Off the Shelf and Into Schools: Communicating Your District's Strategic Plan
Date: 7/22/2026
Time: 11:05 AM - 12:15 PM
Room: Grand Ballroom A & B (Floor 1)
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.
PLANNING–Strategic communication planning and accountability
Session Description
This session tells the story of how Glenbrook High School District 225 brought its strategic plan to life by moving it from the shelf to classrooms, hallways, and everyday decision-making. Rather than treating the plan as a static document, the district uses it as a shared roadmap that guides work across the organization and makes progress visible to students, staff, the board of education and the community.
Participants will see how an interactive progress dashboard tracks growth across four focus areas: Student Empowerment, Culture & Climate, Learning Reimagined, and Leadership Development. We will also illustrate how our presentations to the Board of Education align with the strategic plan's focus areas, keeping the plan and its goals at the forefront of our discussions.
The plan provides the district with the tool it needs to facilitate deeper conversations about progress and the needs of students. While the data in the dashboard contributes to our goal of transparency, the stories behind the accomplishments are even more important. The presentation highlights how student and staff experiences are connected to the plan, showing how individual actions and successes bring the strategy to life, from personalized learning plans to building a strong sense of belonging.
The session also explores why flexibility matters. Attendees will learn how Glenbrook continually refines its work through feedback, reflection, and real-time data, enabling the strategic plan to evolve in response to the changing needs of its students and community. The result is a plan that stays relevant, responsive, and rooted in people.
Presenter(s)
Carol Smith
Executive Director of Communications
Glenbrook High School District 225 (IL)
With more than two decades of experience leading communications efforts across Illinois, Carol Smith currently serves as the Executive Director of Communications for Glenbrook High School District 225.
Smith has navigated the evolving landscape of school communications by consistently striving for continuous improvement and innovation. Throughout her career, she has expertly managed community engagement and strategic planning while serving as a trusted advisor to superintendents and school boards. She is particularly recognized for her steady leadership during high-stakes crises, having successfully managed communications regarding natural disasters, sensitive staff misconduct, and the tragic loss of students. Her expertise and dedication to the field have earned her numerous state and national awards.
Beyond her district work, Smith has held multiple leadership positions on the Illinois School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) board, including President-Elect, President, Past-President, Secretary and Regional Director. A recognized thought leader, she has presented at national conferences and authored articles for the AASA School Administrator, the Illinois Association of School Boards, and the New York Times website. LinkedIn Profile
Christina Salonikas
Communications Manager
Glenbrook High School District 225
Christina Salonikas serves as the Communications Manager for Glenbrook High School District 225, a role she assumed in January 2022, following her previous service as the District's Communications Specialist. Salonikas brings a dynamic storytelling perspective to the district, leveraging seven years of experience as a television news anchor and reporter for WHO-TV in Des Moines, Iowa, and KOMU-8 in Columbia, Missouri.
Her ability to craft compelling narratives has been recognized across multiple industries. She is an award-winning journalist honored by the Iowa Broadcast News Association and an award-winning school communicator recognized by both the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and its Illinois chapter (INSPRA). Christina is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she earned a Master of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in Strategic Communication, a Bachelor of Journalism degree, and a multicultural studies certificate.
LinkedIn Profile
Off the Shelf and Into Schools: Communicating Your District's Strategic Plan
Category
Skill Session - Live lecture, panel discussion or interactive session with time for Q&A. 60-minutes.