Communications specialist
Resume:
Joan E. Carreon
New Lenox, IL 60451
OBJECTIVE
To offer my copy editing, creative writing abilities, strong work ethic and communications skills to a company that needs an experienced, hard-working professional to join its team.
EXPERIENCE:
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST. Dolton West Elementary School District 148 (2017 - present).
Update and maintain the District’s web pages with current photos, press releases, parent information, meeting dates, coming events, annual school supply lists, budget, vendor contracts, Parent’s Right to Know document, School Code 10-20.47 and 34-18.38 information, and more.
Take photos of District and school events and activities. Edit photos and post them on school, District web sites. Add photos to press releases and send them to media contacts.
Provide updates to the District’s annual Parent & Student Handbook/Calendar.
Post information on District Office LED signs.
Maintain/update the District’s Google Calendar listings.
Add photos, events, emergency school closings and updates to District 148 Facebook page.
Provide photos to schools for inclusion in parent newsletters and digital yearbooks.
Provide local and education-related news articles for the Board of Education for inclusion in monthly Board Supplemental packet.
Send news tips to various media organizations.
Review and post monthly school newsletters for inclusion on individual school web pages and distribution to parents/guardians.
Work with School Messenger representatives to keep District mobile app updated.
Create flyers for school and District events and send them to schools for distribution to students and parents/guardians. Post links to flyers on District and school web pages.
Write and post Superintendent web letters to parents/guardians and the community.
Include information regarding coming events and achievements on the LED signs outside District Office.
Write all copy for inclusion in the District’s fall/winter newsletter, spring/summer newsletter and registration newsletter and work with Design Graphics Inc. for publication of these newsletters for mailing to all District residents. Post links to newsletters on web pages, make copies of newsletters available at front desk of District Office and deliver copies to Dolton and Riverdale Village Halls and public libraries.
SCHOOL/COMMUNITY RELATIONS/SPECIALIST.SCHOOL - Contractor. Dolton West Elementary District 148 (2008 – 2017).
Update and maintain the District’s web pages with current photos, press releases, parent information, meeting dates, coming events, annual school supply lists, budget, vendor contracts, Parent’s Right to Know document, School Code 10-20.47 and 34-18.38 information, and more.
Develop fall/winter newsletter, spring/summer newsletter and registration newsletter and work with Design Graphics Inc. for publication of these newsletters for mailing to all District residents. Post links to newsletters on web pages, make copies of newsletters available at front desk of District Office and deliver copies to Dolton and Riverdale Village Halls and public libraries.
Provide photos to schools for inclusion in parent newsletters and yearbooks.
Organize and update District 148’s annual Parent/Student Handbook & Calendar to include photos, events, program information, summaries of School Board policies, and more. Work with Design Graphics Inc. for publication of the Handbook & Calendar.
Attend District and School events as needed to photograph, capture and promote the achievements of the District’s students and schools.
Developed a monthly digital newsletter for the District. Make copies for front desk at District Office and for Board of Education and post links to the newsletter on web pages.
Work with mobile app representatives to ensure updated information is available to parents, students and the school community on the District’s free mobile app.
Review and edit individual schools’ monthly newsletters and post links to them on individual school web pages.
CORRESPONDENT. The Northwest Indiana Times, Munster, IN (1994-2014). Localize the impact of statewide education issues for this Northwest Indiana-based daily newspaper, provide coverage of more than nine south suburban elementary and high school districts; generate ideas and provide readers with news and feature stories about their schools, and arrange for photos to be taken of school events.
Established a rapport with local and state education officials and staff.
Created a newsletter for Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 for distribution to staff and residents in the four communities the district serves.
Landed the Illinois edition of the paper the Horace Mann Media Award in 1998 from the Illinois Principals Association for “fair, objective education reporting and continuing support of student programs.”
STAFF WRITER. The Northwest Indiana Times, Munster, IN (1991-1994). Attended school board meetings and generated ideas for stories, photographs, and graphics for the paper.
Helped the newspaper establish a weekly Education Notebook column which provides readers with bits of school-related news items and events.
Expanded the paper’s coverage of schools and education issues.
Filled in for the Illinois bureau editor during his absence, overseeing the editorial staff, editing copy, and assigning photos and stories.
CORRESPONDENT. The Lincoln-Way Sun and the Joliet Herald News, Joliet, IL (2003-2007). Provide local readers with stories about New Lenox Public Library District news and events; write business and feature stories and take accompanying pictures.
Began covering the New Lenox Village Board for the Sun then was recruited by the Herald News to write about happenings involving the New Lenox Park Board and New Lenox Public Library District.
EDUCATION
High School Diploma, Thornton Fractional South High School, Lansing, IL.
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL.
REFERENCES
Available upon request.
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