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Communications Lessons From Sandy Hook. Oregon School Public Relations Association. A Quiz… Fact or Fiction. The shooter was 24 year old Ryan Lanza The Mother of the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary school taught there at one time
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Communications Lessons From Sandy Hook Oregon School Public Relations Association Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
A Quiz… Fact or Fiction • The shooter was 24 year old Ryan Lanza • The Mother of the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary school taught there at one time • A man was arrested outside of Sandy Hook elementary school on the morning of the shooting • The school asked for teddy bears to comfort their students • The community needed volunteers, especially grief counselors to come to Newtown to help Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
Sandy Hook…Now You See It… Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
Now You Don’t… Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
Overview • 26 people killed in a small community • Some parents are city employees – everyone knew someone • Media and visitors shuts down the town. Gridlock • President comes to visit… so does Anderson Cooper and Dr. Phil • 21 Funerals in town in about a week • Massive law enforcement effort • Multiple Federal agencies respond • Businesses impacted • Volunteers… some invited … some not • $7.5 Million donated to families within 4 weeks • 60,000 Teddy Bears • Cascading Events… School leadership a victim, snow, flu, conspiracy theory Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
School Issues- Shooting at a school, not a school shooting • Key Leaders Victims • Plans in place… worked well for the most part • Rebuild? Tear it down? • Relocate and Reopen New Sandy Hook Elementary • Costs • Personnel Decisions • Superintendent • Sandy Hook Principal • Neighboring schools in lock down • Non Traditional Support Methods… Comfort Dogs, horses and pigs • Trigger Events for Kids – scraping chairs • Staff – Parking Lot Phone Call Support TYPICAL Reactions: Scapegoat, Staff turn over, Test Scores, Vocabulary… 12-14, Anniversaries Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
Donations Management… VOADAdventist Disaster Services Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
What Are The PIO Issues Around Donations? Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
CommunityCommunicationHub Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt, yoursafeplace@msn.com
Memorials… Intentional, Unintentional Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt, yoursafeplace@msn.com
Media/Communications Issues • MSN Story giving address of school “send a sympathy card” • MSN Story asking for ‘Volunteers, especially Grief Counselors, please call… • Funeral Home Visit • Police information was wrong in the beginning • Newtown Bee provided Media Training to impacted First Responders • Connecticut Association of Funeral Directors… 18 volunteer Funeral Directors to help and a Media Consultant Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
We are NOT objective • An Event Impacts You…. • Judgment May Be Impaired • School System Isn’t Alone… Use Your Resources • PIO/Communications Job During a Major Crisis May be Different Than Day to Day Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
We Are Not Alone Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
School Superintendent Senator Parent SelectWoman Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
Take Aways • Coordination begins in chaos • It’s about relationships • Understand we are in this for the long haul • Spokesperson may change but message should be consistent • Perception IS reality Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
