Information societies--and life in general--require a host of skills beyond those found in the traditional school curriculum. Yet nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century, educators are still looking for clarity on what these skills are and a comprehensive, whole-school model that explains how to teach and develop them; how to observe…

The goals of this rubric are to help State education leaders confirm areas of strength and identify areas of need and provide suggested steps for sharpening strategies, building capacity and enhancing reach. The rubric is divided into five sections, representing the five core areas of focus State Education Agencies (SEAs) should consider when…

The accompanying facilitator's guide is a critical resource for State teams to use to do an initial self-assessment using the rubric and to improve their strategy or approach. The guide offers States flexibility in designing a workshop, providing instructions for either a comprehensive two-day workshop or individual sessions to address specific…

Gunther, McGowan and Donegan draw on their own experiences and those of others in the field, to explain the importance of communication in school leadership. In focusing on the communication process--why it's critical for schools, and how it can be executed well--they make the case that communication must be a primary emphasis for leaders, not an…

Community college leaders serve as linchpins for framing meaning on campus. The current pressures on institutions (given declining financial resources, demands for accountability, changing faculty ranks, and societal need for new knowledge) require presidents to juggle multiple priorities while presenting a cohesive message to campus constituents.…

An interim president has to perform a particularly difficult balancing act. He or she shoulders the burdens from--or legacy of--the previous president and must also provide a foundation of stability for the new president. Throughout the process, effective communication--both internally and externally--is critical to ensuring a smooth transition.…

This booklet offers guidelines for theater directors, activities directors, club sponsors, and school administrators to ensure the production of "bias-sensitive" performances that avoid presentation of bias based on gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, or sexual orientation. The booklet: (1) discusses the issue of…

Campus public relations professionals offer advice for improving the effectiveness of public relations efforts by (1) setting behavioral goals; (2) targeting audiences carefully; (3) focusing appeals by making messages explicit; (4) connecting the public relations message with larger societal issues; and (5) reaching internal as well as external…

Public speaking techniques for enhancing the delivery of professional presentations are offered. Specific suggestions are made for body movements and style of body language, use of voice (breathing, phrasing, projection, volume, transitions, pauses), hand gestures, and controlling the audience through eye contact, attention to individuals,…

As a college alumni organization designs a World Wide Web site for communication, it should consider why it is creating the site; features that will appeal to its audience; the effort it will take to keep information timely; adding to the site's value by offering useful, interesting information not available anywhere else; and touring other sites…

This handbook, written for a workshop, is designed to help improve school newsletters. The first section of the handbook is an outline of the lecture given in the workshop. Subsequent sections discuss and illustrate: (1) basic principles of simple, functional writing; (2) the importance of time and practice; (3) five good writing habits; (4)…

Campus and alumni publications editors from a variety of colleges and universities offer suggestions for coping with issues of editorial control and conflict with administrators and readers, based on personal experiences. Trends in reader attitudes and administrative constraints are examined. Recommendations include editorial advisory boards,…

This guide to producing a readable, appealing, and interesting school newsletter is intended for teachers, administrators, and secretaries who might be intimidated and overwhelmed by the task of newsletter production. The guide will help school professionals write, design, and produce a school newsletter that will reach today's busy and…

Alumni periodicals can play an important part in a college fund-raising campaign. It captures alumni interest in the institution, provides news about campus events, and can highlight specific campus needs. Such periodicals can cover campaigns in several formats: features, news articles, dedicated section, annual report insert, regular column, or…

An informal survey of ghostwriters confirmed that communication is vital to success, with strategies including careful listening, getting to know the speaker well, understanding the audience, accurately reflecting the speaker's viewpoint, and fine tuning the mechanics and tone of the speech. (MSE)