%3Cp+dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E%3Cspan%3E%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp+dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E%3Cspan%3EGreetings%2C+Pointers%21%2C%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp+dir%3D%22ltr%22%3E%3Cspan%3EI+am+Joelle+Doye%2C+the+new+Communications+Director+for+the+Mineral+Point+Unified+School+District.+In+the+paragraphs+below%2C+I%26rsquo%3Bd+like+to+explain+a+bit+why+this+position+was+created%2C+why+it+is+important%2C+as+well+as+provide+some+background+information+about+myself.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EThe+idea+to+bring+a+Communications+Director+into+the+District+stemmed+directly+from+the+needs+of+the+Strategic+Plan.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EPaging+through+the+document%2C+the+word+%26ldquo%3Bcommunication%26rdquo%3B+appears+ten+times%2C+which+is+proof+the+crafters+of+the+Strategic+Plan+value+this+attribute+very+much.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EThis+position+is+also+intended+to+help+make+the+District+even+more+transparent+when+it+comes+to+fiscal+decisions%2C+including+the+school+budget+and+the+understanding+of+school+funding.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EEffective+communication+improves+morale+and+school+climate.+It+also+helps+cut+down+on+misinformation.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EAnother+goal+of+the+Communications+Director+is+to+increase+engagement%2C+including+building+partnerships+with+citizens%2C+businesses%2C+and+civic+organizations.+Being+a+small+town%2C+community+pride+is+vital+and+the+school+should+be+at+the+center+of+that+effort.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EI+understand+this+well.+I+started+in+the+fall+of+2007+as+the+Editor+of+The+Democrat+Tribune+newspaper+here+in+Mineral+Point+%28a+position+I+will+be+continuing+with%29.+I+quickly+learned+how+much+this+community+values+its+school%2C+and+for+the+past+seven+years%2C+I+have+covered+countless+school+board+meetings%2C+sporting+contests%2C+and+other+school+events.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EI+am+an+educator+by+trade%2C+graduating+from+the+University+of+Wisconsin-Platteville+in+2006+with+a+Secondary+Education+Social+Studies+degree.+I+am+extremely+passionate+about+school+issues%2C+and+believe+my+background+in+education%2C+along+with+my+journalism+skills%2C+are+a+unique+marriage+of+talents+that+will+allow+me+to+serve+effectively+in+this+new+capacity.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EBesides+looking+at+the+Strategic+Plan%2C+why+is+this+position+important+to+the+Mineral+Point+Unified+School+District+and+why+is+it+needed+now%3F%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EIt%26rsquo%3Bs+not+a+secret+that+we+live+in+the+media+age+and+technology+has+completely+changed+the+way+in+which+we+communicate.+However%2C+not+everyone+is+on+board+with+these+changes+and+some+people+still+prefer+traditional+forms+of+communication.+A+school+district+can%26rsquo%3Bt+just+put+out+one+form+of+communication+and+count+on+it+reaching+everyone+anymore%2C+and+of+course+it%26rsquo%3Bs+more+time+consuming+to+make+sure+all+of+the+stakeholders+are+being+reached+using+the+method+that+is+best+for+them.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EEducation+is+changing+rapidly%2C+and+this+includes+maintaining+and+strengthening+enrollment.+School+choice+is+an+inevitable+fact%2C+and+it+is+vital+the+Mineral+Point+School+District+is+making+families+aware+of+all+of+the+wonderful+things+happening+in+our+district+that+make+being+a+Pointer+an+enviable+trait+that+encourages+enrollment+retention+and+growth.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EI+view+this+position+as+a+two+way+street+of+inflow+and+outflow+of+information.+Not+only+is+it+important+for+me+to+help+the+public+better+understand+what+is+going+on+in+our+schools%2C+but+it+is+also+my+job+to+listen+to+questions%2C+concerns%2C+suggestions%2C+and+praise+the+community+has+so+we+are+all+informed+and+involved+with+the+district+as+we+work+together+to+make+it+the+best+it+can+be.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EI+applaud+the+district+for+being+proactive+and+forward+thinking+in+creating+this+role.+It+is+becoming+more+common+for+districts+to+have+such+an+individual+on+staff%2C+and+although+we+are+one+of+the+few+in+this+part+of+the+state+right+now%2C+I+feel+very+certain+that+Mineral+Point+is+a+trendsetter+and+other+local+districts+will+be+following+suit.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3EPlease+contact+me+at+%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Ca+style%3D%22font-size%3A+12pt%3B+line-height%3A+18pt%3B%22+href%3D%22mailto%3Ajoelle.doye%40mp.k12.wi.us%22%3E%3Cspan%3Ejoelle.doye%40mp.k12.wi.us%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fa%3E%3Cspan%3E+or+987-0739+ext.+388%2C+or+stop+up+and+pay+me+a+visit+%28I+am+located+in+the+District+Office%29.+I+look+forward+to+hearing+from+you.+We%26rsquo%3Bre+all+in+this+together.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cspan%3ESincerely%2C%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong+id%3D%22docs-internal-guid-cd9ea463-8197-9ab9-a3e0-3ad5cdfca547%22%3E%3Cspan%3EJoelle+Doye%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E