Academy, and established regular media briefings and editorial visits resulting in improved coverage of the district.

Green works closely with the communications office staff and is in constant communication with stakeholders through e-mails, blogs, podcasts and a weekly e-newsletter. His goal is to “get there first,” whether the news is good, bad or somewhere in between. Due to Green’s and the Board’s commitment to communications, the communications office budget and staff have been preserved despite massive state budget cuts. Through Green’s leadership and support, Guilford County Schools’ communications effort has engaged employees and the public in decision-making processes that have become a way of doing business rather than an ad-hoc strategy.

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The 2011 Bob Grossman Leadership in School Communications Award was sponsored by SchoolMessenger. Visit SchoolMessenger to learn more.