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Expert to share communication tips

MILTON — Kit Dailey has a simple philosophy she shares with school districts:

"It's never too early to start communicating about what your needs are, and it's never too early to find out what people think."

Dailey, a public information specialist, will expand on that philosophy Thursday in a presentation to the Milton School Board.

Dailey works in the public finance group of Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. She met Superintendent Bernie Nikolay through seminars she has given to the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators.

She agreed to share her expertise with the Milton School District as it discusses a possible referendum for a new high school.

Even though the referendum could be a year or more away, it's important to talk to the community now, Dailey said. Many districts spend a lot of time creating plans and too little time telling the community where the plans came from before a referendum, she said.

"They should start communicating more effectively to their community about why they're even considering (a referendum) and what the options may be and find out if the community is even interested in this," she said.

The district should talk about its needs just as much, if not more, than its preferred solutions, Dailey said.

"If people don't understand that you have a need and why that's important to the community, they're not going to be interested in the solution," she said.

The district has said its middle school is at capacity, and several elementary schools are close. The high school has outdated technology and athletic facilities, officials have said.

In July, a design team presented plans for a new high school. It recommended moving the middle school into the existing high school.

The proposal has been put on hold as the district waits to see the effects of the recession and the end of production at Janesville's General Motors plant.

The district should ask residents about possible solutions in addition to offering its own recommendation, Dailey said. If people oppose a new high school, the district should find out if residents want to postpone the plan or get rid of it.

"If people are saying 'This is something we'll never be interested in,' then (district officials) need to know that as well," she said.

She said the district can get the community involved through surveys, town hall meetings and listening sessions.

"If the school district, the board (and) the administration is working hand in hand with the community to come up with an option … they're more likely to be successful," she said.