National School Public Relations Association

2017 Golden Achievement Award Winners

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, CO
  Five Star Leadership Academy
  Joe Ferdani, Director of Communications

• AIS Network, on behalf of the VDOE, Falls Church, VA
  Virginia Schools Quality Profiles
  Laurie Head, co-owner and VP Marketing Communications

• Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, VA
  Empower, Train, Coach Campaign: Multiplying the Reach of Communications
  Helen Lloyd, Director of Communications

• Anoka-Hennepin Schools Community Education, Anoka, MN
  Got Veggies?
  Heather Peters, Communication Coordinator

• Bay Village City Schools, Bay Village, OH
  A Good Investment in a Great Value – Our Schools
  Karen Derby-Lovell, Director of Communications

• Bend-La Pine Schools, Bend, OR
  Building Community Through Communication and Crisis Response
  Julianne Repman, Director of Communication and Safety

• Broadablin-Perth Central Schools, Broadalbin, NY
  Innovate: Building Informed Consent for a Transformational Capital Project
  Michele Kelley, Public Information Specialist

• Calumet Public School District 132, Calumet Park, IL
  6 to 60 Before and After School Programs
  Norman Edwards, Programs Manager

• Capital Region BOCES, Albany, NY
  Transforming Education Through Vision, Leadership and Support in Technology: NERIC Brand Development
  Deborah Bush-Suflita, Director of Communications

• Capital Region BOCES, Albany, NY
  Profile of a Tech Valley High School Graduate: Addressing An Issue of School Identity
  Deborah Bush-Suflita, Director of Communications

• Central Islip UFSD, Medford, NY
  Education Report: Budget Edition
  Barbara LaMonica, Communications & PR Director

• Central Islip UFSD, Medford, NY
  Central Islip Education Report
  Barbara LaMonica, Communications & PR Director

• Cohoes City School District, Cohoes, NY
  Every Minute Matters
  Jodie Orzechowski, Communications Specialist

• Crete-Monee School District 201-U, Crete, IL
  CM 201-U Night of Leadership Event – "Make a Good Decision, Vote for ONE Vision"
  Natalie Nash, Director of Communications

• Croton-Harmon UFSD, Croton-on-Hudson, NY
  Connect with Croton
  Gregory Cavalieri, Technical Support Specialist

• Dallas ISD, Dallas, TX
  PREP U Workshop Series and PREP U Super Saturday
  Elsa Valenzuela-Pennell, Dir., Office Family & Cmty Engagement

• DeKalb County School District, Stone Mountain, GA
  E-SPLOST Awareness Campaign
  Ramona Mills, Communications Specialist II

• DeKalb County School District, Stone Mountain, GA
  Lead-in-Water Stakeholder Communications Campaign
  Ramona Mills, Communications Specialist II

• DeKalb County School District, Stone Mountain, GA
  My Brother's Keeper DeKalb Summit (MBK DeKalb)
  Portia Kirkland, Communications Specialist III

• DeKalb County School District, Stone Mountain, GA
  2017 Cyber Safety Day
  Portia Kirkland, Communications Specialist III

• District School Board of Niagara, St. Catharines, ON
  I Matter: Implementation of the DSBN Strategic Plan
  Kim Yielding, Chief Communications Officer

• DoDEA, Alexandria, VA
  2017 DoDEA Teacher of the Year
  Jade Fulce, Public Affairs Specialist

• Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL
  "Real School"
  Matt Biegun, Supervisor, Video Communications

• Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL
  "Quality Education For All Fund" Video Campaign
  Matt Biegun, Supervisor, Video Communications

• Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL
  "DCPS: The Movie Trailer" – State of the Schools
  Matt Biegun, Supervisor, Video Communications

• Educational Service District 112, Vancouver, WA
  Weed Can Wait Youth Prevention Campaign
  Lori Oberheide, Asst. Superintendent, Comms. & Cmty Engagemet

• El Dorado Public Schools USD 490, El Dorado, KS
  May 2016 Bond Issue
  Kimberly Webb, Director of Information Services

• Ferndale Schools, Ferndale, MI
  Ferndale Schools "Learn Local"
  Bill Good, Dir., Communications, Pupil Services, and Special Programs

• Garden City UFSD, Garden City, NY
  "In Their Own Words III"
  Catherine Knight, Coordinator of Public Relations

• Greenville County Schools, Greenville, SC
  Teacher of the Year Recognition Program
  Sandra Welch, PTA/Staff Support Specialist

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  Parent Engagement Café
  Lindsay Whitley, Director, Guilford Parent Academy

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  Title 1 Parent Ambassador
  Lindsay Whitley, Director, Guilford Parent Academy

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  GCS Choice Showcase 2017
  Nora Shoptaw, Program Administrator, Communications

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  Superintendent's First 100 Days Entry Plan
  Nora Shoptaw, Program Administrator, Communications

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  Superintendent's Transition Team
  Nora Shoptaw, Program Administrator, Communications

• Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
  Thank a Teacher Campaign 2016
  Nora Shoptaw, Program Administrator, Communications

• Houston County Board of Education, Perry, GA
  HCBOE E-SPLOST Campaign
  Beth McLaughlin, Director, Community & School Affairs

• Houston ISD, Houston, TX
  Family Friendly School Certification
  Sarah Greer-Osborne, Strategic Communications Director

• Houston ISD, Houston, TX
  Social Media Scorecard
  Sarah Greer-Osborne, Strategic Communications Director

• Houston ISD, Houston, TX
  State of the Schools
  Sarah Greer-Osborne, Strategic Communications Director

• Houston ISD, Houston, TX
  Educators of the Year
  Sarah Greer-Osborne, Strategic Communications Director

• Houston ISD, Houston, TX
  Listen and Learn Tour
  Sarah Greer-Osborne, Strategic Communications Director

• J. Sterling Morton HSD 201, Cicero, IL
  2016 AP District of the Year
  Priscilla Grace Lopez, Community Outreach Coordinator

• Kenosha Unified School District, Kenosha, WI
  Unified Heroes
  Jessie Tuttle, Communications Support Specialist

• Ladue School District, Saint Louis, MO
  85.1 Million Referendum Passed with 64% Approval
  Susan Downing, Director of Communications

• Lake Washingon School District, Redmond, WA
  Lake Washington School District – April 2016 Bond Measure
  Shannon Parthemer, Communications Manager

• Manatee School District, Bradenton, FL
  ManaTeach – What I Taught What I Learned
  Michael Barber, Communications Director

• Maryville City Schools, Maryville, TN
  Sharing the Big Picture – District Communication Improvements
  Sharon Anglim, Director of Communications

• McAllen ISD, McAllen, TX
  McTA+lks
  Norma Zamora-Guerra, Community Information Director

• McAllen ISD, McAllen, TX
  McAllen ISD Enrollment Campaign
  Norma Zamora-Guerra, Director of Communications

• Mercer Island School District, Mercer Island, WA
  Mercer Island Pathfinder Awards
  Craig Degginger, Communications. & Alumni Relations Coordinator

• Mobile County Public Schools, Mobile, AL
  #ItStartsToday
  Rena Philips, Director of Communication

• Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Naperville, IL
  "Your Digital Footprint Matters" Video Contest
  Jen Hannon, Communications Manager

• Naperville Community Unit School District 203, Naperville, IL
  School Day Survey
  Jen Hannon, Communication Manager

• Nassau BOCES, Garden City, NY
  Long Island Pre-K Initiative
  Lucinda Hurley, Executive Director

• Nelson County Schools, Bardstown, KY
  World Readiness Program
  Tom Dekle, Communications Director

• Oak Ridge Schools, Oak Ridge, TN
  Public Engagement with a Focus on Success for Every Oak Ridge Student
  Holly Cross, Supervisor, Career Readiness & Communications

• Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, NE
  Reaching Homeschool Families with Omaha Virtual School
  Kala Morrissey, Coordinator of Marketing and Visual Communication

• Omaha Public Schools, Omaha, NE
  Increasing Engagement On Omaha Public Schools Social Media
  Dara Hogan, Public Information Technician

• Ontario Principals' Council, Toronto, ON
  Health and Physical Education Curriculum Administrators' ToolKit
  Peggy Sweeney, Senior Communications Consultant

• Orono Public Schools, Long Lake, MN
  Orono Excellence
  Gary Kubat, Director of Communications

• Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, Holland, MI
  Careerline Tech Center Early College Program
  Michelle Ready, Director of Communications and Integrated Marketing

• Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, Holland, MI
  Help Me Grow/Ottawa
  Michelle Ready, Director of Communications and Integrated Marketing

• Pascagoula-Gautier School District, Pascagoula, MS
  BELIEVE!
  Debbie Anglin, Director of Communications

• Pearland ISD, Pearland, TX
  Building On A Firm Foundation
  Kim Hocott, Executive Director of Communications

• Peoria USD, Glendale, AZ
  Kindergarten
  Danielle Airey, Chief Communications Officer

• Pflugerville ISD, Pflugerville, TX
  30 in 30 Video Series
  Steve Scheffler, Communications Officer

• Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Pharr, TX
  PSJA Community Connect Program
  Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, Director of Communications

• Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD, Pharr, TX
  PSJA Votes Campaign
  Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, Director of Communications

• Pinellas County Schools, Largo, FL
  Referendum 2016: Because of You
  Lorri Helfand, Communications Coordinator

• Pine-Richland School District, Gibsonia, PA
  Strategic Plan Implementation Communication Campaign
  Rachel Hathhorn, Director of Communications

• Poudre School District, Fort Collins, CO
  Teachers Matter
  Staci Bradbury, Communications Specialist

• Poudre School District, Fort Collins, CO
  Social Supporters
  Staci Bradbury, Communications Specialist

• Questar III BOCES, Castleton, NY
  Troy CSD 2016 Special Vote Communications Campaign
  Erin Clary, Communications Specialist

• Questar III BOCES, Castleton, NY
  Launching A District Facebook Page
  Kristin LaPlante, Communications Specialist

• Radnor Township School District, Wayne, PA
  Honoring the Fallen Heroes of Radnor High School
  Michael Petitti, Director of Communications

• Richland School District Two, Columbia, SC
  Ridge View High School Bojangles' Bash
  Theresa Riley Stephens, School Marketing Coordinator

• Roanoke County Public Schools, Roanoke, VA
  Load the Bus for Kids 2016
  Chuck Lionberger, Community Relations Specialist

• Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Salem, OR
  Moms, Dads & Grads; High School Graduation June 2016
  Jay Remy, Dir., Community Relations & Communications

• School District 54, Schaumburg, IL
  District 54 Education Foundation Food 4 Thought (breakfast program fundraising campaign)
  Terri McHugh, Community Relations Director

• School District of Palm Beach County, West Palm Beach, FL
  A Penny Counts: Making the Case for a Penny Sales Tax in Palm Beach County
  Amity Schuyler, Chief Officer, Strategic Communications & Engagement

• Socorro ISD, El Paso, TX
  2016-2017 Team SISD Back to School Campaign
  Daniel Escobar, Chief Communication Officer

• Socorro ISD, El Paso, TX
  SISD WIN Academy
  Daniel Escobar, Chief Communications Officer

• St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, Covington, LA
  STPPSCares Fundraiser for Flood Relief
  Meredith Mendez, Director of Communications

• Tacoma Public Schools, Tacoma, WA
  2016-2017 Tacoma Kids Have It calender/video series
  Kathyrn McCarthy, Strategic Communications and Marketing Manager

• Titusville Area School District, Titusville, PA
  Website Redesign and Public Relations Project
  Jeremy O'Toole, Webmaster & Library Media Specialist

• Traverse City Area Public Schools, Traverse City, MI
  From Here You Can Go Anywhere Community Campaign
  Christine Guitar, Director of Marketing & Communications

• Utah Education and Telehealth Network, Salt Lake City, UT
  UtahFutures: College and Career Planning Campaign
  Rich Finlinson, Communication Manager

• Utah Education and Telehealth Network, Salt Lake City, UT
  Stories of Champions: A Utah American Graduate Campaign
  Rich Finlinson, Communication Manager

• Vancouver Public Schools, Vancouver, WA
  Re: Schools
  Patricia Nuzzo, Communications Director

• Wayne County Public Schools, Goldsboro, NC
  Strategic Communications: Transforming WCPS Communications & Engagement
  Ken Derksen, Director of Communication Services/PIO

• West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines, IA
  Kindergarten Enrollment
  Elaine Watkins-Miller, Director of School/Community Relations

• West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines, IA
  WDMCS Branding
  Elaine Watkins-Miller, Director of School/Community Relations

• West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines, IA
  Career & Apprenticeship Showcase
  Elaine Watkins-Miller, Director of School/Community Relations

• West Des Moines Community Schools, West Des Moines, IA
  District Brand Development
  Elaine Watkins-Miller, Director of School/Community Relations

• Wichita Public Schools, USD 259, Wichita, KS
  Wichita Public Schools Earthquake Plan – Drop, Cover & Hold
  Terri Moses, Executive Director of Safety Services; Jennifer Bellinger-Sipes, WPS-TV Producer

• Williamson County Schools, Franklin, TN
  Be A Friend, Step In
  Cory Mason, Assistant Communications Director

• Woodward Academy, Woodward, IA
  Become a Woodward Academy Knight
  Eric Smidt, Communications Director

Previous years' winners:

• 2016 Golden Achievement Award Winners
• 2015 Golden Achievement Award Winners
• 2014 Golden Achievement Award Winners
• 2013 Golden Achievement Award winners
• 2012 Golden Achievement Award winners
• 2011 Golden Achievement Award winners
• 2010 Golden Achievement Award winners