Episode Details

Tony Sinanis, principal of Cantiague Elementary School in the Jericho schools, shows how to build school branding by telling your own story before the local news does. He tweets photos with captions that explain the how and why, and sends parents a weekly Storify of his tweets.

His students also run a weekly video update, filmed with the TouchCast app over lunch with him, that earns over 300 YouTube views a week. Sinanis warns that the brand experience has to match the brand promise, or you should not put it out there. He also explains how open sharing changed his PTA meetings.

What you'll learn

• Tweet photos of learning with captions that explain how and why, then send parents a weekly Storify of the tweets.
• Let students tell the story with a weekly video update filmed over lunch with the principal.
• Check that what you tell the community matches what happens in classrooms, and do not publish it if it does not.
• Use an opt-out photo form at registration instead of chasing every family to opt in.
• Call faculty meetings faculty enhancement opportunities, and spend time as a staff on what you believe and what your actions say.

Chapters

• 0:00 Meet Tony Sinanis, principal of Cantiague
• 1:46 Why principals should tell their own story
• 5:07 Tweets, Storify and a school hashtag
• 6:29 Student-run weekly video updates
• 7:41 Making the brand experience match the promise
• 8:29 Student privacy and parent communication
• 10:41 Start small and build it from the inside
• 11:56 Advice: it is not about you

Questions this episode answers

How can a principal build a positive school brand with social media?
Sinanis says to start small and build it from the inside. He tweets photos from an iPad with captions that explain the how and why, uses one school hashtag, and sends parents a weekly Storify so families who are not on Twitter still see the pictures.

How do you handle student privacy when you post photos online?
Sinanis says his district has families check a box at registration if they do not want their child in pictures. He prefers that opt-out system, since asking everyone to opt in means chasing people for years, and he talks openly with parents about what he posts.

What does it mean for the brand experience to match the brand promise?
Sinanis says you cannot tell the community you believe in one-on-one and small group instruction if it never happens. It starts inside the school community, so decide what you believe and how you plan to teach before you put the story out.

About Tony Sinanis

Principal of Cantiague Elementary School in the Jericho schools, known for using Twitter, Storify and student video to share his school's story.

Links and resources

• Cantiague week in tweets on Storify
• Cantiague hashtag on Twitter
• Cantiague video updates on YouTube
• Tony Sinanis on Twitter
• mrkempnz on Twitter
• Tweet showing the brand promise
• Jericho Schools website

Working on this at your school? Get a free preview of a 10-week leadership pathway built from episodes like this one at transformativeprincipal.com/start.

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