Category Archive: Media and Parent Communications

Lawyers, media talk school safety even when educators don’t

Posted by on April 2, 2012

School officials may be talking less about school safety today, but lawyers and the media certainly are not silent on the topic. Many school security directors, school police chiefs and school safety consultants will tell you (at least privately) that getting school boards, administrators and staff to consistently focus proactively on school safety is increasingly […]

Chardon High School shooting CNN interview shows media focus on school safety

Posted by on April 1, 2012

Media and parent questions about school safety following a school shooting make up what we often refer to as “the post-crisis crisis” for educators, law enforcement officials and their community partners. School and safety leaders can expect to be asked tough, pointed questions about safety, security and emergency preparedness procedures in their schools. Gone are […]

‘Most wanted’ fugitive joins an elementary school field trip

Posted by on March 28, 2012

Try explaining to parents why a convicted drug offender with a warrant was able to chaperone his daughter’s class on an elementary school field trip. “It appears that there was a miscommunication in the building today. The parent was not cleared to chaperone,” the Seattle School District said in a statement according to a December msnbc.com article […]

Should Police & Schools Keep Parents in Dark on Sex Assault?

Posted by on March 23, 2011

How would you feel if a stranger abducted and sexually assaulted a female during lunchtime and in the same block as your daughter’s school?  And how would you feel if your school administrators and police officials never told you, other parents, and students about the incident for 12 days? This happened near David Douglas High […]

What Parents Expect After a Shooting & Pipe Bombs at School

Posted by on September 24, 2010

  A 14-year-old South Carolina high school student shoots at a school resource officer (SRO).  He has two pipe bombs in his backpack.  A search of the student’s home finds a wide array of items including shotgun and handgun shells, multiple cigarette lighters, exploded bomb pieces, 14 carbon dioxide cartridges, and the list goes on. Authorities later find […]

More of What Parents Want to Know About School Safety

Posted by on July 24, 2010

Prevention and preparedness.  Parents want to know about both of these school safety components. Could you and your school leaders answer these two questions with specific examples if asked unexpectedly? What specific steps have you taken to prevent incidents of violence and crime in your school(s)? How well prepared are your school staff to respond to and […]

Managing Media and Parent School Safety and Crisis Communications

Posted by on July 21, 2010

You’ll take a hit if you effectively manage an overall school crisis response, but drop the ball in communicating with parents and the media. That was one of my main messages to school communications and public relations directors when I spoke last week at the annual conference of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).  As […]

Finding a Gun In a School Is Good News

Posted by on May 14, 2010

Educators, parents, and the media often look upon a gun or drug confiscation in a school as bad news and a negative mark on a school’s reputation.  In fact many historically believed, and some still believe, the presence of a police car parked outside of a school implies an out-of-control school and an incompetent principal exists […]

School Crisis: Chaos or Communication?

Posted by on March 9, 2010

The news headline: “Adults’ missteps detailed in S. Phila. High violence” The story goes on to read: “On Dec. 3, as Asian students endured a daylong series of attacks at South Philadelphia High, the adults responsible for their safety were often confused or unsure how to respond. The principal ordered a midmorning lockdown – designed […]

Social Media Advice for School Administrators

Posted by on March 2, 2010

Twitter.  Facebook.  Blogs. Social media is just about everywhere – except in the comfort zone of the majority of school administrators and teachers. I see social media having both proactive and reactive roles in school safety and crisis response.  This, of course, first requires educators to overcome their fear of the new forms of communication. My […]