Purpose - Goals - Approach - Team

The NJDOE Family and Community Relations Office engages New Jersey families concerning their educational rights and responsibilities, opportunities and options, and raises community support for education reform in NJ.

Improve “customer” responsiveness and monitor the public “pulse” regarding public education◦ Improve DOE phone system and tracking◦ Family and Community “Help Desk” ◦ “Ask the DOE” emails◦ Governor’s OCR referrals◦ Surveys at our community meetings◦ Reports on all incoming communications◦ Grow database of interested families

Implement an integrated communications plan to families and education stakeholders◦ Web site re-design with family focus and practical

guides for parental involvement◦ Facebook page◦ Quarterly email to a growing subscriber database◦ Public presentations on request (weekly)◦ Work through districts for “backpack express”

Develop partnerships with foundations, corporations and education stakeholder organizations for multi-channel outreach to all school households in NJ◦ Ask 200+ stakeholder organizations to

redistribute communications through their networks

◦ Ask corporations to underwrite PSAs, media campaigns and direct mail

◦ Seek funding from foundations and wealthy individuals for improved data systems and family friendly “dashboard”

Cynthia Bucchi: Governor’s Referral Unit, coordinates or answers all incoming emails from web site, quality assurance

Donna Fletcher-Lugo: Coordinating public meetings, stakeholder development, and communication channels

Dr. Felecia Nace: Editing quarterly “Family & Community Circle,” writing practical guides, public meeting surveys

Norris Clark: Management and planning, public presentations, building stakeholder support, implementing communications plan