FALL RIVER — Calling it “a waste of cash,” the Fall River College Committee on Monday, Sept. 8, voted to not renew its annual contract with John Guilfoil Public Relations agency — a nation-wide communications and media relations firm that has served the varsity district for years.
All members of the varsity board, except College Committee member Shelli Pereira abstaining, rejected the reportedly $27,000 contract, which is up for renewal October 2025.
College Committee member Kevin Aguiar admitted to being lower than glad with the agency’s function in serving to share the district’s information.
As an alternative, the board will search options, which may embody hiring a media relations consultant internally and conserving native press within the loop. College Committee member Collin Dias instructed the district “flip again on feedback” on its social media posts.
B.M.C. Durfee Excessive College is situated on Elsbree Road in Fall River.
Dias maintained that contracting a third-party agency “is a waste of cash,” and urged the board to find a extra “structured” method to disseminating information, notably excellent news, with the general public within the creation of “open communication and collaboration,” he mentioned.
In keeping with JGPR’s web site, the agency focuses on representing and helping entities “who serve the general public,” with strategic communication. These entities embody public security departments, authorities businesses and municipalities, and college districts.
Superintendent Dr. Tracy Curley took the time to fulfill with college students of the Nueva Vista Twin Language Program on the Carlton M. Viveiros Elementary College and see their work through the pupil showcase occasion.
The place can households, lecturers and college students flip for centralized college information?
College Committee member Bobby Bailey requested the board to think about what platform could also be finest suited to a central channel that Fall River Public College group members might simply entry for info.
“We speak about our picture within the district,” Bailey mentioned, however instructed the district may moreover “management [its] narrative,” in guaranteeing all launched info is correct.
What the district is in search of in a brand new PR particular person?
Bailey mentioned he helps the thought of an inner rent who can join the district with public media retailers, citing “how briskly information travels,” and the necessity to alleviate strain on Superintendent Tracy Curley, who’s often known as upon to step in and preserve the press or dad and mom updated.
“I don’t suppose it’s her job,” Bailey mentioned. “It’s not honest.”
Different committee members expressed issues about “how information will get reported,” coupled with social media customers’ penchant for distorting info.
Prior to now, Curley has given public stories by way of native radio station WSAR, however Bailey apprehensive few listeners recurrently tune in.
Curley maintained that the contract shared by the district and JGPR concerned “a number of press releases monthly,” together with emergency alerts and different breaking communication.
Dias pushes for district to ‘have interaction’ different media retailers
Following the vote that stripped Fall River’s public faculties of its media relations agency, Dias pressed his colleagues on stage to “have interaction” different native media retailers within the metropolis who can attain a wider vary of readers.
Dias mentioned he’d wish to see the committee do “as a lot as we will” to succeed in audiences and preserve households knowledgeable.
This text initially appeared on The Herald Information: Fall River’s college board won’t renew yearly contract with PR agency
