Every Minute Counts

^{by Elida Roskamp}

Timely Crisis Communications Maintain Trusting Relationships

Communicating during a crisis of any size is complex, high-stakes, and one of the most challenging actions for a school leader.

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Entire books have been written on responding to a crisis and crisis communications. In this blog post, DehlerPR will focus on “When to communicate” and will use the communications rubric: Who needs to know, What do they need to know, and When do they need to know, to outline the crisis response. The extensive experience of the DehlerPR Team has proven that when a crisis strikes a school district, timely communication will maintain or break the trust you have built with stakeholders.
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Every crisis has unique circumstances and challenges that require flexibility and adjustments to the timelines in this article. The following provides two basic response paths for you to manage crisis communications with clarity and confidence.

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Big or Small, Crises Demand Immediate Strategic Communication

Crises come in two forms, both requiring strategic communication:

• Big C Crises are major emergencies like school shootings, serious accidents, or student deaths that demand immediate action and extensive coordination with emergency responders.
• Small c Crises are less severe but still significant situations like weather-related school closures, power outages, or non-life-threatening incidents.

”Regardless of crisis size, your communication plan and response process should remain consistent,” says Sara Thompson, senior strategist for DehlerPR. “What changes is the specific messaging, not the method of dissemination.”

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Who to Contact First

After calling 9-1-1 to activate emergency responders, alerting the school board, and creating your messaging, and use this communication flow:

1. Teachers & Staff
2. Students (age-appropriate messages for elementary and secondary students)
3. Parents/Guardians & Families
4. Key Communicators
5. Mass communications to the Community
6. Media Responses

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The Critical First Hour

Communicating every 15-30 minutes during the first hour gives stakeholders confidence that you're taking action.

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Minutes 0-10: Initial Alert

Send your first message stating only confirmed facts. Be brief. Confirm your emergency action plan is activated, explain where and how to expect updates, and request patience.

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Big C Crisis Timeline

• Minutes 15-20: Share new details from first responders, including the affected school, class, grade level, and basic demographics.
• Minutes 30-45: Deliver your first public statement via livestream or recording, then post immediately to your website and social media.
• Minutes 60-75: Additional press conferences may occur with community leaders providing new information and perspectives.

Small c Crisis Timeline

• Minutes 15-20: Provide specific, actionable information. For weather closures, include details about services remaining open, when school will resume, and where to find updates.
• Minutes 30-45: Share resolution status updates—confirm students are safe, alternate routes exist, or facilities teams are addressing issues.
• Minutes 45-60: Communicate next steps and any operational changes.

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Special Consideration: Medical Crises

Medical emergencies require additional caution. Balance transparency with HIPAA laws and student data privacy regulations. Focus on safety measures and next steps without disclosing protected health information.

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Be Prepared & Practice

Your district should have a crisis response plan, but having a plan isn't enough—practice it regularly through tabletop exercises to build muscle memory. The reality is that every district will eventually face a crisis. Being prepared makes all the difference.

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Why Transparency Builds Trust

Clear, consistent, and timely communication builds trust over time. When you communicate openly during a crisis, families trust that adminstrators are acting in students' best interests, and staff and community members gain confidence in leadership.

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Be the Calm in the Crisis

"When a crisis hits, y2our ability to stay calm determines everything that follows," says Jeff Dehler, APR, President of DehlerPR. "Focus on the present moment and gather information. Assess the situation rationally rather than reacting emotionally. Act deliberately, tackling one manageable task at a time. Your clear, neutral tone in communications will guide others through the chaos and help them stay focused on what matters most - students, staff, and families."

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This series on strategic communications in schools is provided as a service from Resource Training and Solutions to provide additional resources to busy school leaders.

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Blog by Elida Roskamp, Winona State University Student Intern, in consultation with the DehlerPR Team.

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References

Resources: https://www.cgcs.org/crisiscommunication and https://www.nspra.org/