Sharing the stories and successful work of maaps schools

As part of the maaps Public Relations campaign that began with Teak Media + Communication in April 2014, maaps and Teak have worked together to secure regional and local media placements in more than 42 positive print, radio, online and TV media outlets in Massachusetts about the success of 11 maaps schools and students.

With 2015 now upon us, we wanted to share with you some information about how our work is already having a favorable impact for maaps and many of our members. We also hope to continue growing and expanding our efforts in the months to come to make sure they are working for your school and all of our members.

Feedback from our member schools, staff and students is that positive media attention adds well-earned recognition for their work. Our efforts have also sought to add to public understanding of issues and the need for funding C766 educational opportunities by having maaps Board members and school staff – well-versed in special education – share their policy perspectives. Students gain confidence from seeing themselves portrayed positively in the media, and wider media coverage raises the overall profile for maaps as an organization and its members’ own stature within the special education field.

Topics and traditional media placements included:

  • Shedding light on the funding and policy challenges of C766 schools (i.e. cost of special education, budgetary needs and duplicative background checks). Op-eds were placed in The Boston Globe, Eagle Tribune, Patriot Ledger, Salem News, Fall River Herald News, and Taunton Daily Gazette.
  • Recognition of maaps’ Conference Award Winners with media placements in the Boston Globe South Weekly, Boston Globe West Weekly, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Natick and Bulletin, Newton Tab, Herald News, Lexington Minuteman, Old Colony Memorial, Walpole Times, and on five Patch websites. These showcased the impactful work of various teachers and clinicians.
  • Pieces on school successes – such as going back-to-school in the fall – appeared in the Randolph Herald and on an hour-long segment on NPR Cape Cod affiliate, WCAI, which gave maaps’ board members an intelligent forum to discuss an individual school’s unique animal therapy program as well as larger special education issues.
  • Stories on vocational programs showcased the importance of the mission for many maaps’ schools to develop independent, intelligent, self-sufficient young adults as they age out of the system and need marketable life skills with jobs and community volunteer efforts. Stories were published in the Associated Press, Boston Globe, Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Washington Times, and Natick Tab.
  • Success stories and profiles are an ongoing media mission, and we have an ideal opportunity coming up with WCVB-TV CH. 5 A+ stories which will feature students at Perkins School for the Blind and Riverview School. Tapings are being scheduled in February. Air dates TBD.
  • Holiday stories about Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas craft sales, clothing and gift drives were placed in the Berkshire Eagle, MetroWest Daily News, Patriot Ledger, Arlington Advocate, Hanover Mariner, Hingham Journal, Hingham Patch, Lexington Minuteman, and Newton Tab.
  • Announcements. Media placements regarding the maaps’ conference announcement were placed in the MetroWest Daily News and State House News Service.

Please feel free to contact Mike Mullen at mmullen@maaps.org and Diana McCloy at Teak at diana@teakmedia.org to talk about how we can involve your school in our public relations efforts!