Public Relations

	Dr. Theresa Martin, Director   About the Department The Public Relations Department serves as a liaison between the Board of Education, the schools, and the community.  Its main function is to provide accurate information to the community and to foster pride in the school system as a whole.  The Public Relations Director submits more than 200 articles to the local news media for publication each year.  In addition, the director assists in planning school and system events such as the Opening Meeting for teachers in the fall and the Academic Tribute program.  The Director of Public Relations produces the Communicator, a newsletter for employees published monthly following the Board meeting.  The Director also works closely with the Superintendent to properly recognize individuals and groups at monthly Board meetings.   The Director serves with the Superintendent on the Superintendent's Communication Committee, a group composed of community leaders who meet bi-monthly to learn more about schools in Ware County and to pose any questions that might arise in the community.   Article Submissions The Public Relations Office submits articles to the Waycross Journal Herald for publication.  Public Relations representatives at each school photograph school events and send information to the director who in turn prepares releases for the newspaper.  In the event that the local media does not cover the monthly Board meeting, the Director prepares that article for the local media.  All articles are previewed and approved by the Superintendent of Schools before they are submitted.  System, region, and state awards and many school-wide events are covered by the Public Relations Director.  Any teacher who wishes to submit an article for publication may do so by contacting the public relations representative in his/her school.  The following people have been designated as Public Relations representatives:   Center Elementary School Sandra Hires DAFFODIL Preschool Center Memorial Drive Ruskin Elementary Wacona Elementary Andrea Thigpen Waresboro Elementary Gloria Fussell Williams Heights Carolyn Yarbrough Ware Middle Sherry Windle Waycross Middle Ware County High School Susan Zeigler   Publications The Communicator- Produced for employees within several days of the Ware County Board of Education meeting.  The Communicator provides a summary of the Board meeting, a message from the Superintendent, and highlights of special school events and staff and student accomplishments.  Sympathies are extended to those in the school system who have lost loved ones during the previous month.  Any idea or submission for the Communicator should be sent to Theresa Martin, Public Relations Director.   Academic Tribute The Academic Tribute program is a program designed to honor students in grades 5, 8, and 12 for outstanding academic achievement.   Students who meet criteria outlined by the Department of Instruction, School Principals, and the Public Relations Department are awarded bronze, silver, or gold medallions in a formal ceremony held in the spring.  This award is the highest award given by the Ware County Board of Education and helps convey the commitment that academic achievement is the number one priority in the Ware County Schools.   Departmental Awards and Achievements Over the past years, the Ware County School System's Public Relations Department has received several awards from the Georgia School Public Relations Association for publications and other works.  In 1988, the Director of Public Relations received an Award of Honor from the National School Public Relations Association for "outstanding contributions to education through exemplary public relations practice."  In 1998, the school system received an award from the National School Public Relations Association for the logo/image/identity package, "Ware County, A Great place to Go to School, You Can Make the Difference."   In 1999, the Public Relations Director set up a booth and display at the National School Boards Association annual conference in San Francisco.   The Director of Public Relations for the Ware County School System serves on the Executive Board of the Georgia School Public Relations Association.  She has served as contributing writer for the Georgia School Board's Agenda and as co-editor for the Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Winter and Summer Conference Journals, Skylines and Shorelines.