Madison Metropolitan School District Wins National Communication Awards

The Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) earned multiple awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), highlighting the district’s outstanding achievements in school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement.

In the 2024 National School Communication Awards, district staff were recognized for creating exemplary work during the past year, earning a Golden Achievement Award and eight Publication and Digital Media Excellence Awards. According to NSPRA, a record number of entries were submitted across both award programs this year. 

“This recognition highlights the important role of school communications professionals to ensure accurate, transparent and engaging information is shared with our community,” said Edell Fiedler, MMSD’s senior executive director of communications. “Our team is dedicated to supporting MMSD staff, students and families through the work we do and keeping the community informed about what is happening at the district.”

NSPRA’s Golden Achievement Award recognizes exceptional strategic work in all aspects of school public relations, communication, marketing and engagement. Each entry is judged individually (not against other entries) based on strategic best practices, good writing and against the RPIE (research, plan, implement, evaluate) strategic process. This year, there were 107 Golden Achievement Awards, with MMSD only one of two school districts in Wisconsin to receive this honor.

The district earned a Golden Achievement Award for its “5 to Thrive Mental Health and Well-Being” campaign, partnering with award-winning communications agency CEL Marketing PR Design. This strategic initiative was launched in 2023 to enhance awareness and access to school-based mental health services. Branded as “5 to Thrive,” the campaign simplified messaging, increased awareness of resources and improved student access to mental health support for over 25,000 students and 6,380 staff. Through collaboration with the MMSD mental health and communications teams, the initiative aimed to streamline processes, eliminate jargon and provide comprehensive toolkits for school staff. 

The district’s communication department also earned accolades in NSPRA’s Publication and Digital Media Excellence Awards, which recognizes outstanding education tactical materials such as publications, newsletters, videos, podcasts, websites, social media and more. 

The district’s Publication and Digital Media Excellence Awards include:
 

Award of Excellence

• Excellence in Writing: 
  • An Education for Generations: How Maria Del Rosario Covarrubias Impacted MMSD
  • Senior Spotlight: Tomas Gonzalez Reflects on Childhood in Chile as he Heads to Harvard
  • Facilities and Funding Fueling Future Referenda Considerations
• Newsletter: MMSD Connect 
• Video (produced in-house): 
  • MMSD's Tyrone Reese Adds Flavor to School Meals, One Dish at a Time
  • A Custodian's Three Decades of Dedication Creates Family at Nuestro Mundo

Award of Merit

• Video (produced in-house): Amid Bus Driver Shortage, MMSD Principal Goes an Extra Mile

Honorable Mention

• Annual Report: 2022-2023 Annual Report
   

NSPRA is a professional organization for those who work primarily in school districts and educational agencies across the country. According to NSPRA, each year more than 100 experienced communication professionals from around the country volunteer to serve as judges in NSPRA's National School Communication Awards contest using a set of established criteria based on industry best practices. All of this year’s award winners can be found on the NSPRA website.