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NCSS public relations department earns 10 state awards
GSPRA
Barbara Jacoby, president of the Georgia School Public Relations Association, left, and Sherri Davis-Viniard, director of public relations for Newton County Schools. - photo by Staff Report

COVINGTON, Ga. - The Newton County School System’s Office of Public Relations has received state recognition for publications and events produced during the 2016-2017 school year.

In all, the Georgia School Public Relations Association (GSPRA) awarded the district 10 awards—six gold, three silver, and one best in category. School public relations departments throughout the state were eligible to participate in the Georgia School Public Relations Association’s recognition program.

Items submitted from NCSS included the district’s school board brochure, school safety brochure, InBox, attendance brochure, annual report, alumni spotlights, and one photo. In addition, the district also submitted one event in partnership with the Henry County School System Public Relations Department.

The school system’s Board of Education brochure won both a gold award and “Best in Category” for special purpose publication. Judges from the North Carolina School Public Relations Association judged the Georgia publications contest and noted that the NCSS board of education brochure was, an “outstanding publication filled with critical, supportive information” and a “design-oriented, polished package.” In fact, it received a perfect score from the judges.

In addition to the board of education brochure, the district’s school Safety brochure, parent InBox folder, attendance brochure, and 2015-2016 annual report, also received gold awards from the judges.

The department also received a gold award in photography for a picture entitled, “Class Act.”

Two alumni spotlights on Akeem Hunt, formerly of the Houston Texans, and Sheldon Rankins, of the New Orleans Saints, received sliver awards in the excellence in writing category.

NCSS Public Relations Department partnered with the Henry County School System Public Relations Department in the special event category and won a silver award for “Extreme Sportsmanship” where one athlete from each district was recognized by the Atlanta Braves for their sportsmanship on the baseball field.

“Content for all of the publications is written by the public relations department but a lot of the credit must go to local graphic design firm, Square One Creative Group,” Sherri Davis-Viniard, director of public relations for NCSS, said. “The Board of Education Brochure, InBox, Annual Report, and attendance and safety brochures were all designed by Square One. They do a fantastic job taking our ideas and content and turning them into wonderful publications.

“The goal of the NCSS Public Relations Department is to keep our stakeholders continually informed of important information regarding our school district. It’s truly an honor to have our publications receive statewide recognition.”

“Public Relations is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week job, and I commend Ms. Sherri Davis-Viniard for her exceptional work,” Dr. Craig Lockhart, deputy superintendent for NCSS, said. “Ms. Davis-Viniard relentlessly follows stories across the school system, and this publicity instills pride and joy around our community. She has developed best practices for communicating both positive and sensitive information in a variety of methods in efforts to reach all audiences.  Congratulations to our Public Relations Department for being recognized for the great work that is being done in the Newton County School System.”