November 4, 1997FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RE: BOARD SELECTS RICHARD M. DANIELS AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Richard M. Daniels, a veteran public relations practitioner with experience as a communications consultant to several area school districts, has been appointed executive director of Communications and Community Relations for San Diego City Schools.
The Board of Education today named Daniels, 55, to head the newly organized department into which the districtıs existing Legislative Programs, Parent Involvement and Support, Partnerships in Education and Communications offices are being consolidated. He will report directly to Superintendent Bertha O. Pendleton.
He begins his new duties December 1.
In announcing Danielsı appointment, Board of Education President Ron Ottinger said the position is in keeping with the district's renewed commitment to improve its communications with parents, the business community, the areaıs local, state and national legislators and the news media.
³Itıs critical that we direct our communications resources into an ongoing and proactive program to keep the community better informed of the districtıs mission and goals,² Ottinger said. ³We need to communicate what weıre doing and what we still need in order to bring about the higher standards and accountability measures necessary to improve student achievement. Dick has the professional background, communications skills and experience working with other school districts necessary to help us communicate more effectively.²
Pendleton said one of Daniels' first tasks will be to put together a communications program to keep the community informed of major issues facing the district in the immediate future, include the proposed adoption of new grade level standards, the districtıs new accountability system, the recently-launched search for a new superintendent, negotiations with employee bargaining units and district facilities needs.
Daniels has operated RMD Communications since June 1994, a consulting practice specializing in strategic communications planning, media interview training and crisis management. He has developed community outreach programs for the Sweetwater, National (City), Poway, Escondido Elementary and Escondido Union High School districts as well as for several smaller districts. Prior to that, he was a principal with Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, a San Diego public relations agency, and a partner for 12 years in the former Berkman & Daniels marketing communications firm.
Before entering the public relations field in 1977, Daniels worked 15 years as a reporter for small daily newspapers, a copy editor for the Los Angeles Times, and later as a reporter for the former (San Diego ) Evening Tribune and reporter and editor for The San Diego Union.
He and his wife, Kathy, have two sons and reside in Escondido.
