School districts face extremely complicated circumstances. They are in crisis mode. Staff is scrambling. COVID-19, mask policies and positive tests stretch far beyond past school controversies such as bonds and overrides.
In some communities, large percentages of families are arguing for students to return to in-person learning despite the pandemic. Other people are taking the debate as an opportunity to share personal and political platforms and go into attack mode. At the same time, the news media are seeking stories.
How can districts create sound school reopening plans in this environment and navigate challenges amid shaming and public scrutiny? Some school districts employ a single communications person. The same person, who also takes on additional roles, now must regularly release statements and surveys. How do districts find a path forward? How can districts protect their reputations amid what feels like a no-win situation?
Put together a game plan. Strategize how to communicate to various audiences. Get the right people in place to share key messages. Identify empathetic spokespeople the community can relate to. Anticipate the tough questions and scenarios. Create a checklist. It’s all about preparation. Get ready and hunker down. Don’t verbally shoot from the hip.
Empathize and personalize your people. Acknowledge the tough position families and communities are in. Display understanding. Empathizing is not weakness. This is not about winners and losers.
Point out the changing and confusing guidelines that districts are receiving. Explain the district is reviewing an incredible amount of information that sometimes requires legal review. Not everyone will agree with a district’s tough decisions. However, position your leadership and employees as good, hardworking people who are doing the best they can. They trained for and are devoted to teaching. They never anticipated tackling a constantly changing pandemic. Humanize your staff. They are not cardboard, bureaucratic cutouts. Some of them are parents, too. They are part of the same community. They are your neighbors who often can relate to your values. They feel the same strain.
Practice. Carving out time is difficult. However, make time for district leadership and key staff to take part in training exercises which challenges them with real world questions and scenarios they will face if and when students return to schools. If more structured training is not practicable, find moments to practice answering questions one on one with co-workers. Reiterate best practices. Determine if staff is sharing accurate and consistent answers and messages. Learn how prepared your district genuinely is to handle tough conversations.
You want to provide not only accurate and important responses, but also deliver them swiftly when necessary,
Put out positive pieces. You can’t avoid the news media and their requests for interviews. You can’t prevent critics from feeding stories to reporters. You can’t make journalists always share the good and useful information you provide them. Some reporters simply select the facts that fit their preconceived narratives. How can districts continue to devote time to the media?
If specific news media outlets are not treating you fairly and objectively, then counteract this by proactively finding other approaches to pumping out positive stories. Find journalists who are more receptive to sharing pertinent information not reaching the community. Identify writers and influencers who are district advocates who would speak publicly to neutralize misinformation.
With today’s technology, school districts also can reach audiences without depending solely on the media. When reporters are not sharing the full story, turn to websites, social media and e-newsletters.
Don’t forget about communicating with staff. What messages are you sharing with employees? How are you helping staff with information to share with parents? Don’t leave staff in the dark without tools. Ensure they are sharing consistent messages without those messages somehow getting lost.
All this takes time and involves effort. It won’t be easy. It won’t be perfect. However, you can proactively work to manage the story and lessen the negativity by properly preparing for the storm.
