A young man stands up and comes toward me. He's wearing work boots, jeans, and a camouflage shirt. Is this person a hunter, a construction worker, a militia member, or a teacher?

        Individuals and organizations send out signals - visible and invisible messages about who they are. We all pick up on these signals every day.

        These signals trigger pictures - an image -- in our mind's eye. The camouflage shirt sends out a signal. Is it the signal of a professional? Could be. The young man might be a professional hunter. We look for other signals. Is he carrying binoculars? Does he have a duck call? Yes, we think, he's a professional hunter.

        Yet, powerful as they are, signals sometimes betray us. To make sure that we're getting the right message, they have to be considered in the context of other signals. But who has the time to put all the signals that they receive into a context?

The young man above is really a middle school teacher. Can you picture him? His signal and his position don't match. Do you think he is appropriately dressed for his job? What message does his attire send about his competence? Should we expect that the principal would be dressed in camouflage, too?

        As more schools attend to their image and make their initial moves into the world of free market competition, it's common to hear people say: "I don't know anything about marketing. What can I do?" Or they say, "I'm a custodian. How does this image stuff apply to me?" 

        Well ... let's look at you and your school, and the signals that you and it send. 

        Let's start by driving by. I see the sidewalk, a marquee, the lawn, the landscaping, the building, the name on the building, and, perhaps, some people milling about. What signals am I receiving? The signals I attend to depend on what I value and believe. If I believe a school should look well kept and the grass is eight inches long, I attend to signals about appearance. Hence, the signal that I receive is negative. If there are dandelions growing through the cracks in the sidewalk, the negative signal is reinforced. Who is sending me these signals? Is it the maintenance staff that hasn't cut the grass or the school board that cut back on the maintenance budget? If you care about my drive by perceptions, you had better find out.

        The example above tells us that the maintenance staff does have a role to play in building a school's image. So, too, does the school board.

        Now, let's pull into the parking lot. Kaaachunck! A pothole. It's a subtle signal that this place is not well maintained. (So far - in my mind - the maintenance staff is not having a good day.)

        Next, let's walk down the sidewalk that has dandelions growing in the cracks past the lawn (that looks like a shag carpet run amok) to the front door of the school. Does the entry look like a handbill posting area or is it clean and well kept? Is there a sign that welcomes me? Does the sign lead me to the office? What signals am I getting?

        Who's responsible for the appearance of the front entry? Probably the principal and the custodian. Does the condition of the entry have anything to do with school image? Certainly.
Now we're inside. Does the place seem inviting? Why? Why not? Who's in charge of making the school look inviting?

        Ah, there's the office, my first stop. I'm at the counter with two students. They don't look happy. The secretary is on the phone and another is ringing. The principal is nowhere in sight. Three staff members squeeze by, check their mailboxes, and deposit the contents in the wastebasket. They leave without acknowledging my presence. What are the signals? Kids in need of discipline. An overwhelmed secretary. An absentee principal. Three detached staff members. Not positive. Who has image responsibilities in the office?

        It seems as if I've been at the counter a long time, but it's only been a minute or two. The secretary smiles and asks how she can help me. Two good signals. I tell her that I missed parent conferences but have arranged an appointment with my son's science teacher. She tells me the room number, calls the teacher on the intercom to alert him, and points out directions to his room. "Go to the foyer, turn left, go past the cafeteria, turn right, and go to the end of the hall," she says.

        The hallways look clean. Nice signal. There is student work displayed on the walls. Another nice signal. Two people, probably teachers, are coming toward me in the hallway. As they approach they turn to one another and begin talking, passing by as if I don't exist. No eye contact, no smile, nothing. Bad signal.

        There is no one in the lunchroom, but I can see the cafeteria staff working behind the counter. They're getting ready for 500 students to descend on them. I'm struck by the hustle of the staff. Cafeteria staff, it seems, are dedicated, caring people who take pride in what they do. Most of them always smile. They know who needs an extra helping. They do good work every day, I think. I wonder how many people who pass through the line today will say, "Thank you."

        Have I learned anything about the school curriculum yet? Nope. But I have some perceptions. And now I'm about to find out if my perceptions are accurate. I knock on the classroom door. A student answers my knock. Two dozen others are looking in my direction. And there he is - the young man in the camouflage shirt, my son's science teacher. What's the signal?

        He approaches and extends his hand. "Welcome," he says. "I've been waiting for you. Let's go to my office." Good vibes.
We walk past the students to a room at the back of the class. It's six feet by ten feet with a desk that's past its prime. There are boxes on the floor and under the desk, and lab samples on the shelves. The place might be described as nearly clean clutter. There are no phones, copiers, fax machines, computers, or other things you'd expect to find in an office.

        The young man offers me his desk chair and pulls up a stool. He gives me the plan of work for the science class, and explains its scope and sequence. Then he opens a folder with my son's name on it. "Let me show you where Dexter is and how he's doing," says the teacher. The more he talks, the more my confidence in the school's educational program soars. I'm impressed with his energy, his obvious competence, and his knowledge of and interest in my son's work. We conclude our conversation. As my son's teacher bids good-bye he says, "I hope we have a chance to talk again. I enjoyed meeting with you." Good signals distorted only by the camouflage shirt. I think to myself about this bright young man, dedicated to his work and his students, and the first impressions that I had developed on the basis of his appearance.

        I walk down the hallway toward the front door as the bell rings. Students empty into the corridors. Most are oblivious to my presence. As I walk past the office, the secretary, still on the phone, waves.

        Outside there are a dozen school buses waiting. They are neatly lined up, and the drivers are in position to welcome students aboard for the trip home. Moving billboards, I think, ready to send signals across the community as they make their way through the neighborhoods. I hope that the drivers say something nice to the kids as they get off the bus today.

        My visit to your school didn't take long. But I received hundreds of signals during my time with you. They came from custodians and maintenance people and food service workers and secretaries and teachers and bus drivers. They even came from the building itself ... and the sidewalk and the grass.

        The hundreds of signals blended together into an image. Some signals were stronger than others. But all were important.

        People who work in a school - no matter what they do - are ambassadors for the school. Every one of them sends signals that shape the image of the school. Is it a friendly place? Are the people cordial, well organized, on the ball? Do the school people look like professionals? Does my son seem to be getting a good education? Am I happy that he's here?

        If you work in a school, you answer these questions for me and for hundreds of parents like me. You are the people who shape the school's image and reputation by what you do and what you say and how you look ... every day. To most people, in fact, you are "the school."

        If you can’t answer the question in the title confidently, you might want to attend to marketing your schools.

        Unfortunately, many school board members don’t understand what marketing is and why schools need to do it.  And, it follows, most school board members don’t realize how important they are to a school marketing program. 
   
        Here are some thoughts on these topics and some things board members can do to make their schools the school of choice.

What is marketing and why should you do it?

        Let’s begin with a definition of marketing:  Marketing is the process of providing people with products and services that they need or want. 
       
        “But,” you say, “everyone needs and wants education.” 
       
        That’s generally true.  However, here’s the key question in today’s competitive marketplace:  Given a choice, to whom will people go for the products and services that they need or want?
   
        “But,” you respond, “we’re the only provider – we’ve been serving our community for years with fine educational programs and services.  There’s always been a little parochial school in town, but the nearest private school is 50 miles away.  The simple truth is that people here have no real choice.”
   
        This is how many educators reacted to the notion of school choice – especially those in smaller, geographically isolated school districts.  They considered their schools “the only game in town” because their schools were the only game in town.  It simply wasn’t feasible for most parents to transport their child ten or twenty miles a day so that their youngster could exercise an educational alternative.
   
        But things have changed.  Today’s students don’t need to move physically to exercise a choice (although that’s still an option).  Now choice can come to students electronically.  All that’s needed is a telephone line or a satellite connection and education can be delivered anywhere.  Distance, boundaries, and the physical location of schools and students are meaningless.  Real choice is available through the air! 
   
        Some day soon, students might leave your school district for all or part of their school day to exercise a choice that you didn’t even think about.  Odds are, some of your students already are.
   
        Here’s how most school districts will learn that all the students that could be in their schools aren’t:  Most states now have “body count” funding.  For each student that a district enrolls, the state sends an allocation (aka money!).  On the other hand, for each student that attends school elsewhere, the state keeps the money (or sends the allocation to the district or institution that the youngster is attending). 
   
        In a body count system, maintaining student enrollment is critically important.  If you lose ten students, you lose whatever the state allocates per student times ten.  If you lose a hundred students, you can subtract 100 per student allocations times ten from your budget.  You’ll know that you should have been marketing when your board meetings begin to focus on budget shortfalls and program cutbacks.
   
        Before things turn sour, start by doing some market research.  If the amount of money that you receive is directly related to the number of students that you have, these are some key questions that you should answer: 

        Asking questions like these are an important part of the marketing process.  In fact, when you ask questions like these, you’ve started the marketing process.  And, when you begin to answer them you’ll find that you’re beginning to address people’s needs and wants, communication is improving, and there is more community ownership in the educational process.  Isn’t this what you should be doing?  Of course it is.  Marketing is little more than doing the right thing.  Marketing makes good sense because it’s plain old common sense.

        So, put your common sense hat on and consider this:

The Role of the School Board in Marketing

        So, what’s the role of school board members in marketing?
   
        First, board members have to send a clear signal that responding to people’s needs and wants – marketing! – is a priority.  In a market-driven environment, people choose those who respond to them.. 
   
        Secondly, board members can help ensure that everyone in the school district knows his/her role in regard to marketing.  They can help employees understand that marketing is not something to be done only by administrators or only by someone at central office.  Instead, board members can help employees understand that marketing is an important part of everyone’s job, and everyone – from teacher to custodian to bus driver to cook to administrator – has a role to play. 
   
        Third, school board members can help set a process in place which provides for staff training and enables the development of marketing plans at the district and building levels.
   
        Fourth, responsibility for coordinating and facilitating marketing initiatives has to be assigned to someone.  Someone has to provide the support to assure that something happens and that resources are leveraged (so that five schools aren’t doing the same thing in isolation).  The board and superintendent can work together to assign responsibility.
   
        Fifth, the board has to financially support the marketing initiative.  Surveys, publications, staff training, websites, ads, and other marketing-related products don’t emerge from thin air.  (And they rarely emerge from volunteers working in committees.) 
   
        Everyone agrees that schools should tell their story, and everyone wants to improve communication.  Don’t believe for a minute that you can effectively tell your story for free.  You have to pay for good school programs, for insurance, for utilities, for uniforms, and a host of other things.  You’ll have to invest in marketing, too.
   
        Sixth, the school board can showcase and salute successful marketing initiatives by featuring them at board meetings or by sending congratulatory notes to staff.
   
        And, finally, board members can look at themselves and the manner in which they conduct business.  Board meetings (and board member behaviors) send powerful signals into the community.  If you are not prepared for board meetings, it shows.  Professionals are prepared.
   
        Professionals also focus their dialogue.  The topic being discussed is clear to everyone (including those in the audience).  Background information is provided to help people understand the thinking behind decisions.  And, when there are differences of opinion, they’re related to the topic under discussion, not the viewpoints or personalities of others.
   
        And, professional board members know that the reality shapes the image.  Make sure your board meetings have decorum.  The board room should look like a place where professionals work.  You, too, should look like a professional.   If you’re ill dressed, inattentive, and unfocused it shows … and it reflects badly on the school district.
   
        Marketing is something to attend to now.  Think about how much it will cost to “turn things around” if your enrollment skids and your budget sags.  You might want to start by investing part of that money now.  It’s your choice.

        If you think that all students like school, you’re about two-thirds right.

        If you think that parents dislike teachers, you’re more than 90 percent wrong. 
  
        These are findings from thousands of student, parent, and staff surveys conducted by all categories of K-12 schools – public, parochial, private, rich, poor, urban, suburban, and rural. 

        We do not pretend that the survey results presented here are representative of the nation’s thinking.  Nor do we claim that the results mirror student, parent, and staff opinion in your community. 

        Nonetheless, the thinking of thousands of respondents generates a sizeable blip on the radar screen, one that is certainly worth watching. 

What Students Are Saying

        About one-third – one-third! – of students say that they don’t like going to school.  Do students dislike school because expectations are too high?  No, they say that expectations are about right.  Is it because they’re harassed or bullied?  Not really.  Less than ten percent of students report being harassed or bullied at school.  Could the reason for their displeasure be a disgruntled staff?  No, students say that staff members treat them with respect and care about them as individuals.   
   
        It seems that those students who dislike school feel the way they do because they find school – Ready for this? – boring.  Today’s students have grown up in a visual environment, and have an addiction to television and high speed graphic games.  Unlike their parents, they can multitask; that is, do their math while simultaneously watching television, taking cell phone calls, scratching the dog, and eating.  For these youngsters – from elementary to high school age – a barrage of worksheets and unimaginative instruction doesn’t make the grade.
   
        Students rarely perceive discipline to be too tough, but discipline is frequently perceived to be too lax.  Students say that it is the enforcement of rules that’s a problem.  Students complain about discipline policies that aren’t equitably administered or that aren’t administered at all.  About one student in five says that their school does not deal with students who are behavior problems.
   
        Particularly vexing to students is the inability to remove those whose behavior disrupts the learning process, especially persistent trouble-makers.  (By the way, students don’t want trouble-makers shipped off to Gdansk.  They want them removed from regular classrooms and given whatever help they need.)
   
        Students say that they understand what their teachers expect from them, and that they frequently experience success at school.  Yet, about half of the student respondents say that their teachers do not regularly make comments about their work or provide suggestions for improvement.  They believe that the teacher-student dialogue essential to one-on-one instruction is far too infrequent.
   
        Instruction in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies seems to be just fine, according to students surveyed.  Instruction in the use of computers and other technology also receives high marks. 

        Students give their lowest marks to instruction that is related to acquiring job skills and preparing for careers. 

        When it comes to preparing for life after high school, students say that their counselors aren’t very helpful.  In fact, students generally give counselors a C- for the help that they provide.  (Incidentally, the level of regard for counselors has hovered around average or slightly below average for the past 25 years.)
   
        Asked to name the biggest strength of their school, students name sports, social events, their friends, and their favorite members of the school staff.  Elements of the academic curriculum usually appear about fourth or fifth on any rank order list.
   
        Asked to set a priority for their school, students turn serious.  Gone are the days of complaining about food.  (Today’s students tend to like school food!)  The focus now is on fair policies which are equitably enforced, getting rid of “bad” teachers, strengthening academics, and relating instruction to “the real world.”  (It would behoove all teachers to introduce their lessons by answering the age-old question, “What’s this got to do with anything?”)
   
        Students say that “regular students” are being left behind.  They believe that their classmates who are excelling don’t have difficulty in school, that special education laws provide for the handicapped and learning disabled, that alternative programs are available for at-risk youngsters, and that the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation focuses on underachieving students in poor schools.  There’s nothing, they believe, for B and C students.
   
        When asked what they like most about school, students who respond by naming a favorite teacher do not name “popularity contest” winners who are easy graders or lax disciplinarians.  Rather, they single out teachers who are “tough” but fair.  They admire teachers who know their subject matter, have high standards, listen to students, provide individual attention, and have a sense of humor.
   
        Speaking of humor, growing numbers of students (and parents) report that learning isn’t fun.  These youngsters are not looking for our schools to compete with Comedy Central, but they are looking for school people to lighten up so that everyone can have a little fun while learning.   

        Educators know how to make their lessons and projects enjoyable experiences.  They ought to do that so more students go home saying, “We had a blast in school today.  Guess what we learned!”

What Parents Are Saying
   
        Student and parent opinion is aligned on some issues, but not on others.  For example, both students and parents agree that most teachers are just fine.  They also agree that there are a few “bad apples.”

        However, while about a third of students say that they don’t like going to school, about ninety-five percent of parent respondents tend to agree with the statement, My child enjoys going to school.
   
        It’s obvious (and to be expected) that most parents reflect on their school days when responding to school surveys.  They believe that the education program should be founded on the basics of reading, writing, and math, and they say that students should learn skills needed for the world of work.
   
        In a shift from their past to the present, parents also say that schools should have technology and teach students “computers.” 
It’s noteworthy that parents usually don’t say that students should learn to use technology as a tool.  Rather, they identify specific programs that students should master.

        In rank order, the items most important to parents are their child’s safety, their child’s teacher, and the curriculum delivered by their child’s teacher.  If any of these are perceived to be inadequate, the entire school district is seen as lacking. 
   
        In regard to safety, parents want to know “the rules.”  They also want the rules to be fairly and equitably administered.  And, they want principals and teachers to crack down on disruptive students and bullies.
   
        Parents want to know about the person in front of their child.  They want to know about “their” teacher’s training and experience, classroom management style, and expectations for students and parents. 

        Parents seek a mutual respect parent-teacher “partnership” which is child-focused.  Parents expect more communication from teachers, desire to be more involved (but only in meaningful ways), and want advanced notice when things are not going well with their child’s education.  “Don’t surprise me with bad news!” they say.
   
        After reviewing parent opinion, one could say that parents would be happy if they were assured that their children were learning reading, writing, and “computers.”  Math would be next on the list, followed by science and social studies.  Parents seem to believe that students who have frequent access to computers – no matter what they’re doing with them – are learning more. 
   
        Yet, while parents say more instruction in “computers” is desirable, they express concern about too much time “in front of a machine.”  Seeking balance, they stress the importance of learning to get along with one another, group activity, teamwork, and the building of interpersonal relationships.  (Parents love anything that smacks of individual attention from a teacher or administrator.) 
   
        Most parents don’t understand the educational process.  This shouldn’t surprise school people.  Education is a complex enterprise, and it is a significant challenge to explain the what, why, and how of the curriculum.  Given this, most parents would be satisfied with a simple explanation of what their child’s school is working to accomplish, yet most educators don’t address this informational need.  One reason is that many educators don’t have a plan and, quite candidly, can’t tell parents where the school is headed and how it plans to get there.   Conversely, many educators that do have a plan can’t articulate it.  These educators tend to overwhelm parents with details about everything from strategic plans to curriculum rubrics.  They ignore the fact that increases in informational volume don’t always produce corresponding levels of understanding. 
   
        Report cards get C+ grades for helping parents understand how well their child is doing in school.  It seems that efforts to make report cards more comprehensive have led to less parent comprehension of how well their child is doing in school.
   
        Parents say that they understand what teachers expect from their children, and that the expectations are generally reasonable.  However, only about half of the parent respondents say that they understand their school’s goals, policies, and practices.
   
        Those parents who have been in a school during the current school year – for whatever reason – tend to give the teachers, support staff, and the principal higher grades than those who have not been in a school.  Those who have visited, volunteered, or attended any school event are much more likely to say that they understand the school program.  They are also much more likely to be supportive of the school staff.

        Communication that builds public understanding of education – given education’s competitive environment – is more important than ever.  It’s also more obvious that the approach should be to educate people about the mission and vision of education rather than to explain the various components of the educational program.  The reason:  education is proactive; explaining is reactive. 
   
        From a parental perspective, teacher-student relations seem to be quite positive.  Most parents like what most of their children’s teachers are doing in the classroom.  They are, however, quick to point out that there are some teachers who ought to be removed from the classroom. 
   
        Asked whether their child’s educational program is too difficult or demanding, most say that it is not.  In fact, many suggest strengthening the standards (as do many students).
   
        The current emphasis on student testing is being increasingly questioned by parents.  We are seeing a shift in opinion here.  During the 1990s parents saw tests as a means of “proving” that their children were learning.  They also saw testing as a key component of the accountability “movement.”  Today, parents are more likely to say that they think too much time is spent on testing, that they don’t know what all the tests measure, that there seems to be little payback from the testing, and – worst of all – that tests are now driving the curriculum; i.e., schools are focusing instruction on subjects that get tested while giving less attention to subjects that aren’t tested.
   
        Principals tend to receive B- grades from parents.  (Students give them a C+.)  When parents (and students) express displeasure with building management, about half the time their concern is related to a curriculum issue.  Parents are most likely to criticize their child’s principal if they perceive a lack of attention in reading and writing (and spelling, a critical component of writing). 
   
        Parents get upset when their child is having difficulty in school.  They become more vexed when the teachers don’t take the initiative to help.  In short, parents expect schools to help children when they are “struggling,”  
   
        Other parental displeasure with principals is usually the result of a student behavior or discipline issue, a communication disconnect, or not being “visible.”
   
        Parents have difficulty identifying priorities for their school.  Asked to identify one priority that would be appropriate for their child’s school, most suggest things that are already in place (“Teachers should be regularly evaluated.”) or that would maintain the status quo (“Teach the basics.”)  Rarely do parents suggest an out-of-the-box priority.
   
        If one accepts the notion that answers define the present while questions define the future, then school people should continue asking parents (and students) to suggest priorities.  However, they should also ask them what questions they have as they look toward the future; e.g., Do schools have to be a place?  Are we losing the human touch?  What will it take to start high school later in the day?

What School Staff Members Are Saying

        Staff members tend to give lower grades to the quality of instruction than both parents and students. And, interestingly, there is frequently a mismatch between the subjects that teachers, parents, and students see as well (or poorly) delivered.
   
        Teachers give their highest grades to their competence as professionals.  They give their lowest grades to organizational items – their knowledge of the school’s mission, vision, and priorities. 
   
        Most teachers believe that their school doesn’t have a “big picture, future-focused orientation.”   They also say that they aren’t well informed about public opinion regarding schools, and that they don’t generally anticipate social change that has potential for impacting their school.  One reason, they say, is that their school doesn’t do a good job of listening to the community.
     
        In regard to the job of teaching, most teachers say that they like the work that they do and that they enjoy working with young people.  Teachers report that they are generally treated with respect by their staff colleagues, yet they are concerned about what they perceive as declining public respect for the education profession.
   
        Most staff members say that their school’s staff doesn’t function well as a team.  At the same time, they say that people on the staff generally support one another. 
   
        All staff members say that they would appreciate more administrative acknowledgment when they do something well.  “A timely and sincere ‘pat on the back’ goes a long way,” they say.
   
        Asked what one change they would make in the school’s educational program, most staff members offer suggestions for improving the status quo.  They focus on the work environment (“Fix the heat and air conditioning.”) or the learning environment (“We need some support in dealing with disruptive students.”).  Very few teachers propose significant changes in the educational program or in the way that program is delivered.
   
        Most teachers view No Child Left Behind legislation as yet another unfunded mandate.  Both teachers (and principals) say that the law is punitive, and that it will be very difficult to comply with given the lack of resources available to implement it.  “We will jump through the hoops,” they say,  “but, in the end, nothing much will happen.”     

        For those who are intrigued by the results presented here, the only way to check them against what people in your community believe is to do a survey.  Until you do that, you might want to discuss these findings with your staff, and your student and parent leaders.  Ask them to serve as a modified focus panel.  Start by having them identify five findings above that “could be true here” and five that are “probably not true here.”  Then ask them if there’s anything that surprised them about these results.  Finally, to check the accuracy of your perceptions, survey your students, parents, and staff to find out if what they are saying matches what you are thinking.