Greendale public schools hires new communication director

Greendale's new information director wants to listen and learn as well as provide school updates on all social media platforms.

A graduate of Marquette University with a bachelor's degree in public relations and with more than 20 years of experience in the field, Kitty Goyette has made the transition from the corporate world to the public schools domain. This is her first public schools job.

Goyette, save for her four years of college, has been a lifetime resident of Greendale. She lives in the home she was raised in, having moved there from a Greendale Original she and her husband purchased in 1994.

She has two sons who graduated from Greendale High School, one son who is a freshman at the school and a son who will attend GHS next year. She has volunteered in numerous parent organizations.

"It's an honor for me to be part of the district and use my expertise as a communicator to get the message out to all the audiences we're affiliated with and trying to reach," Goyette said.

While the communications director position was officially vacant for some time, Bill Attewell, former technology coordinator for the district, filled in.

Goyette sees her role as first understanding the district's communication goals and needs and then implementing strategies to meet those needs. She has spent her first two weeks primarily figuring out the school system, touring schools and learning how Greendale communicates. She plans on using that knowledge to spread information via the Internet, newspapers and other means.

"I think that we need to make sure that we're communicating in the best possible manner," Superintendant John Tharp said. "This is a critical position to us to make sure that we are getting our information out because parents and community members want to know what's going on and we have to make sure that we're telling them."

Her biggest challenge, according to Goyette, is in understanding the ins and outs of the school district.

"I'm looking to learn more about my community and the other things that I might not have been aware of going into the schools with my limited experience," she said, referencing her experience in corporate settings.

Just the facts

WHO: Kitty Goyette

WHAT: Hired as the new information director

WHERE: Greendale Public Schools

WHEN: Feb. 6