This document provides guidance for Rocketship Education spokespeople on communicating with the media and external audiences. It outlines the goals of preparing spokespeople to understand Rocketship's role in education reform and know how to effectively message Rocketship's work. The document discusses why Rocketship needs to define its own narrative, common misunderstandings about charter schools, and tips for engaging with media including staying on message and avoiding common mistakes like anger, evasiveness, or repeating negatives. Spokespeople are encouraged to tell positive stories about Rocketship's impact and provided guidance on crisis communications.

1. Milwaukee Media Spokesperson Training
August 21, 2012

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Goals of this Media Training
 Prepare for communicating with the news media and other
external audiences.
 Know how Rocketship fits into the broader education reform movement.
 Know common misunderstandings of Rocketship and the education reform
movement in general.
 Know key Rocketship external messaging points that you can use.

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What’s Your Story?
Let’s hear it!

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Why Does Rocketship Need to Tell Its Own Story?
 There is a lack of understanding of education reform.
 For Rocketship to be valued by the Milwaukee community, we must talk
about how Rocketship adds value to the broader community.
 The more knowledgeable the public, the better for Rocketship.The public
most often gets their knowledge from the news media. By telling your story
to the media, you influence public opinion.
 Rocketship will have its critics. It’s important that Rocketship defines itself on
its own terms.

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How We Do It
 Seize the initiative.
 Tell your story first.
 Always tell the truth.
 Tell your story your way.
 Get all the facts out about Rocketship’s successes.

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Know Who You Want to Reach
Who is your audience?
 Milwaukee community members
 School board members
 MilwaukeeCommon Council members
 Community organizations (Schools that Can Milwaukee)
 Current and prospective parents
 Current and prospective teachers/staff
 Media
 Third PartyValidators
Your audience can/will change, but you must always be
proactive, targeted and strategic in order to influence your
audience, and ultimately influence public awareness.

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Know Common Misunderstandings About
Charter Schools
1. Draining money.
 Privatization.
 Perceived as outsiders.
 Loss of students.
2. Mixed student achievement.
 Poor performance.
 Charters are on par/behind.
3. Unprepared teachers.
 Poor working
conditions/protection.
 Unlicensed teachers.
 High turnover/low retention.
 Young and inexperienced.
4. Creaming.
 Cherry picking the best students.
 Not serving special education kids.
 Racial isolation in charters.
 “Weeding out” poor performers.
5. No Accountability – “scandals.”
 Governance/conflict of interest.
 Misspending of taxpayer money.

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Key Rocketship Messages
 Rocketship Education is a leading non-profit public school system for low-income elementary
students, eliminating the achievement gap by building a national school system of K-5
charter schools.
 Rocketship’s goal is to eliminate the achievement gap between low- and high-income
communities across the country, allowing Rocketeers to succeed alongside their more
affluent peers.
 Rocketship currently serves over 3,700 students, of whom nearly 90 percent are low-income
and 75 percent are English Language Learners, through seven charter schools in San Jose.
 Rocketship is the highest-performing elementary school system in California serving
predominantly low-income students, achieving an overall score of 868 on the 2011 Academic
Performance Index (API) growth score, with Rocketeers outperforming upper-income
communities in California.
 Rocketship’s model focuses on developing outstanding educators, empowering parents and
providing individualized instruction through technology and tutors to improve
student achievement.

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Key Rocketship Milwaukee Messages
 Rocketship’s charter was approved by the MilwaukeeCommon Council in
November 2011.
 Rocketship will begin opening a network of independent charter schools in
Milwaukee in the fall of 2013, with the intent to eventually enroll up to 4,000
students in eight K-5 charter schools by 2017.
 Rocketship is a high-quality, proven successful model that’s committed to
improving education in Milwaukee.
 Rocketship is committed to opening new schools only if existing schools are
high performing and meeting exceptionally high academic benchmarks.
 Milwaukee will be Rocketship’s first expansion city.

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Rocketship’s Three Pillars of Success
Individualized Learning
 Rocketship combines traditional classroom learning with individualized
instruction through its Learning Lab, in which students spend one-on-one
time with computers utilizing online technology and participate in intensive
tutor-led small groups to master reading and math skills.
Parent and Community Engagement
 Rocketship empowers parents to take a leadership role in their community.
By empowering parents to seek better solutions, Rocketship is equipping
them with the knowledge and tools necessary to change the public education
system and help to eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime.
High-Quality Teacher and Leadership Development
 Rocketship cultivates the skills and talents of exceptional teachers and school
leaders, while offering them career pathways within the organization.

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How You Get the Rocketship Message Out
 Talking with parents and community members.
 Commenting on news articles or blog posts.
 Speaking at board meetings.
 Writing letters to the editor or op-eds.
 Helping us tell the Rocketship story to the press.
Once you know your audience, your message, what vulnerabilities you may
need to ‘pre-empt’ with your messaging, who will be speaking, and the media
channel to utilize….You are ready to reach out!

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What Story Do You Tell?
The best stories are often the ones not told…
People will care what you have to say!
 What is Rocketship doing for children in Milwaukee that
no one else is?
 What does it feel like to be a member of the
Rocketship community?

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Consistent Messaging = Desired Perceptions
When speaking to the broader public, it is important to convey what is
first, best, most or unique about Rocketship.
First: Rocketship has developed a uniquely scalable public school system, striving to be the
first national school system. Rocketship aims to open ten schools per year in partner
cities, demonstrating its ability to close the achievement gap within a decade in each city.
Best: Rocketship is the highest-performing elementary school system in California serving
predominantly low-income students.
Unique: Rocketship combines traditional classroom learning with its Learning Lab, in which
students spend 1:1 time with computers and intensive tutor-led small groups to master
reading and math skills. Through this approach, approximately 90 percent of Rocketship’s
lowest-performing students move out of the bottom quartile within a year and the majority
of Rocketeers achieve three years of academic growth for every two years in school.

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Tips for Communicating with the Media
Preparation: General Rules ofThumb
 Try to anticipate the reporter’s questions.
 Tell your story – this is an opportunity for you to frame your
position – before critics tell your story for you.
 Create a personal sound bite.
 Write down talking points.
 Practice.

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Tips for Communicating with the Media
Basic Do’s & Don’ts:
 Ask the reporter as much as you can prior to the interview.
 Know your key message points.
 Turn negatives into positives.
 Stay on message!The public usually only hears your answers and
not their questions.
Avoid making the 5 most common mistakes.

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Mistake #1: Displaying Anger

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The Correct Response
 Don’t get your emotions get the best of you – it will rarely work in
your favor.
 Focus on your demeanor.
 It’s always best to relax. And smile!

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Mistake #2: Evasiveness

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The Correct Response
 Preparation is key! Know your messages.
 Answer the question! Know when you’ve said enough and
stop there.
 Avoid the “siege mentality.”
 Exercise:What lessons can Rocketship supporters take from Sarah
Palin’s interview?

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Mistake #3: Lack of Empathy/
Out of Touch/Insensitive

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Mistake #3: Lack of Empathy/
Out of Touch/Insensitive

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The Correct Response
 Display sensitivity. The public needs to know that you can
understand and relate to them.
 Remain consistent throughout. Don’t suddenly change your tone
after you’ve been rattled.
 Never complain.The public won’t be sympathetic to your plight.

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Mistake #4: Stonewalling/Defensiveness

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The Correct Response
 Be prepared. Know what you are going to say and exactly how you
are going to say it.
 Be aware of current events and incorporate that into
your messaging.
 Never underestimate the power of an apology.
 Stay away from hostile media interviews.

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Mistake #5: Repeating the Negative

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The Correct Response
 Don’t repeat the negative.This one statement helped define
Nixon’s presidency.
 Develop messaging that focuses on the positive.
 Remember that in many interviews, viewers hear the answer,
not the question.
 Exercise:What lessons can Rocketship supporters take from
Nixon’s interview?

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Be Prepared – You Might Not Always Be This Lucky

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Tips for Communicating with the Media
 Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know the answer to a question – instead offer to find the
answer and get back to them.
 Don’t respond to questions based on unfamiliar facts.
 Don’t repeat negatives and don’t use negative buzz words.
 Focus on good body language.
 Smile.
 Maintain a relaxed demeanor.
 Dress for success
 Avoid busy patterns and white.
 Public speaking.
 Speak slowly and enunciate.
 Avoid “Um’s.”
 Choosing a location
 Good lighting, either in a well-lit room or outside in the sunshine.
 Strategically place your logo or sign in the background for additional publicity.
 Prepare for a ‘Skype’ interview.

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What to Do In a Crisis
Examples of Crisis:
 False or real allegations of cheating
 Potential employee misconduct
 School or community violence
Steps to Consider:
 Take immediate action on behalf of the safety and security of staff and
students and work with your Area Superintendent.
 Work with Rocketship Home Office/Larson Communications to identify
next steps for internal and external communications and other support
efforts where necessary.
 Assemble Crisis Response Team and relieve members of routine
responsibilities.
 Contact parent(s) or family member of involved persons to obtain: accurate
information about the crisis, what information can be shared, appropriate
responses to family members and key community stakeholders, etc.
 Be open and available. Recognize that “no comment” is a comment.
 Streamline communication by selecting one spokesperson.

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Who To Contact In Case of Crisis
 Rocketship’s Regional Director of Development,
Jessica Garcia-Kohl
 jgarcia-kohl@rsed.org
Larson Communications’ Account Executive,
Ida Linden
 ida@larsonpr.com

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Tell Your Story
It’sYourTurn!