District communications director outlines media permissions, crisis messaging and ParentSquare

Mary Quast, director of community relations for Laramie County School District #1, said the communications office serves as the district’s point of contact for reporters and school media requests. "Community relations serves as the point of contact between the media district and our schools," she said, noting the office helps reporters identify which students have parental permission for video, photos and interviews.

Quast described how the office coordinates during emergencies: "When a crisis occurs at your school, we work with the superintendent, senior leadership, and the safety and security department to create messaging for families and stakeholders." She emphasized timely, accurate information is part of the district’s strategic plan and that ParentSquare, supplemented by the district’s social platforms and the printed Elevate magazine, is used to deliver newsletters, information and crisis communications to families.