Mission
To enhance student success through internal and external relationships and strategic communications to build understanding, partnerships, and trust.
Achievements
Designed strategic communications for two winning school finance election campaigns and three school board campaigns, bringing $229.6 million and $94 million in bond funds and three long-term board members to Oregon’s 5th largest school district. Created informational and advocacy materials; recruited community leaders for the advocacy campaign; directed advocacy activities during non-work hours; made presentations to community groups; recruited and trained volunteers; conducted community focus groups to gauge priorities to inform proposal development; sustained public trust through communications and coordination of a Citizen Oversight Committee.
Collaboratively led a successful effort to fund a school-based health center, bringing over $600,000 in capital funds to create the largest SBHC in Oregon, providing medical, mental health, and (soon) dental care to students at no cost to them or the district, while boosting attendance by 5% in a high poverty school. Wrote grants, leveraged non-profit and county partnerships, engaged students, formed an independent non-profit, conducted community outreach, and formed a community advisory team, with stakeholders from the faith community, parents, health care providers, the county, and school staff.
Led a parent involvement campaign providing 15 free 8-hour parenting courses to some 350 parents at 10 high poverty schools in 2 languages at no cost to the district. Created 9 parenting tip podcasts in two languages to promote the class while providing just-in-time support to parents; Built an alliance of skilled, experienced, connected parent leaders and involved them in district initiatives; Worked with a district-wide team for 6 years to plan and promote a free, day-long multicultural parenting conference providing up to 63 different course offerings with 450 attendees annually while developing dozens of business, faith, and non-profit partnerships to independently support the event.
Testimonials
“Because of Leslie Robinette, we are a school district with extremely strong ties to our parents and community. We enjoy the broad support of our community because they have come to expect honest, timely, and clear communication.”
Matt Utterback, Superintendent, North Clackamas Schools
“She is a founding board member of the 501c3 non-profit Partners for Healthy Students and helped to obtain grants from HRSA, Swindells Charitable Trust, Clackamas County and Meyer Memorial Trust totaling over $600,000.”
Michael Ralls, Assistant Principal, Milwaukie High School
“She is comfortable in many leadership roles, from catalyst to planner; from coordinator to communicator. She drinks in difficult issues and is able to master the communications as a writer, web master, presenter, and responder to difficult questions.”
Joe Krumm, Executive Director of Community & Government Relations, North Clackamas Schools
“Leslie was responsible for the development of a powerful communications package which helped in the passage of our $230 million bond issue.”
Ron Naso, Retired Superintendent, North Clackamas Schools