Greetings!
"If it ain't broken, don't fix it." Poor grammar,
good advice. Many of my readers wrote to report phenomenal results from
implementing only a few of my Chanukah tips last year. So, I've decided to
share the same advice with you once again! Choose the ideas that you like best.
If you would like to give me a Chanukah gift, please share your results with me.
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| Chanukah: Keep the Fire Burning!
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Get your digital cameras ready and be sure to record and
download terrific shots of your Chanukah celebrations. By the time Chanukah
ends, you'll have peeled and fried mountains of potatoes, spun Sivonim, and
invited parents and grandparents to Chagigot and plays.
Use the number eight and "miracles" as
springboards for general and specific stories about your school. You can
distribute this information in two ways:
1. Directly to your constituents:
Plan this as either a special edition of your weekly
newsletter (if you have one) or as an e or virtual mailing.
2. As either requests for coverage to local newspaper and TV
stations or completed, after-the-fact, stories WITH clearly captioned pictures
to neighborhood and Anglo-Jewish newspapers.
Here are a few suggestions:
Eight Great Miracles Happened Here
Start with a brief introductory paragraph that provides an
overview of the importance of your school's commitment to the individual child.
Follow this with eight short, specific anecdotes about how teachers
individualize instruction. Solicit these from grade leaders, individual
teachers, etc. Be sure that these do not focus only on special needs children
but are across the board. Stories should be short and to the point. (For
example: third grader Chana was still having trouble reading Rashi script, so her
teacher....)
Eight Miracles of Chesed
Share eight stories about the impact of your Chesed
programs. These can include:
1. A thank-you letter from the chairperson of the Breast
Cancer March (with a picture of your school's team).
2. A quote from a nursing home resident about your junior
high's Chanukah visit.
3. A quote from parents of a special needs child expressing
appreciation for the respite their family enjoys when your volunteers play with
their child on Tuesday evenings.
Eight Unsung Heroes Who Perform Minor Miracles Each Day Eight brief profiles of people who make a difference in your
student's lives. Highlight the behind the scenes people:
Crossing guard
Security guard
Office staff
Bus driver
Custodian
Pizza delivery person
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| Chanukah Resources
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Did you know that the Lookstein center has compiled a
wonderful list of Chanukah resources? Click here to find original Chanukah
lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and articles created by Lookstein
Center staff or contributed by Jewish educators.
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Do you feel comfortable about publicizing your school's Chanukah events
yet overwhelmed about the prospect of creating a winning 2009 strategic Public
Relations calendar?
If you don't have the qualified staff or time to earn the
consistent media coverage you need, let me know. I'm ready to help you reach
your goals in a cost effective way.
Should you have any questions about implementing this post
Chanukah plan or about any of my day school services, please call me at (516) 569-8070 or send me an email.
Until the next issue, Kol Tuv!
Sincerely,
Candace Plotsker-Herman Creative Communications
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