Communicating During a Crisis

1. Communicating During a Crisis School-Site Crisis Communications

2. What is a Crisis? • Management through communication • Crisis Communication Plan • Response • Lessons Learned/Evaluation

3. What is a “School-Site Crisis?” • Any incident or situation, real or rumored, that is likely to have an impact within or outside the school or school district • An event over which you have little control, but can exert control over with planned action • Threatens the district’s image or reputation

4. Types of Crises • Student-related • Staff-related • Transportation • Communicable diseases • Natural disasters

5. Goals of Crisis Communications • To keep people informed while attempting to: • Maintain privacy of students and staff • Minimize disruption to the educational process • Avoid compromising investigations or emergency procedures

6. Communication – The Foundation for Crisis Management • Understand the key role communication plays • School leaders are expected to act and restore order • Response in the first 24 hours sets the pace • Develop relationships with other agencies

7. Crisis Communication Plan • Mitigate vulnerability to avoid crisis • Team • Roles • Scenarios • Anticipate communication obstacles • Draft key messages, Q & A • Practice

8. Strategies and Tactics • Develop a media policy and stick to it • Designate a spokesperson • Be prepared, be honest, be brief • Set short & long term goals to disseminate information • Develop key messages and stay with them • New media makes everyone a reporter • There is no such thing as “off the record”

9. Evaluation • Say “Thank you” • Reconvene the crisis team to evaluate • Review causes, responses and outcomes • Learn from the experience • Anticipate “triggering events”

10. A Final Word… • Communication is a year-round activity • Remember: • You can’t hide anything • You shouldn’t hide anything • Honesty is still the best policy