Communication, It's Everyone’s Job
Communication is everyone's job. Yes, everyone, from teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, counselors, coaches, administrative assistants, district leaders to bus drivers, lunch servers, custodians, volunteers, and families. But to fully understand this statement, you first need to understand what communication means.
Communication shifts depending on the person, moment, and the environment. But most definitions overlap in one powerful idea: Communication is people making meaning together with purpose.
Communication is more than talking and listening. It's about forming a connection rooted in trust. Whether it is through a face-to-face conversation, an email, a social media post, or a virtual meeting, communication helps us connect, collaborate, laugh, and avoid misunderstandings.
“People can get locked into thinking that communications is formal, fancy, etc. You (we) are trying to dispel the idea that communications is a department or function, when instead it is an action and the work of everyone on the team.”
Sara Thompson, Senior Strategist, DehlerPR
The Five Senses of Communication
Think of communication as a term with an ever-changing definition. It's an exchange of information, emotion, meaning, and intention. It helps build trust, solve problems, and make sure the right people know the right things at the right time.
Imagine communication as a system that helps an organization interpret and respond to the world around it, much like the five senses that help everyone navigate their daily lives. In schools, communication happens in many ways every day. Viewing it through the lens of the five senses helps show how our words, actions, and interactions shape the experiences of students, staff, families, and the community.
Sight:
What people see from you, including your body language, facial expressions, how you interact with others, and your “I promise you I’m listening” nod of assurance. Sight is the silent communicator—it speaks even when you don't.
Sound:
This is your tone, pacing, clarity, and the difference between "We need to talk!” and "Hey! Can we talk?” Sound shapes how your message is received long before the words do themselves.
Feel:
This is the emotional impact of your words and how someone feels when they walk away after a conversation. Communication can result in different emotions depending on delivery.
Smell:
Taste:
As well as this one.
At first glance, smell and taste may seem like a stretch in a discussion about communication, but they play a role in the larger metaphor.
Communication in Schools
If communication is everyone's job, then schools are a perfect example of what that really means. Schools are a living, breathing ecosystem all working toward one mission: helping students thrive. In a place like that, communication isn't just helpful, it's fundamental.
Research shows that teacher-to-parent and school-to-home communication is the most trusted and valued channel in education. While the district newsletter, websites, and social media play important roles, people often look to the teachers, principals, and staff within the school that they know and interact with regularly first. People trust people. They trust the people closest to their children.
This idea is reflected in a recent communications audit conducted by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) for Grand Rapids Area Schools, which found that "Families trust principals and teachers more than any other source of information, citing school-level communication as clear and responsive” (Grand Rapids Area Schools, n.d.).
This means communication is not only the responsibility of the district communication director or the superintendent. It belongs to the teacher who will send a quick update home, the coach who shares a photo from practice, the principal who explains a new initiative clearly, the paraprofessional who notices something important and passes it along, and the custodian who builds relationships with students and families every day. Every interaction builds a trusting relationship and understanding.
Communication is leadership regardless of title or position.
The importance of communication and building trusting relationships is echoed by Janet Mann, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Zionsville Community School Corporation in Indiana and former Dehler PR client:
“I would argue that content (communications such as newsletters, website updates, social media, and other district messaging) is one of the most important things you do, because that's what's front-facing. Like, we see all of the planning on the back end, and we know what's happening. But content is what your people are seeing. And that's what's bringing them into the story. And that's what's building trust and transparency and collaboration. And so I spend a lot of time on content.”
Janet Mann’s perspective reinforces the important notion that communication is not simply about sharing information. It's about showing commitment to the mission, building a trust network with families, and helping the community understand what is happening inside the walls of a school.
What Communication Looks Like in Non-Communication Roles
What can communication look like even when communication isn't in the job description? Communication isn't just a title. It is a practice, and in schools, one of the most powerful tools.
The practice of communication skills can show up in simple but meaningful ways:
Take the photo: Capture moments that actually matter, like students learning and teachers leading. Small, intentional actions like these can make a big difference in how your message is received and understood.
Share key messages: Know what the school stands for and repeat it often.
Recruit: Every staff member influences whether someone wants to join your school as a student or employee.
Notice and share opportunities: See something great? Share it with someone. See something confusing? Raise the question and ask for clarification.
This is why communication is everyone's job. When everyone in a school communicates with clarity and care, families feel connected, students feel supported, and the mission comes to life.
Returning to Smell and Taste
While smell and taste seem like unusual additions to a discussion about communication, they help make an important point that communication has consequences. The quality and clarity built into the way information is shared can shape the outcome in meaningful ways.
Imagine a student in a food science class learning how to bake cheesecake. During a classroom demonstration, the instructor is helping several groups at once while also explaining the recipe. To keep the lesson moving, the instructor moves quickly through key details and assumes everyone understands the process. A student arrives a few minutes late, misses part of the explanation, and is hesitant to ask questions because everyone else seems to understand. As a result, the student mistakenly uses salt in place of sugar when preparing the cheesecake, and it does not turn out as intended.
The result is predictable. The final product fails to meet expectations, and the student is frustrated. While this example is intentionally lighthearted, it highlights a serious point that even the slightest communication mishaps can result in significant consequences. The issue was not that communication failed. The issue was that understanding was assumed rather than confirmed.
The same principle applies across an entire school district. When information is unclear or inconsistently communicated, trust weakens, and it is more likely to be prone to misinterpretation and misunderstanding. On the contrary, clear communication helps create shared understanding and builds relationships among students, families, staff, and the community.
In this sense, taste represents the outcome of communication, while smell reflects the impressions developed along the way. Together they serve as a reminder that communication extends beyond the message itself. It is about building trust, creating understanding, and encouraging meaningful connections.
Communication Challenge
Communication gets better through practice, not perfection. This week, challenge yourself to try some intentional communication challenges.
Sight: Notice something worth sharing
Choose a moment this week that you see reflecting your school's mission. For example, a student helping another, or a quiet act of kindness, and capture it. This could be a photo or a quick note. Then share it with someone who needs to see it.
Sound: Clarify a message
Before you send an important message, read it out loud before hitting send. Make sure the message doesn't sound confusing, rushed, or too formal
Feel: Strengthen one relationship
Select a person you interact with often - a parent, student, or colleague - and offer one piece of intentional encouragement. Not something like “Good job,” but something more specific: “You were in a difficult position, and I noticed how you provided a calm and positive response. I admire how you handled yourself.”
Smell: Prevent a future mix-up
Identify one area where miscommunication tends to happen, either within a process or routine; take the next step to find clarity, write a note, label, or explain it. Avoid the salt-and-sugar cheesecake disaster before it happens.
Taste: Make something better
Choose a communication habit you think needs improvement. Tone. Timing. Consistency. Clarity. Practice it once this week—small improvements compound, like adding sugar instead of salt.
Communication is a thread that holds groups of people together. Building small and consistent communication habits is what will lead to long-term change. Choose one habit to begin with, and let it guide you toward the leader and communicator you’re becoming.
Blog by Natalie Carroll, DehlerPR Intern, in consultation with the DehlerPR Team
Works Cited
Grand Rapids Public Schools. (n.d.). NSPRA communication audit report available. https://grps.org/pub/stories/view/nspra-communication-audit-report-available
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