The Michigan School Public Relations Association, (MSPRA) the premier organization for school communicators in Michigan, is proud to honor Otsego Public Schools’ Superintendent Jeffery Haase with one of MSPRA’s highest honors, the 2023 Superintendent Communicator of the Year award. This award recognizes a practicing superintendent for outstanding leadership in school public relations and communications.  It was clear to MSPRA’s expert panel of judges that Superintendent Haase:

• Understands the value of a year-round, ongoing communication program;

• Invests in communication tools;

• Strategically works with the district’s communication professional;

• Practices communication management techniques; and

• Demonstrates excellent personal communication skills such as ethics, honesty, openness and active listening.

According to his nomination, Superintendent Haase has made two-way communication a priority during his tenure, building trust with the Otsego school community through coffee hours, a student advisory council, a Key Communicators group, important district updates/newsletters, and video messages. His community connections, transparency, and effective messaging have helped create the support needed to pass multiple bond efforts to enhance the district’s facilities, technology, and security. Superintendent Haase also worked to include stakeholder input to help develop a new strategic plan during the pandemic and kept the Otsego families as the top priority in communicating updates and information during the pandemic. 

Superintendent Haase has continued to support the growth of communications efforts through the budget and a close partnership with his Director of Communications, Holly McCaw, APR. Superintendent Haase was presented his award by McCaw (MSPRA Past-President) and Tom Scheidel, MSPRA Board Member and Allegan Area ESA Public Relations Coordinator at the November 13, 2023 Board of Education meeting. Haase will be celebrated for this honor during the MSPRA Annual Conference in Ann Arbor in March. 

MSPRA is the leading organization in Michigan for school public relations professions with more than 200 members statewide. For more on MSPRA, please visit mspra.org.