District Hires Part-Time PR Person as 'Second Set of Hands'

The North Canton City School Board recently signed off on a public relations hire to provide some "extra hands" within the district.

According to the school board's most recent agenda, the hiring of Jamie Smart as a public relations/communications consultant for no more than 110 hours was up for approval.

Superintendent Michael Hartenstein said the board approved Smart's position, and she will now work five hours a week in the district's central office.

"It’s five hours a week, but it’s just a second set of hands here," Hartenstein said. “We’re fairly thin here in the central office.”

"We needed some help with new initiatives, and we wanted to make sure we are communicating as quickly and cleanly and efficiently as we can."

He said Smart has worked alongside Michael Gallina, former North Canton City School District superintendent, on the elementary redesign project that took the district to all-day, everyday kindergarten. 

Smart is not a spokesperson or a media contact, but she will help in updating the district's social media (North Canton City Schools is on Facebook as well as Twitter), foster communication within the central office and help update the district's website, which could include some redesigning.

Hartenstein said he's heard from community members that the website is difficult to navigate, so Smart will help alleviate those problems.

"My backgorund is IT, so I look at it and think, 'Yikes,'" he said. "It’s just kind of clunky to move around and find stuff.” 

Smart's position was approved at re-scheduled regular meeting inside the Hoover High Media Center on Feb. 21.

Her employment is effective Feb. 22 through July 31, 2013, and her salary is set at $25 an hour.