Communication in crisis— key
to school’s, principal’s reputation

by Lew Armistead
LA Communications

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(A photo from our 2007 Summer Leadership Institute.)

Tending to the immediate needs of students and staff during any crisis must be at the top of a school leader’s agenda, but if communication is overlooked, the impact of any crisis can be heightened and the school’s reputation can be damaged for years to come. This is not to say that communication has to be the first thing a principal considers during a crisis, but it should be near the top of the list. When communication is neglected, rumors are likely to develop, key audiences will question what is happening, and misinformation can spread throughout the community increasing the negative consequences of the crisis. Additionally, if a principal fails to communicate, his or her professional reputation can also receive a hit.

For all of these reasons, school leaders must be aware of communication needs during a crisis, and the following tips may help to achieve greater communication success:

Include communication in your crisis plan

The majority of school systems understand the value of having a written crisis management plan and the need to review and practice it on a consistent basis. However, that plan must include a communications segment, which outlines responsibilities, action steps, phone and pager numbers, etc. After any major crisis that receives national attention, it’s always wise to review your plan and see how it compares to what happened and how it might be adapted.

Know who will do what

Many school systems represented in The Partnership have public relations professionals on the central office staff; some do not. If there is a PR pro, he or she will likely handle the majority of news media requests and oversee community and parent communications. (That individual will also take the lead in developing the communication segment of the crisis plan.) In that case the principal needs to have a thorough understanding of what the central office will handle and what responsibilities will fall to the school. There should be a clear procedure in place regarding the expected response if news reporters phone the school asking to interview teachers, students or the principal. Many districts with a PR office will require that news media requests go through that office. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean reporters will know or abide by that practice. Principals must understand that they should refer media requests and that all school staff members should not speak individually with reporters.

In districts where there isn’t a PR pro on staff, principals should realize that they or a representative will have to deal with the news media, and the greater the crisis, the greater the number of media will appear at the school. More on dealing with the media later.

Remember the most important audiences

In a major crisis, schools can expect numerous demands regarding communication—not the least of which will come from the news media. But the most important audiences are those people closest to the school, including staff, students and parents. These are the key stakeholders for the school and must receive the greatest attention during a crisis or any other time.

One of the most important services during a major crisis is hosting a meeting for involved family members. Even the best of parents aren’t prepared to counsel their youngsters in recovering from a school shooting or inappropriate behavior by school personnel. Such a meeting should be held quickly and in the evening. An expert on the subject should be available to recommend actions family members can take in supporting their students and to answer questions.

The school should plan how to best communicate with these key audiences before any crisis hits. Some techniques that have proven effective include—

• Using electronic communications whenever possible since numerous individuals can be reached quickly when the crisis hits. School leaders should assure that they have current email addresses for parents, staff and students and develop group email lists so that the most important messages can be delivered with the fewest number of ‘clicks on the computer.’ It’s important to alert these audiences to anticipate communications via email in time of crisis. Some districts and schools are now using telephone systems that can deliver a message to every parent or staff member with one press of a button.

•Having current home, cell, fax, and pager numbers for key individuals. Unfortunately, crisises do not occur at the convenience of a school leader.

•Having sample communications ready to go. These might include letters alerting parents to what occurred, alerts to the news media as to when spokespeople will be available, etc.

• Considering a morning electronic memo to key audiences. This has been a time saving tool in a number of crisises. One person is assigned to prepare the memo first thing in the morning. It might include an update of special meetings for students and parents, information on crisis counseling, correction of any inaccurate information that appeared the previous day, where additional information can be obtained, etc. That memo can be emailed to numerous audiences, including staff, parent leaders, news media, and key community leaders.

Seek help—as much help as possible.

If a crisis is big enough, a school leader will face communication demands that he or she can not anticipate. Even a smaller crisis may demand the quick action that is difficult to provide with existing staff. One of the most effective steps a principal can take now is determining where he or she can find volunteers to help. Sources might include—

• Retired teachers or classified staff members. One of the greatest advantages of retirees is that they know the school and many of the people involved in the crisis and they are loyal to the school.

• Trusted parents. They also will be familiar with the school.

• Community members who have expertise in key areas. For example, if a local corporation has a public relations professional who has been through a crisis, he or she may be able to provide counseling.

In additional to people, there are organizations that can provide assistance. The National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) has a membership of school system PR pros, many of whom have been through a crisis. NSPRA, whose Web site is www.nspra.org, also has a crisis communication manual that is a valuable resource in planning how to manage a crisis.

The National Association of School Psychologists, www.nasponline.org, has online information regarding recovering from a crisis and can recommend experts to work with a school.

Dealing with the news media

While the news media shouldn’t be your primary concern, they will demand attention. In districts with a PR pro, that person will likely be the key contact point for reporters. Without that resource, principals working with the central office will have to determine how media needs will be met. Here are a few points to keep in mind—

• Be the first to announce your “crisis.” This may sound anti-intuitive, but there are solid reasons to follow this course of action. When there’s a shooting on campus, reporters are likely to find out quickly; but with a fiscal mismanagement or sexual harassment issue, it may be days before “word leaks out.” Before the leak school leaders should call the media together and announce the problem. There are two primary reasons to do this. When the school announces the problem, it controls the announcement and heads off inaccurate information from spreading throughout the community. You can get out accurate facts before others communicate inaccuracies. Secondly, your action will encourage reporters not to spend inordinate amounts of time trying to investigate the situation to find out what really happened. This means the negative story is likely to be covered in the media for a shorter period of time. When reporters feel a need to investigate, stories can appear for weeks. Of course, school leaders must be forthcoming with all the information that can be released to achieve this trust. A byproduct of announcing the crisis is that school personnel will develop credibility with the media that can be helpful for years to come.

• It’s time-efficient to answer media questions when all reporters covering the crisis are in one place. The alternative is answering the same question over and over on the telephone. Thus, schools should schedule news briefings for reporters at least once a day at a time convenient for reporters (usually mid-morning). Media alerts can be disseminated so that reporters will attend the briefings. When holding a briefing, school personnel should determine the length. It should be long enough to deliver the important information and answer some questions, but not so long that questions become repetitive and time is wasted. Typically, the briefing should begin with a statement from the school outlining new developments, and then should allow questions from reporters.

• Remember the importance of your local media. The local daily newspaper, television and radio stations, and weekly papers will remain in your community long after the crisis. While it may sound exciting to do an interview with a major national television show, don’t overlook your local reporters. Additionally, stakeholders in your community may be used to getting their news from the local media.

• You don’t have to answer all questions. Just because a reporter asks a question, doesn’t mean it must be answered. Obviously, it’s best to answer truthfully and completely whenever possible. But there are some issues that may not be in the interest of the school to deal with in the public press. Personnel or legal matters and topics sensitive to the involved families fall into this category. When you can’t answer a question, explain why to reporters, such as it’s a personnel matter. The best way to head off criticism is to be as up-front with reporters as possible while maintaining the interests of the school.

• When you have the chance, provide information to the media in writing. This might include written statements at news briefings and basic information on the school. News sources often complain about inaccurate reporting, but the media is also scrambling during a crisis and inaccuracies are more likely to occur. Having key information in writing heads this off and benefits everyone.

There is much more regarding communicating in a crisis than can be dealt with in one article, but these keys will get a school leader started on the road to effective communications in a time when it’s especially difficult but tremendously important.

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