It seems like just yesterday, teachers welcomed their new students into the classroom for a promising year of growth and learning. Now, a few months later, and about 40 degrees colder, the school year is halfway through, and students are heading home for a two-week vacation. This school year seems far from over, but pretty soon we’ll be ringing in 2026, and before you know it, the 2026-2027 school year.
This cozy time of year is the perfect opportunity to tackle your media strategy for the next school year. If you haven’t used this season to your advantage, here’s why winter is the best time to plan your media strategy for the upcoming school year.
Proactive Planning
Wintertime means you’re in the midst of the school year. Back-to-school messaging and community engagement feedback are still fresh in mind. Be proactive, with the big picture in mind, you can create an organized timeline and strategically plan content that supports schoolwide success.
With the current year sharp in your memory, so are budget and expenses. Identify next year’s budget now so you’re not blindsided later. Planning during the winter allows you the time to recall opportunities and cost-saving benefits you might not otherwise have under time constraints. In fact, if you’re a member of CIESC, you are allocated a designated number of hours you can use with Media Services each year in your membership—so start brainstorming how you want to use these hours now!
With a well-executed media strategy in place, you’ll be prepared even in the face of any urgent matters or emergencies. Don’t miss out on beautiful fall scenery for aerial shots of the school or event coverage because of planning issues. Without the pressure of time constraints, allow your team time to brainstorm types of content that will really make your school or district shine. Getting ahead of the strategy also allows you to plan more complex videos with less stress. Planning around schedules can sometimes become a challenge, but shooting content like meaningful staff testimonials for staff recruitment videos is well worth it for the end results.
Audit Previous Media Strategies
Now is the perfect time to take a stroll down memory lane. Unpack your media strategy for the current and even the past few years. What worked and what didn’t? You should be reviewing analytics and gathering feedback to ensure you’re utilizing your strengths and improving other areas. Circle back to the video topics you explored and dissect the content and methods. Reflecting on your strategy from the first semester can streamline operations for next year, and reusing effective techniques and evergreen content while adjusting other approaches as needed.
Take Advantage of the Slow Season
After the return from winter break, there’s a slower pace compared to other seasons of the year. Major events like back-to-school season and graduation are still months away, and many filming opportunities aren’t available due to colder weather and a lack of outdoor sports. With reduced distractions, it’s the perfect opportunity to sit down and plan your media strategy. Take the time to really unpack your goals and objectives. Are you focusing on specific campaigns such as student enrollment or referendum communications? Is your content effective in reaching your finish lines? Use this time as a resource. Utilizing the wintertime can prevent last-minute planning and optimize your existing resources, resulting in the best quality content possible.
We’ll even help you get started now. Brainstorming video topics? We’re asking the right questions so you don’t forget anything along the way. Your video should align with a strategic plan. Who are you trying to reach? How can you effectively prepare? If you saw a video you liked, what elements did you like about it? Lastly, identify any pain points you may encounter during video production. Check out Media Services’ Next Steps Checklist for a full list of guided questions that will save you time and resources during the production process.
In the meantime, leverage animated content during the slow season if you’re creating content for next semester. And, if you have extra footage from the current year, don’t let it go to waste! Extra footage can be repurposed for a recap video that highlights your school and student body.
Media Services Is Here To Help You
There’s no time to waste. Get a head start on your media strategy so you can use your resources to achieve the best possible goals and outcomes. Let Media Services help highlight what makes your school district unique. No matter your video goals, we have the tools and resources to bring your visions to life.
Contact us today to get started, and if your school is a member of CIESC, reach out to us to explore how you can use your Media Services credits.
