1. OPENING QUESTIONS
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL
WITH THE PRESS?
HOW DID IT GO?

2. Why spend this much time on
COMMUNICATIONS
• CONTROLING YOUR MESSAGE
• ADDRESSING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS AND
COUNTLESS STAKE HOLDERS
• ENHANCING THE IMAGE OF YOUR
DISTRICT

3. EDUCATORS AS
COMMUNICATOR
• THIS IS NOW EXPECTED FROM SCHOOLS
• SCHOOLS AND EDUCATORS HAVE
TRADITIONALLY OPERATED AS A SEPARATE
WORLD
• NONE OF YOU HAVE FAILED AT THIS, YOU JUST
HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DO THIS KIND
OF WORK

4. WHAT CHANGED
• TECHNOLOGY HAS LOWERED THE BAR SO
PEOPLE BELIEVE THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO
KNOW MORE NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.
• ANYONE WITH A CELL PHONE AND
ACCESS TO THE INTERNET IS A
“JOURNALIST” AND CAN MAKE YOUR
SCHOOL A INSTANT SENSATION, OR A
LIVING HELL.

5. AS A RESULT
• IF YOU DON’T PROVIDE THE
ANSWERS…RUMORS AND
MISINFORMATION BECOME
“FACTS”

6. THREE KEY TIPS
• TIMELINESS
• TONE
• TRUTH

7. SCENARIO
• BREAK INTO SMALL GROUPS
AND WORK THROUGH THIS
SCENARIO…WHAT WOULD YOU
DO IN THIS SITUATION?
• BE PREPARED TO SHARE IN 15
MINUTES

8. SCENARIO VIDEO

9. ROAD MAP
• SPECIFIC TOOLS FOR
DEALING WITH THE
PRESS

10. WHAT DO I DO WHEN A
REPORTER CALLS
• COLLECT YOUR THOUGHTS AND
THEN YOU OR YOUR PRESS PERSON
SHOULD CALL THE REPORTER BACK
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

11. WHAT IF I CAN’T ANSWER THE
QUESTIONS
• I HAVE TO PROTECT PRIVACY OR I
HAVE A LEGAL RESTRICTION
• I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER

12. REPORTER’S TACTICS
• “I FEEL LIKE I TALK TOO MUCH WHEN A
REPORT CALLS. HOW DO I AVOID MAKING
THAT MISTAKE?”
• “IT FEELS LIKE A REPORTER ALREADY HAS
HIS/HER STORY WRITTEN AND ARE JUST
CALLLING FOR MY COMMENT.” HOW DO I
RESPOND?

13. STORY GOES TO PRESS AND IT
IS WRONG
• CALL THE REPORTER AND ASK QUESTIONS
• USE SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMPETING
MEDIA OUTLETS
• DIRECT COMMUNICATION TO YOUR
COMMUNITY AND PARENTS, INCLUDING
EMAILS AND LETTERS AND TOWN HALL
MEETINGS
• CALL THE REPORTER’S BOSS

14. CRISIS MANAGEMENT
• THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CRISES:
• 1. SEEMS SMALL AND MAYBE IT WILL PASS
OR
• 2. YOU KNOW IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM
• THE SAME RULES APPLY

15. SOCIAL MEDIA
• SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO EVERY
BLOG, FACEBOOK POSTING?
• SHOULD YOU BE TWEETING?
• SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO A CRISIS ON
THE SCHOOL WEBSITE?
• WHAT ABOUT EMAIL?

16. INTERVIEWS
• WHEN SHOULD YOU AGREE TO DO AN
INTERVIEW IN PRINT OR ON TELEVISION?
• IF YOU HAVE A PRESS PERSON, SHOULD YOU
TAKE HIM/HER WITH YOU TO THE
INTERVIEW?
• HOW SHOULD YOU PREPARE FOR AN
INTERVIEW?

17. GOOD NEWS
• HOW CAN YOU GET REPORTERS TO COVER
GOOD NEWS STORIES IN YOUR DISTRICT?
• IF YOU CAN’T GET A REPORTER TO COVER
THESE STORIES, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO
GET THE GOOD NEWS OUT TO THE
PUBLIC?

18. ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP
WITH REPORTERS
• 1. TAKE THEM TO
LUNCH, COFFEE, DRINKS…INTRODUCE
YOURSELF AND LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE
TO SAY ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT
• 2. CHECK IN OCCASIONALLY WITH NO
AGENDA
• 3 GIVE REPORTERS A HEADS UP WHEN YOU
CAN
• 4. NEVER LIE OR SWEETEN THE TRUTH.

19. TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS
• SHARE EXPERIENCES