ADVOCATE FOR ST. MARGARET’S
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Letter-writing campaigns are an effective tool for advocacy because they allow supporters of St. Margaret’s School to directly communicate with decision-makers, amplify our voices, raise awareness, and demonstrate our support in a constructive, respectful manner.
TIME IS SHORT. DON’T WAIT.
Write to CSDV President Henry R. Broaddus, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, and the editors of local and regional newspapers. Follow the rules outlined below for the best chance of having your letter published in the newspaper. Some papers are weeklies and have firm deadlines of the Friday before the week of publication. Acceptable letter length varies from paper to paper.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Henry R. Broaddus, President, Church Schools in the Diocese of Virginia, Inc., 8727 River Road, Richmond, VA 23229, henry.broaddus@ecsdv.org
The Rt. Rev’d E. Mark Stevenson, The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, 110 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23220, mstevenson@episcopalvirginia.org
Richmond Times-Dispatch: https://richmond.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editor/
Northern Neck News Group: info@newsontheneck.com
Rappahannock Times: rapptimes@gmail.com
Rappahannock Record: Robert Mason Jr., editor@rapprecord.com
Southside Sentinel: Don Richeson, editor@ssentinel.com
Gloucester-Mathews Gazette: Charlie Koenig, ckoenig@gazettejournal.net
Daily Press: Education Desk: brian.root@pilotonline.com, Letters to the Editor: letters@dailypress.com
Tidewater Review (West Point) and the Virginia Gazette: Kimberly Root, kimberly.root@virginiamedia.com
The Virginian Pilot: Education Desk: brian.root@pilotonline.com, Letters to the Editor: https://www.pilotonline.com/2023/07/06/submit-a-letter-to-the-editor/
HOW TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Open the letter with a simple salutation.
Don't worry if you don't know the editor's name. A simple "To the Editor of the Daily Sun," or just “To the Editor:” is sufficient. If you have the editor's name, however, you should use it to increase the possibilities of your letter being read.
Grab the reader’s attention.
Your opening sentence is very important. It should tell readers what you’re writing about, and make them want to read more.
Explain what the letter is about at the start.
Throughout your letter, remember the rule:
Be quick,
Be concise, and then
Be quiet.
Don't make the editor or the general public wait to find out what you want to say. Tell them your key point at the beginning.
Explain why the issue is important.
If you are motivated enough to write a letter to a newspaper or magazine, the importance of your topic may seem clear to you. Remember, though, that the general public probably doesn't share your background or the interest. Explain the issue and its importance simply. Use plain language that most people will understand
Give evidence for any praise or criticism.
If you are writing a letter discussing a past or pending action, be clear in showing why this will have good or bad results.
State your opinion about what should be done.
You can write a letter just to ''vent," or to support or criticize a certain action or policy, but you may also have suggestions about what could be done to improve the situation. If so, be sure to add these as well. Be specific. And the more good reasons you can give to back up your suggestions, the better.
Keep it brief.
Generally, shorter letters have a better chance of being published. So go back over your letter and see if anything can be cut or condensed. If you have a lot to say and it can't be easily made short, you may want to check with the editor to see if you could write a longer opinion feature or guest column.
Sign the letter.
Be sure to write your full name (and title, if relevant) and to include your address, phone number, and e-mail address. Newspapers won't print anonymous letters, though in some cases they may withhold your name on request. They may also call you to confirm that you wrote the letter before they publish it.