July 2004
Contact: Holly Brooker
(845) 255-1450 xt. 1301

Ulster BOCES Wins National Awards for Excellence in Communications

(July 2004) Eight print and electronic publications produced by the Ulster BOCES Community Relations Department have been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for Excellence in School Communications. When added to the other awards the Community Relations Team has earned on behalf of local school districts and Ulster BOCES since 1999, this year’s honors bring the total to more than 95.

Nationwide, fewer than 600 school publications were recognized, earning certificates on one of three levels: Excellence, Merit, or Honorable Mention.

For its development and management of the Kingston City School District website at www.kingstoncityschools.org, Ulster BOCES was honored with the coveted NSPRA Award of Excellence. The website is only one of six in the nation to win this award.

Four publications were recognized with Awards of Merit, including the Kingston Community Newsletter series, the Kingston “Inspiring Excellence in Our Schools” teacher recruitment brochure, the “Why We Love Ellenville” School Calendar, and the Ulster BOCES “Annual Report.”

The Kingston City School District Budget Newsletter, the Ulster BOCES New Visions recruitment package, and the Ulster BOCES website at www.ulsterboces.org were also recognized with Honorable Mentions.

The awards will be formally announced at the NSPRA Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee July 11-14. The seminar also features a workshop on Customer Service presented by Holly Brooker, Community Relations Coordinator for Ulster BOCES. Ms. Brooker's hour-long presentation, "Customer Service is an Attitude, Not a Department," focuses on the nine components of the Ulster BOCES customer service plan and how other BOCES, educational agencies, and school districts throughout the country can develop and implement a similar one of their own.