The Donovan Group Philosophy

Education is changing, and so are the needs of our students. The Donovan Group’s central philosophy is that active and ongoing communication is essential to all educational improvement, and that it is only through dialogue that we can achieve the transparency, credibility, and community engagement that is necessary for success.

To that end, the Donovan Group is focused on four central principles:

Engagement: We believe that our clients should move beyond simple communication to engage community members and other stakeholders in ongoing conversation.  It is for this reason that we take the long-term view of communications efforts, addressing urgent communications needs now but always preparing for the future.

Honesty: We know the importance of honesty, and ensure that this principle characterizes all of our communications efforts.

The single most important factor affecting the success of communication is trust.  In sharing information about schools, we must go beyond simply telling the truth.  We must be wary of overselling achievements or presenting information in any manner that is less than completely forthright.

We always work with our clients to provide only the most reliable information, with the knowledge that they must be fully accountable to the members of their communities.

Transparency: One of our central goals is to raise the level of dialogue about schools, by educating stakeholders about school and district processes, relevant state and federal laws, budget information, issues related to school finance, and other critical issues.  It is essential that this information be as transparent to stakeholders as possible.

Innovation and Originality: Even the best school or district must focus on continuous improvement. We use time-tested methods of communication and stakeholder engagement, but are constantly seeking newer, better approaches.  Our experience is one of our biggest assets, but we never take a cookie-cutter approach to our clients’ needs.