How to Say the Right Thing Every Time : Communicating Well with Students, Staff, Parents, and the Public

"I had several ′ah-ha′ moments while reading this book. Kudos to the author for creating a meaningful guide for today′s school administrator."
―Marie Blum, Superintendent
Canaseraga Central School District, NY

"A good tool for administrators and teacher leaders with its readability, content emphasis, and real-life examples."
―Russ Bennett, Superintendent
Aurora City Schools, OH

Time-tested techniques for communicating effectively with all educational stakeholders!

For school leaders, being an effective communicator is one of the most vital and sometimes most challenging parts of the job. This user-friendly resource provides practical strategies for improving daily interactions with students, colleagues, parents, and other stakeholders as well as guidelines for avoiding missteps when critical issues arise.

Each chapter presents do′s and don′ts for effective verbal and written communication in a variety of situations―from public speaking and working with the media to straight talk for approaching students about sensitive topics such as sex, gangs, and substance abuse. This revised edition also assists educators with:

• How-to′s for dealing with natural and man-made disasters
• A new chapter on differentiating communication to reach a wide audience
• A new section on communicating with school board members

Use the tools and real-world examples in this invaluable reference to resolve difficult situations and build positive relationships!

Robert D. Ramsey is a lifelong educator who has served as a "leader of leaders" in three award-winning school districts in two different states. His frontline experience includes positions a teacher, counselor, assistant principal, curriculum director, assistant superintendent, acting superintendent, and adjunct professor. Most recently, he has served as associate superintendent in the St. Louis Park (MN) schools, where every school has been designated by the federal government as a National School of Excellence. Ramsey is now working full-time as a freelance writer in Minneapolis.