Exhibit 3-9 lists the traditional functions of district community involvement and the department or departments responsible for each function. In addition, community members may not know the appropriate contact in some cases, or may receive conflicting information from different sources. The district's relationship with area businesses provides an example. While the Office of Special Events and Partnerships handles Partners in Education, the Communications Department coordinates the Business Advisory Group, another outreach program targeting local businesses. While most business representatives interviewed were satisfied with their relationships with the district, an executive with one area business expressed frustration over conflicting information he has received from the schools and central administration.
Media relations provide another example of overlapping responsibilities and conflicting approaches.
Combine the Communications, Special Events and Partnerships, and Community Education departments into a single department with one director and three coordinators. The new department should be called the Public Relations Department and include coordinators for communication, community education, and business and volunteer programs. Exhibit 3-10 provides a recommended organizational structure for the new department. This reorganization would result in the elimination of two paraprofessional positions, the reclassification of one director as a coordinator, and a more streamlined organizational structure. In addition, overhead expenses would be shared and communications among the coordinators would improve.