Welcome to the Watauga County Schools Communications Office Page!

WCS Communications is led by Director of Communications/Community Relations Bailey Little. WCS Communications works to oversee and shape the district’s internal and external communications strategy in order to maintain engagement and transparency with internal and external stakeholders, while elevating the district’s brand. Efforts are made throughout each school year to ensure communications are timely, informational, and accessible. 

The Director of Communications manages all media/news requests.

Media Guidelines

We are committed to celebrating the accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff through a variety of broadcast, online, print, and audio media while also protecting the privacy and safety of all students. Our media guidelines detail rules that are strictly enforced on District property to ensure that our students have a safe and secure learning environment free from disruption.

Visiting a School Campus

When a member of the media is on District property, the Communications Director, principal, or a designee will serve as an escort to facilitate logistics of the visit, minimize school interruption, and assist with additional requests. If you would like to visit one of our schools, please contact the Communications Director to schedule a date and time. Please be sure to make requests within a reasonable time frame, as scheduling these types of visits takes some coordination especially during busy times within the school year. WCS welcomes the opportunity to work with members of the media, but respectfully asks that any requests be made with reasonable deadlines/turnaround times.

Photographing & Interviewing Students/Staff

Watauga County Schools strictly adheres to student privacy preferences and guidelines on the release of student information, outlined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). At the beginning of each school year, parents/guardians are asked to complete a Media Release Form, which determines media permissions for their student. This allows families to choose the capacity in which their child can be included in photographs and video footage taken internally by our Communications team. Outside media entities will require a separate release form. The Office of Communications will work with each school in advance of all media opportunities to determine which students can and cannot be photographed and/or interviewed.

Please direct all media inquiries to Director of Communications Bailey Little. If you are a member of the media, please include your deadline and all other relevant details that will help us work to accommodate your request.  

 

Social Media

The district is on Facebook @Watauga County Schools and each K-8 school and WHS/WIA have their own Facebook pages. In July 2026, our district will join Instagram. WHS/WIA does have an Instagram page @whs_pioneers.

Two of our Communications initiatives that have a positive impact on both our district culture and on community engagement are "Staff That Shine" and #StudentVoices.

Below you will find information about each.

Thank you for staying up to date with our district!

 

 

The Watauga County Schools Department of Communication has been honored with Blue Ribbon Awards from the North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) for outstanding communication in the 2024-2025 school year and the 2025-2026 school year. 

2024 Blue Ribbon Awards received were three Bronze level awards. These were in the categories of Excellence in Writing and Electronic Media. 

2025 Blue Ribbon Awards received were three Silver level awards and one Bronze level award. The Silver level awards were in the categories of Digital Media Engagement, Electronic Media and Special Events and Programs. The Bronze level award was in Strategic Communications.

Award categories included: Strategic Communications, Digital Media Engagement, Electronic Media, Excellence in Writing, Publications, Image/Graphic Design, Photography, and Special Projects and Events.

NCSPRA recognizes outstanding communications through its Blue Ribbon Awards program each year. WCS was one of 35 school districts statewide to receive one or more Blue Ribbon Awards.

The Georgia School Public Relations Association judged NCSPRA’s 2025 Blue Ribbon entries based on work done between October 31, 2024 and November 1, 2025.

WCS Director of Communications/Community Relations Bailey Little pictured at the awards ceremony on March 6, 2026.

Ms. Little is serving two terms as a Board member for the North Carolina School Public Relations Association and looks forward to advocating for and advancing communications in Watauga County and across the state. 

WCS Staff That Shine

This is a staff recognition initiative that was started during 2024-2025 school year. It was a success and has brought joy to so many staff members across the district, therefore, it was continued in the 2025-2026 school year. We hope to maintain this initiative! At the end of each month, we present the "(month) (year) Staff That Shine!" on our Facebook page. This is something everyone looks forward to. Staff who receive shout-outs receive an email from Ms. Little sharing the news before the end of the month, so that they can see and appreciate the message before it is shared out to the wider community. Anyone in the community can submit a "Thank You" to any WCS employee at ANY school or site during the school year.

Student Voices Initiative

This exciting project kicked off during the 2025-2026 school year as a result of reports and findings by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). 

As mentioned in their reporting, “When students have authentic ways to contribute and feel heard, it transforms their relationship with school.”

The goal of this project is to find ways to strategically add students to creating content that is used for district communication. Since students and student outcomes are at the core of our mission and vision, incorporating them into our messaging will make a huge positive impact!

NSPRA featured WCS in an article (March 2026) to share more about the initiative nationwide 
Elevating Student Voices Article- National School Public Relations Association

Students can use skills they have learned through their classes and organizations (digital art, journalism, broadcasting, interviewing and marketing).

We look forward to sharing student created projects throughout the remainder of the school year from all of our K-8 schools and WHS/WIA to elevate student voices in our communication efforts!

Below is a link to a separate webpage where projects from each school will be shared throughout the school year.  

Ms. Little extends gratitude to each school administrator for their support and for the staff members and students she has partnered with so far on this project.

 

Bethel School- Ms. Cheyenne Ross

Cove Creek School- Mrs. Jenna Doll

Mabel School- Mrs. Katie LeGrand

Valle Crucis School- Mr. Allen Ingram and Mrs. Laurie Blalock

Planning podcasts and news broadcasts!

 

More partnerships and news to come! 

Student Voices Project Webpage