Snaps for our third core value of communication! (‘Snaps’ is a page we’ve taken from our NOLA schools’ playbooks – clapping is so over.) We love memorable all-hands meetings that result in exciting new vision and direction, like the one we held to determine our core values and the direction of Schoolrunner culture. We are always working on ways that we, as a team, can better communicate.
Great tactics like ditching what isn’t working well and identifying ways we can make our communication stronger have both given rise to things that I love about Schoolrunner, like our #strongmoves Slack channel dedicated to calling out above-and-beyond-work to everyone on the team.
Strong communication is important not only within our teams, but with our schools as well. Accountability (our previously featured core value) flows right into communication. We are always looking for new and better ways to gather feedback so that we can capture all the amazing ideas that come from teachers, principals, data team members, and other school staff. Right now we have lots of ways that we connect with our schools. We use surveys, user feedback sessions, in-app feedback opportunities, and regular check-ins to keep a pulse on our schools’ progress. These all allow us to hear the (amazing) ideas that come from teachers in the classroom as well as administrators looking toward the bigger picture.
We also communicate all new additions or changes to the platform through regular release notes. We schedule regular Google Hangouts with schools (we like to see their happy faces!) so we understand the challenges they’re facing and ensure they’re getting the most out of Schoolrunner they can! It’s also a great platform to ensure that schools are understanding the training tips, product messages, and support updates as they happen.
Our schools never send a support issue to a faceless support system, get tiered through different levels, or receive a canned response. We provide a School Happiness Coordinator to each of our schools – a dedicated support guide who is totally focused on their happiness, and we regularly share our team’s strategy, successes, and plans for improvement in the future.
As a startup, we are still working on our brand voice, refining how we talk with our schools and with other community members interested in what we do. One thing is for sure, however – when you hear from Schoolrunner it will be knowledgeable, friendly, informative, and (hopefully!) fun.
With all this communication, how do we ever get anything else done!? We see it as a regular part of doing business on our team, and as a helpful tool that makes us better and better at what we do.
If you enjoyed Part 3 of our Happiness Model (which we call PACT – an acronym describing the core values that define us as a team here at Schoolrunner), check out our Core Value #1: Why We Think Happiness Starts With A ‘P’, as well as Core Value #2: Accountability, and why it’s vital in EdTech. And last but not least is our
Core Value #4: Teamwork!
