The call for positive and on-going communications between the public education system and its communities is a constant challenge. With decreasing government funding and an increase in public accountability, Boards of Education, Elementary, Secondary and Post-Secondary Institutions and Teachers' Federations face a growing need to raise public awareness of their value, their successes and their need for stakeholders support to produce skilled, creative and employable graduates.
One proven communications tool applied by community business partners, educational institutions and teachers' organizations is "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" - a unique radio feature now in its 15th year, aired Monday through Friday, all year round on two eastern Ontario stations, 1380 AM CKLC, Kingston (5:30pm) and OJ95.5 FM, Belleville (11:20am).
A collaborative effort on the part of the Limestone and Hastings Prince Edward District School Boards, Katherine Leverette, teacher/producer, three local businesses, Elementary and Secondary Schools, Teachers' Federations, The Kingston Police Department, local CUPE Unions, the Tri-Board Transportation Authority, Queen's Faculty of Education and two radio stations, has created a winning partnership combination.
Our common objective is to inform, educate and entertain a broad-based listening audience, while providing entrepreneurial, "hands-on" opportunities for students to learn technical, creative and employable skills, assisting them to become media literate and following the new Ministry of Education and Training Curriculum Guidelines. Each partner plays a vital role, contributing particular resources toward the on-going success of this venture.
The following are the objectives of the partnership between "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" and its partners:
To foster Media Literacy and Information Skills by providing Elementary and Secondary students with "hands-on", creative, entrepreneurial and employable skills (teamwork, interviewing, script writing, editing, voicing and producing their own radio segments)
To expose as many students as possible to the latest in on-air radio technology
To build a strong, positive relationship between Boards of Education, their department, personnel and schools with the local community, through "information bites" about "what's happening" in education
To inform, educate and entertain a broad community audience through daily radio, while inviting ideas and possible topics on education from listeners
To maintain integrity, accountability and the professional standard established by "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" and its partners over time - as a viable and effective communications tool fro promoting public education
To encourage life-long learning for those wishing to return to school, through information on opportunities in Co-op Education, Literacy and other relevant programs
To raise public awareness of the need for a responsible partnership between home and school - one that ensures optimum opportunity for success for all students
To plant an information "seed" for new business partners to collaborate with educational institutions on projects and programs enhancing student and employee learning
To encourage other educational institutions to initiate this partnership program through support from "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" and use of available local resources.
Katherine Leverette is a School Resource Teacher with ten years experience in the Limestone District Board. With radio, television and print media expertise, she coordinates the production of "AN EDUCATED MINUTE". Teacher, students, parents, administrators and community members provide information for scripts. Students take part in the process of writing, editing, taping and production of the program. Radio Stations provide free production, promotion and air time, while business partners, the Boards and Teachers' Federations finance costs. They benefit through promotion of their support and "tag" endings on each show...
"AN EDUCATED MINUTE" is brought to you today by Thomson and Jemmett Insurance of Kingston, believing that education is everybody's business!
Shows are taped one week in advance with either Ms. Leverette or a student guest host as on-air voice; cassette copies of programs and hard copy scripts are distributed to schools, individuals and student guest hosts. They are used as morning announcements in schools, as part of school newsletters home to families, are available at the Board office in the Communications Dept. and become Media Releases sent throughout the system. Students are also often guests of announcer Doug Thorne, on his afternoon drive-home show. Their conversations include what's happening at their school, curriculum, projects and activities, profiles, awards, field trips, County programs and entrepreneurial opportunities (Junior Achievement, Going back to school, Co-op programs, the STAR Investors Game, etc.)
Now an award-winning program, and with its own web site, the "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" partnership is accessible, economically feasible and easy to introduce to other educational communities across the country. It is a powerful tool in the delivery of the "good news" in education!
In measuring the success of this partnership, there are a number of methods with which to gauge effectiveness of our objectives. They include:
Student Reaction
The reaction from all students is extremely positive - so much so that teachers are expanding their programs in communications to accommodate student requests. More than 100 students have participated in the last three years. Students report that the tour of the station was revealing, the taping session was exciting and they appreciate having their own tape to take home. Each guest host has asked to return. (see student comments)
Radio Surveys
CKLC, CHUM Group station, Kingston BBM ratings over the last few years have shown that approximately 75,000 listeners over the age of 12 in the "full coverage" area, listen to FLY FM in an average week. On yet been surveyed. The show moved to CKLC AM with a station direction change. It was the singular local program to be kept on the air as a result of this change.
Direct Listener Reaction
With four phone calls per month on average to the station from listeners asking for further information on topics, a phone number to call for a program or a tape of a show, the feature maintains a solid audience interest.
Partner Satisfaction
After making a commitment to the first year of sponsorship, each partner has continued to support the program. Thomson and Jemmett is the longest running corporate sponsor with seven years; the Leasing Centre, since March 1997, Mill and Ross since November 1997 (Mill and Ross reported that in their first week of sponsorship, clients mentioned their association with the program as being a good idea).
The Limestone District (former Frontenac County Board of Education) has been an educational partner for 14 years; the Elementary Teachers' Federations (F.C.W.T.A. and O.P.S) for 13 years; District 27 Secondary teachers for three years; former Hastings Board of Education, now amalgamated with Prince Edward Board has been a partner for five years and decided to continue after becoming the Hastings Prince Edward Board, with all its schools and departments contributing information and inviting host Kathy Leverette to two Professional Development Day Workshops to present program opportunities on 'how-to get your students on the air' and promote your school.
Organizations like The Museum of the Great Lakes and The Kingston Police Department, directly involved in student and public education through their own programs, became part of the partnership in order to raise public awareness of their collaboration with the public education system. Queen's University Faculty of Education partners by providing information on Teacher Candidate programs in local schools.
Increase in Requests
In the 1997/98 academic school year, 15 school requests for students to write scripts and air them on SUNDAY MORNING CAFE with Host Doug Thorne were accommodated. Five student "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" were presented to the public. They continue this year - Doug Thorne's show has moved to the afternoon, drive-home segment when he airs interviews with students. At this time, three more school requests are to be completed.
In Hastings Prince Edward District, Centre Hastings Secondary School has been the first student - hosted "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" in the first term. Two grade 11 English student hosts plan to return in the spring for an up-date on the English courses.
Professional Student Product
Interviews and student-hosted "AN EDUCATED MINUTE"'s have been aired with little or no editing by the production managers at both stations. It takes only a short time to tape the interviews when students are well prepared. Tapes have been played over school PA systems as part of morning announcements and used as promotion for other students as examples. Two Hastings Prince Edward students using their copies as part of their professional portfolios for future job career search.
Public reaction to programs has been exceptionally favourable. Parents are pleased with the script, voicing and sounds of their children's voices on-air and both stations have mentioned the professionalism with which the students conduct themselves during their visits.
Increase in Involvement in Education System
Early on, program ideas came only from education print materials with research completed by host Kathy Leverette. Gradually, teachers and administrators began to contribute and now, more information than can be used each month comes through requests from teachers and schools. "AN EDUCATED MINUTE" receives 25 school newsletters a month from Hastings Prince Edward District in which there is always a possible script. On average, three faxes per week arrive from Hastings Prince Edward District.
In the Limestone District, up to seven pieces of information come from schools and teachers weekly, plus requests come from outside agencies such as the Leukemia Foundation, UNICEF, the Kingston Health Unit and The Learning Disabilities Association; Educational Services requests promotion for IN-service for the public and professionals. Mail from listeners is occasional. In the past two years alone, 100 cassette tapes have been delivered to schools for use on morning announcements. (Topics are of special interest to each school).
Corporate and Education Partnership Expansion
In sending out requests for support for the Royal Bank Partners in Education entry, there was an overwhelming response (please see What People are Saying).
At a recent Communications Conference, CASE (Canadian Association of Communicators in Education) four Communication Officers from other Boards across the Country requested a package of information on the program. The partnership is open to any qualified corporate sponsorship.
On-Air Voice Recognition
Sometimes it's not what you say but how you say it. Greater recognition of the on-air voice of Kathy Leverette occurs as time goes on. When the voice of achievement in education is that of a recognized educator, the integrity of the project increases. When students are guest hosts, friends, neighbours and families make mention of what they heard on the radio and a conversation about the "good news" in education ensues. Station managers report calls from listeners increase when students are interviewed.
The longevity of this program, teamed with expansion to another District Board, student success and regular requests for information are important achievements. Continued production support at no cost to the partnership by both radio stations in times of extreme change and a strong audience loyalty are a bonus.
In 1989, 35 generic style programs were scripted for distribution to all Ontario Public School Teachers' Federation offices for use on local radio stations. This satellite project was funded by the O.P.S.T.F.
In May of 1995, Katherine Leverette offered students an enrichment Workshop called "How to Write Your Own Radio Show" at the Eastern Area Enrichment Conference. A dozen junior and intermediate students participated in the making of their own "AN EDUCATED MINUTE", wrote their scripts, edited, produced and taped at CFLY/CKLC Radio.
"AN EDUCATED MINUTE" and it's partners have been recognized with three awards. The first is from the former Frontenac County Board of Education, the "Exemplary Public Relations" award offered in 1994. The second comes from the "Golden Achievement Award" - 1994, from the National School Public Relations Association. Both awards are shared between all partners involved. Thirdly, radio announcer Doug Thorne was cited with the CACE (Canadian Association of Communicators in Education) Bravo! Award for outstanding and innovative communications in education in 1998. It was the result of his contribution to student visits to the station as well as their interview segments of his show, "SUNDAY MORNING CAFE".
Over 100 students have experienced direct, "hands-on" radio production lessons during the last four years, with many others writing scripts in class and sending them to be produced. Much of the time these are reports form class field trips, work experiences, activities in the community and achievements or awards.
Each show is unique, with 240 programs produced in each District over 12 months.
