Do You Just Tweet All Day?

Ryan Strang on the Evolution of School Communications: Strategy, Storytelling, Crisis, and Trust Dean interviews Ryan Strang, Senior Manager of Communications and Community Relations for Ontario’s Grand Erie District School Board and president/executive director of CASE, about how school communications has evolved beyond “just tweeting” into strategic advising, storytelling, brand ambassadorship, customer service, and crisis management. Ryan describes how social media shifted communications from one-way to fast, two-way engagement, increasing pressure for rapid response and amplifying challenges like polarization and misinformation. They discuss choosing channels based on metrics and audience (including stepping back from X, focusing on Facebook/Instagram, and monitoring/responding on Reddit), balancing playful brand voice with professionalism, and the emerging opportunities and risks of AI—especially around privacy and student images. Ryan shares a career highlight: quickly organizing a maple-syrup outdoor education experience for Syrian newcomer families in Peel, showing communications’ impact through relationship-building and storytelling.00:00 Comms Role Defined00:50 Why Comms Emerged01:28 Meet Ryan Strang 04:28 Beyond Social Media 10:45 CASE Growth Post Pandemic14:11 Storytelling Versus Risk 19:58 Finding Brand Voice23:30 Playful Comms Examples25:50 Snow Day Trust Building28:40 Big District Complexity30:06 Strategic Comms Value30:52 Digital Customer Service31:54 Choosing Social Channels33:39 Metrics Over Hype35:20 Facebook Instagram Reddit38:44 New Platforms Playbook40:37 AI Opportunities Risks44:07 Authenticity Versus Automation45:28 Career Success Story47:10 Syrian Families Maple Trip53:22 Hidden Gems Hamilton Brantford55:13 Closing Reflections