Roeder Named 2016 ISPRA Communicator of the Year

DMPS Director of Communications Phil Roeder (second from right) with members of the ISPRA Board of Directors at their annual awards banquet.

DMPS Director of Communications Phil Roeder (second from right) with members of the ISPRA Board of Directors at their annual awards banquet.

Congratulations to Phil Roeder, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for Des Moines Public Schools, who was named 2016 Communicator of the Year by the Iowa School Public Relations Association (ISPRA) at the group’s annual awards banquet last night.

Roeder not only has a reputation for performing well in his position, but he is also a news media preferred interviewee because of his poise and deep knowledge on a variety of issues and current events.

“Mr. Roeder has a comprehensive approach to his work, utilizing his talented staff very effectively. Under his leadership, we have made tremendous strides in building our brand,” said Thomas Ahart, superintendent of DMPS.

“I’m proud to have been honored,” Roeder said, “and prouder to be part of a team dedicated to sharing the great work done by our students and teachers at Des Moines Public Schools each and every day.”

Under Roeder’s leadership the DMPS community engagement online has expanded dramatically, including:

  • The DMPS Facebook page reach has grown from 2,251 to 36,000+ followers in under four years.
  • The DMPS Twitter page now has a reach of 13,000 followers, second only to Washington, D.C. among Council of Great City Schools districts on the basis of enrollment to follower ratio.
  • The DMPS Flickr page currently displays more than 24,000 photos that have been viewed over 12 million times.
  • The DMPS app has been downloaded more than 13,000 times since its development in the summer of 2014. The app gives families and students direct access to district news, lunch menus, individual school calendars and more.

DMPS is also active on Instagram (1,500 followers), Pinterest (more than 1,000 pins) and YouTube (more than 200,000 views).

ISPRA is an organization of public relations professionals, superintendents, principals, teachers and others interested in fostering understanding and support for education.

The Communicator of the Year award recognizes exemplary leadership and demonstrated commitment to the enhancement of communication and relationships between school districts and the families and communities they serve. The award honors those who recognize that communication is a critical component of leadership and is open to all school districts and education agencies throughout Iowa.

As this year’s winner Roeder also receives one paid registration to the 2016 NSPRA National Seminar in Chicago, IL, July 17-20.

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