WORCESTER – Tuesday, June 7, 2025 – The Worcester Public Schools Communications Department has received five national awards for outstanding work communicating with district students, families, staff and the community over the past year.
The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) announced that WPS is receiving five Publications and Digital Media Excellence Awards for 2025 for communications work in writing, graphic design, social media, photography, and video production.
In 2024, the WPS Communications Department received three awards, including the high-level “Golden Achievement Award” for its multimedia campaign about the annual school enrollment season.
“I am incredibly proud of the WPS Communications Department for this well-deserved national recognition,” said Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez, PhD. “In just over two years, our communications team has built a robust and highly effective operation from the ground up. Their dedication to transparent, engaging, and accessible communication is vital to our mission, ensuring our scholars, families, and staff are always informed and engaged. These awards are a testament to their hard work, commitment to excellence and innovation.”
“This outstanding achievement by the WPS Communications Department truly highlights the district’s commitment to excellence in keeping our families, staff, and community members informed,” said Deputy Superintendent Brian Allen, who will become Superintendent on July 1. “Effective communication is the cornerstone of a strong school community.”
WPS received two "excellence" level awards:
A recognition for Writing: Excellence was awarded to Kyle Prudhomme, Communications Specialist, for an article and photography about the Gear Up program’s “On the Spot Acceptance Day” at North High School.
A recognition for Marketing: Excellence was awarded to Anca Tughin, Communications Specialist, for the design of the district’s “Attendance Matters” poster.
WPS received three “merit” level awards:
A recognition for Photography: Merit was awarded to Kyle Prudhomme, Communications Specialist, for his photo of student dancers performing at Burncoat High School.
A recognition for Social Media: Merit was awarded to Dan O’Brien, Chief Communications Officer, and Kyle Prudhomme and Anca Tughin, Communications Specialists for the “Friendly Faces” social media series that featured photographs of students from nearly all WPS elementary and middle schools all year long.
A recognition of Video Series Produced In House: Merit was awarded to Worcester Educational Access Television videographers Christine Wilson, Eric McKeon, and Stephanie Castano Flores for a series of programmatic outreach videos designed to assist students and families with understanding important information about WPS programs. The videos were about Countdown to Kindergarten, culture and climate teams, the importance of doing well on the MCAS exam, South High’s career technical education programs, and the My Stop school bus app.
The WPS Communications Department was created in February 2023 and led by Dan O’Brien, the district’s first Chief Communications Officer. The department oversees the district’s website, social media, ParentSquare, media relations, graphic design, crisis communications, videography with Worcester Educational Access Television, and the district’s Digital Document Center.
O’Brien is also the President of the New England School Public Relations Association, which was launched in 2022 and has grown to more than 150 members — school communications professionals or school administrators with communications responsibilities.