Communication & Connection

Connecting the MCS Community

Mason City Schools belong to you. The Public Information Office shares the stories happening in our schools, and provides opportunities for connection and two-way dialogue with our commUNITY. We serve as the communications center during emergencies and crises, and work to ensure that the public can count on us to provide timely, transparent and consistent communications. We're committed to building and maintaining meaningful relationships with individuals, organizations and companies in service of our learners.

Tracey Carson

Public Information Officer

513.398.0474 ext. 20144

Leslie Turner

Administrative Assistant

513.398.0474 ext. 20110

Learn more about Comet Communications & Engagement

Media Requests

Media requests and public information requests should contact:
Tracey Carson, Public Information Officer
211 North East St.
Mason, OH 45040
513.398.0474, option 7

Media Guidelines

The Mason City School District recognizes the important role the media plays in reporting news and information about its policies, programs, services, events, students and employees. The Public Information Office is committed to providing District information to the media and making every effort to work within media deadlines.

All media requests to interview, videotape or photograph Mason City Schools employees, students or board members must be made through the Public Information Office. When requests for student interviews are granted, the interview will be conducted at a District-designated site to minimize the loss of instructional time and disruption to the learning environment.

Visiting the District

The Mason City School District welcomes members of the media to visit our schools in order to follow through on stories. Members of the media are expected to notify the Public Information Office prior to gaining access to school property. As a safety and security precaution, the media will be asked to sign-in and present valid identification.

When videotaping, taking a still photograph, or conducting interviews while in the school district, the Public Information Officer (or designee) will accompany the media at all times to minimize disruption at the school and to assist with any additional requests.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Mason City School District abides by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which allows students and parents to opt out of the release of certain information about students, including photographs. The Public Information Officer works with each school to determine who cannot be photographed and interviewed according to FERPA guidelines.

School Board Meetings

Members of the media are invited to attend all open meetings of the Mason City School District Board of Education. Media may videotape and/or record these meetings. To avoid disruption of the meeting, members of the media are asked to not approach board members, guest speakers or members of the audience inside the board room during the meeting. Interviews should be conducted outside the board room in the foyer. Copies of the board agenda, informational items and other meeting materials are available online.

Emergencies

It is the Mason City School District’s practice to work as cooperatively as possible to provide timely information to the media on the emergency and its impact on students and staff members, provided the release of information does not jeopardize the emergency response activities, or conflict with FERPA, the well-being of our students and employees, or the concerns of their families. Members of the media may be assigned to a designated site to ensure full access to the emergency by emergency response teams.

The Public Information Office will work as quickly as possible to provide accurate information to the media through a spokesperson, written release or statement, or news briefings.

Closures & Delays

Communicating Closures and Delays

Calamity days may be called for a number of reasons. Most often, it is due to hazardous road conditions due to inclement weather. However, non-weather events may also be a reason for the district to schedule a calamity day. Some examples include: a water main break, power outage, health-related factors, or excessive illness. A calamity day may be district-wide or school building specific depending on the reason.

The Mason City School District strives to make announcements regarding school schedules by 5:30 am. When inclement weather is a strong possibility or reality, one of three decisions will be made by the school administration. We will run school as scheduled, delay, or close. No announcement means "school as usual."

In the event we experience inclement weather that will result in school delays or closings, an automated phone message will be sent out to students and staff members from our SchoolMessenger system. School delay or closing information will also be available on our website: MasonOhioSchools.com, the district’s Facebook page and Twitter feed, and on local radio and television stations.

	2-Hour Delay	Closed	Early Dismissal
MECC (AM PK-K)	Start time: 11:20am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 1:05pm (bus drops off 1 hour later than normal)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
MECC (PM PK-K)	Start time: 2:05pm (bus picks up 1 hour later than normal) Dismissal: 3:50pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
MECC (1-2)	Start time: 11:20am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 3:50pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
Mason Elementary (3-4)	Start time: 10:40am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 3:10pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
Mason Intermediate School (5-6)	Start time: 10:40am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 3:10pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
Mason Middle School (7-8)	Start time: 9:45am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 2:30pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
Mason High School (9-12)	Start time: 9:45am (bus picks up 2 hours later than normal) Dismissal: 2:30pm (normal drop off)	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information
Extended Care	Operates as usual, but morning enrichment classes begin 2 hours later than usual.	Closed	Will receive emails/calls/texts with information

Closing for Cold Weather

Mason City Schools will close on days when the temperature and/or wind chill are below -20ºF to -25ºF. Temperatures with wind chills in this range are considered dangerously cold if exposure is over 10-15 minutes. With students walking to school and waiting at bus stops, we consider this extreme cold a safety issue.

The National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Warning when wind chills are -25 or colder
The National Weather Service issues a Wind Chill Advisory when wind chills are -15 or colder.

Community Conversations

CommUNITY Conversations are an opportunity for citizens to talk with the Superintendent and other members of the Mason City Schools leadership team. By bringing people together to share stories and discuss issues that matter, we expand our sense of neighborhood and bridge divides through the power of connections and relationships. CommUNITY Conversations are often hosted in people's homes, businesses, or places of worship. Sometimes, the district hosts a Special Edition CommUNITY conversation about an issue. CommUNITY Conversations are where we find common ground when confronting and solving difficult issues. Some of the topics we have discussed include ensuring equity and inclusion, mental wellness, school safety, school start times, school finances, and other topics that need community input.

Host a CommUNITY Conversation

Would you like to host a CommUNITY Conversation? Invite ten or more people into your home and Superintendent Dr. Cooper will share Mason City Schools' story and answer questions. Email CommunityConvo@masonohioschools.com or call 513.398.0474, ext. 24004 with the best dates and times.

DEI Ambassadors

Mason City Schools DEI Ambassadors help leverage the diverse backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences of members of our community to facilitate learning and dialogue. With a spirit of cultural humility and curiosity, ambassadors help communciate and cascade MCS Inclusive Excellence goals - celebrating diversity, and acting for equity, inclusion and justice.

Apply to Be an MCS DEI Ambassador

eFlyers

Mason City Schools use Peachjar to send weekly flyers to families about school and community activities. First-time families receive a welcome email from Mason City Schools that includes a username and password. This is provided to give you the opportunity to manage your account and flyer delivery preferences. You do not need to login to receive eflyers. Click HERE for a simple 1 minute video that gives a bit more information on Peachjar.

Peachjar Process for Organizations

Peachjar sends school-approved eflyers directly to parents' inboxes and posts them to each school’s website. We provide the most highly effective electronic distribution system for school flyers.

Please note that we only approve non-profit organizations to send flyers through Peachjar to our families.

Once you register with Peachjar, you can upload your eflyer as a PDF and select your desired schools for distribution. Your eflyer will be automatically routed to the appropriate school district(s) for approval upon submission. Once approved, your eflyer will be posted to your selected schools and emailed to all parents as a visually engaging image. Your flyer will include a “Sign Up Now” button when you add your registration page URL. You can also add your website’s URL so parents can click for more information.

Please also note that ALL flyers are approved on Thursdays, and are both posted to the Peachjar website and emailed to families on Thursdays. If upon review it is found that changes need to be made, our office will be in touch as soon as possible so that you can update the flyer in time for Thursday's post and email.

**Flyers may be posted for a maximum of 1 month. If you select any option longer than a month, we will deny your flyer and ask you to resubmit.**

Getting started with Peachjar is as easy as...
1)Register an "Enrichment or Community Organization" account on Peachjar
2)Click "Post a Flyer" from the left-hand side menu
3)Select the schools you wish to post to and proceed to checkout

Peachjar charges a fee for this service. For more information about pricing, please visit the Service Fees page.

Flyer emails will be sent to our MCS families on Fridays. Flyers must be a PDF and contain the disclaimer “This event or activity is not sponsored by the Mason City School District” on the bottom of the flyer.

Golden Comet Card

Are you a Mason City Schools community member aged 60 or above?

The complimentary Golden Comet Card is your ticket to outstanding concerts, plays, musical productions, art shows, athletic events and more as our guest. It's a small way to acknowledge the ongoing support and many contributions our seniors make to the community.

Mason City Schools is a recognized leader in providing excellence in public education, with many proud traditions. Community members who take advantage of the benefits of a Golden Comet Card, are able to personally witness the community's children at their finest.

Call the Public Information Office at 513.398.0474, option 7 to get your Golden Comet Card or email contactmason@masonohioschools.com.

Military Families

Mason City Schools are proud to be designated as Purple Star Schools by the Ohio Department of Education. We are very grateful for the men and women who volunteer to serve our nation, and are committed to supporting military families.

Public Records Requests

Members of the public may request to inspect or obtain copies of Mason City Schools public records. When MCS receives a public records request, and unless part or all of a record is exempt from release, we provide inspection of the requested records promptly at no cost, or provide copies at cost within a reasonable period of time. Members of the public may choose to receive electronic copies of records.

You may submit requests for public records by emailing publicrecords@masonohioschools.com or faxing, mailing or calling the Treasurer.

Click here to review MCS Board Policy KBA - Public's Right to Know.

SafeSchools Tipline

See Something, Say Something

An important way we practice our Comet Culture belief of “Owning the Moment” is by saying something whenever anyone has a safety concern. Safety concerns can be about someone being bullied, a classmate who has posted something about wanting to harm themselves, an act of racism or bias, or another threat to school safety. The SafeSchools Alert is an anonymous, toll-free tip line that students, parents and staff can access 24/7— any time they need to tip off school administration about a potential crisis. It’s a confidential, anonymous way to keep our schools welcoming and safe. We encourage anyone to submit safety concerns (even anonymously) to our administration in four different ways:

1. Phone: 513.972.4910

2. Text: 513.972.4910

3. Email: 1059@alert1.us

4. Web: http://1059.alert1.us

Partnerships

We believe in the Power of Partnership!

Notable partnerships that continue to flourish include:

The collaboration with the City of Mason to build the Community Center and High School with many areas of shared use. The City of Mason provided the land, and the school district constructed the facility. Building the facility jointly saved taxpayers approximately $12 million.
The joint venture between Fifth Third Bank and the student-run school bank, Comet Savings & Loan. The CS&L manages over $300,000 in student accounts.
A partnership with Atrium Medical Center. The Hospital built the two-story health and wellness center that finishes the district's stadium, and a 10,000 square foot weight room on the high school campus. Atrium Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy and Premier Family Care of Mason occupy the top floor of the center, and the facility belongs to Mason City Schools. The school district financed the project by subleasing the second floor of the facility to Atrium, and granting them naming rights.
The Mason City School District proudly partners with Cincinnati Children's Hospital to offer school based therapy and prevention services to our students. This partnership allows students to get the mental health services they need, without the worry of leaving or missing school. For more information, please contact your student’s school counselor.

School Messenger

School Messenger is a communications service that the Mason City School District School Messenger logo uses to stay connected with families, to communicate about closures and delays, and in the event of an emergency. This service helps us send announcements, school newsletters, and district news via email, phone or text.

Sign up for Text Messaging in 2 Steps

1.) Verify your cell phone number is correct. Visit Mason Connects, click on “Students" then click on "View Profile" and contact information is at the bottom. If your number is incorrect, email data@masonohioschools.com.

2.) After you ensure that your cell phone is accurate, sign up for Mason City Schools SchoolMessenger service by texting “YES” to short code 67587. Due to FCC regulations, you must proactively opt in to text messages, and will not receive any texts from the district until you do so.

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