National School Public Relations Association

2017 Gold Medallion Winners

Special Communication Projects/Campaigns

• Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
  BOCES Employee Resource Tool (BERT): Using a Social Intranet to Increase Employee Engagement
  Deborah Bush-Suflita, director of communications
• Capital Region BOCES, Albany, N.Y.
  Testing Water for Lead: Communication Resources for New York Schools
  Jessica Scheckton, assistant director of communications & public relations
• Colorado Springs (Colo.) School District 11
  The Uniting of Two History-Rich Schools
  Devra Ashby, public information officer
• Grand Erie District School Board, Brantford, ON
  Be Well Campaign: Supporting the Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy
  Shawn McKillop, APR, manager of communications & community relations
• Racine (Wis.) Unified School District
  Academies of Racine: Transforming High School Education in RUSD
  Stacy Tapp, APR, chief of communication & community engagement
• Ulster BOCES, New Paltz, N.Y.
  Ulster Community Forum on the Opioid and Heroin Crisis
  Holly Brooker, community relations coordinator

Bond/Finance Campaigns

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo.
  Five Star Needs: Investing in Every Student, Every School, Every Community
  Joe Ferdani, APR, director of communications
• Alpine School District, American Fork, Utah
  Growing Forward: A Successful Plan for Development and Renovation
  David Stephenson, administrator of public relations & Kimberly Bird, assistant to superintendent/administrator of public relations
• Ascension Public Schools, Donaldsonville, La.
  Growing at the Pace of Excellence
  Jackie Tisdell, public information officer

Strategic, Year-Round Communication Programs

• Collier County Public Schools, Naples, Fla.
  Opening the Classroom Window, One #tweetcher At a Time
  Greg Turchetta, executive director, communications & community engagement

Marketing/Branding

• Garland (Texas) ISD
  The Area’s Newest Montessori is Just Around the Corner
  Tiffany Veno, director of communications

2016 Gold Medallion Winners

• Alabama School Public Relations Association, Montgomery, Ala.
   Special Communication Project/Campaign: A Strategic Communication Plan Professional Learning Unit
  Lesley Bruinton, APR, chapter president
• Davis School District, Farmington, Utah
  Bond/Finance Campaign: Room to Learn;
  Christopher Williams, community relations director and Shauna Lund, community relations specialist
• Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools
  Bond/Finance Campaign: Educational Excellence: It’s In Your Hands
  Janet Swiecichowski, APR, executive director, communications
• Oregon School Boards Association, Salem, Ore.
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Promise of Oregon
  Tricia Yates, communications director
• Peel District School Board, Mississauga, ON
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: Facts Matter: Working Together to Keep Our Students Safe and Healthy
  Brian Woodland, APR, director, communications & community relations
• Poudre School District, Fort Collins, Colo.
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: Long Range Planning: Building Our Future Together
  Danielle Clark, executive director, communications        
• Tolles Career & Technical Center, Plain City, Ohio
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Landed Campaign 
  Shane Haggerty, director, marketing & technology

2015 Gold Medallion Winners

• Brevard County Public Schools, Viera, Fla.
  Bond/Finance Campaign: 2014 Half-Cent Sales Surtax Election Campaign
  Michelle Irwin, director of community relations/PIO

• West St. Paul-Mendota Heights-Eagan Area Schools, Mendota Heights, Minn.
  Bond/Finance Campaign: Focused on Our Future
  Carrie Hilger, APR, director of communications

• Eden Prairie (Minn.) Schools
  Bond/Finance Campaign: 2014 Referendum: Sustaining Excellence
  Jaclyn Swords, director of communications and community Relations

• Oklahoma City (Okla.) Public Schools
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: The Neu Guy
  Tierney Tinnin, senior communications officer

• Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario, Can.
  Bond/Finance Campaign: Fix the Formula: Fair Funding for Special Education
  Brian Woodland, APR, director of communications and community relations

• Portland (Ore.) Public Schools
  Special Communication Projects/Campaign: Go MAD! Madison High School Open Enrollment Marketing Campaign
  Jon Isaacs, chief of communications and public affairs

• Racine (Wis.) Unified School District
  Bond/Finance Campaign: RUSD Referendum 2014: Every School. Every Student. No Tax Increase.
  Stacy Tapp, chief of communication & community engagement

2014 Gold Medallion Winners

• Bloomington (Minn.) Public Schools
  Bond/Finance Campaign: 2013 Referendum Campaign
  Jaclyn Swords, communications specialist & Rick Kaufman, APR, executive director, community relations

• Dallas (Texas) ISD
  Public Engagement/Parent Involvement: Parent Portal System Bilingual Campaign
  Elsa Valenzuela-Pennell, director, family & community engagement

• Duluth (Minn.) Public Schools
  Public Engagement/Parent Involvement: Think Kids Community Vision & Priorities
  Katie Kaufman, communications coordinator

• Houston (Texas) ISD|
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: PowerUp Communications
  Sarah Greer Osborne, multimedia manager

• Minnetonka (Minn.) Public Schools
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: A Culture of Innovation
  Jake Sturgis, APR (former communications coordinator) & Janet Swiecichowski, APR, executive director, communications

• Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario, Can.
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: Kindergarten Live!
  Brian Woodland, APR, director, communications & community relations support services & Anne-Marie Brown, communications officer

• Trillium Lakelands District School Board, Lindsay, Ontario, Can.
  Special Communication Project/Campaign: Secondary School Pathways to Success - "We've Got You Covered"
  Catherine Shedden, APR, communications manager

2013 Gold Medallion Winners

• Bentonville (Ark.) Public Schools
  Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Trail Time”
  Submitted by: Mary Ley, executive director of communications

• Capital Region BOCES/Questar III BOCES, Albany N.Y. and Castleton, N.Y.
  Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Your Schools in Fiscal Peril: Running Out of Time and Options”
  Submitted by: Deborah Bush-Suflita, senior communications program manager, Capital Region BOCES

• Queensbury (N.Y.) Union Free School District
  Entry Type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns — “Many Voices, One Purpose: Advocacy Campaign”
  Submitted by: Mellissa J. Braham, public information specialist, Capital Region BOCES Communications Service

2012 Gold Medallion Award Winners

• Harrison School District Two, Colorado Springs, Colo.
  Entry type: Public Eng./Parent Involv. — "Very Involved Parents (V.I.P.S.)" Volunteer Program
  Submitted by: Jennifer Sprague, APR, former public information officer and Christine Lyle, public information officer

• Houston (Texas) ISD,
  Entry type: Special Program — STAAR Communications
  Submitted by: Aggie Alvez, chief of communications

• Minneapolis (Minn.) Public Schools
  Entry type: Special Program — We Want You Back Campaign
  Submitted by: Stan Alleyne, chief communications officer

• Rockwood School District, Wildwood, MO
  Entry type: Special Program — eBackpack - Building the School-Home Connection
  Submitted by: Cathy Orta, APR, communications coordinator

2011 Gold Medallion Award Winners

• Bloomington Public Schools, Bloomington, MN
  Entry type: Special Program — Elementary Neighborhood School Renewal Project
  Submitted by: Rick Kaufman, Exec. Dir., Community Relations

• Elk Grove USD, Elk Grove, CA
  Entry type: Year-Round Program — Energy Conservation Program
  Submitted by: Elizabeth Graswich, Director, Communications

• Maize USD 266, Maize, KS
  Entry type: Year-Round Program — Communication Program
  Submitted by: Karen McDermott, Director of Communications

• Rockwood School District, Wildwood, MO
  Entry type: Public Engagement/Parent Involvement — Guiding Change FY12 Budget Process
  Submitted by: Kim Cranston, Chief Communications Officer

• Simcoe Muskoka Catholic DSB, Barrie, ON
  Entry type: Special Program — School Website Project
  Submitted by: Diane Legg, Director of Communications & Public Affairs

2010 Gold Medallion Award Winners

• Arlington Public Schools, Arlington, VA
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Snow Communications
  Submitted by: Linda Erdos, Assistant Superintendent, School & Community Relations

• Brevard Public Schools, Viera, FL
  Entry type: Public Engagement/Parental Involvement – Classrooms In Crisis
  Submitted by: Christine Davis, Director, District Communications

• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Charlotte, NC
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – “Play Fair” Athletic-Eligibility Campaign
  Submitted by: Cynthia Robbins Shah-Khan, Media Relations Supervisor

• Detroit Public Schools, Detroit, MI
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – “I’m In” Blue Door Student Retention Campaign
  Submitted by: Steve Wasko, Chief Communications Officer

• Peel District School Board, Mississauga, ON
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Making My Way
  Submitted by: Sylvia Link, APR, Manager of Communications

• Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, Barrie, ON
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Making Good Tracks
  Submitted by: Diane Legg, Director of Communications & Public Affairs

• Stanislaus County Office of Education, Modesto, CA
  Entry type: Special Communication Projects/Campaigns – Fit for the Future
  Submitted by: Judy Leitz, Communications Coordinator; Cynthia Fenech, Communications Coordinator; and Jane Johnston, Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Services

2009 Gold Medallion Award Winners

• Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Thornton, Colo.
  2008 Mill Levy Override Election
  Submitted by: Janelle Albertson, APR

• Clovis USD, Clovis, Calif.
  Place of Work Marketing Campaign
  Submitted by: Kelly Avants

• Fairfax County Public Schools, Falls Church, Va.
  Community Engagement: Changing School Start and Dismissal Times
  Submitted by: Barbara M. Hunter, APR

• Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Salem, Ore.
  Construction Bond Campaign
  Submitted by: Jay Remy

• Tempe Elementary School District, Tempe, Ariz.
  Scales Technology Academy 2007-2008 Marketing Campaign
  Submitted by: Delaina Biernstein

• Wichita Public Schools, USD 259, Wichita, Kan.
  Our Kids, Our Schools and Our Future – Bond 2008
  Submitted by: Wendy Johnson, APR

• Oklahoma City Public Schools, Oklahoma City, Okla.
  Stop the Violence, Start the Revolution: One Small Step
  Submitted by: Kathleen Kennedy, APR