Crisis Communications for K-12 Schools
While you can almost never predict a crisis, you can always plan for one. This series will assist school leaders and school boards to effectively communicating with stakeholders during and in preparation for times of crisis.
The webinar series holds together as a coherent, sequenced program, but participation in all sessions is not necessary. Each session will include content delivery, opportunities to interact with other educators relative to the topic, and access to tools and resources.
Audience: School Leaders, Board Members
Session Schedule and Registration
Session 1
Managing Crisis
In this session, we’ll begin by presenting a trio of fictional public relations crises—one caused by an administrative/board decision, one that is prompted by unexpected events at the school, and one that is completely parent-driven and external to them. These crises will be referenced throughout all three sessions but will be of particular importance here.
We’ll spend this time together exploring strategies for understanding and addressing each type of crisis when it happens. Participants will receive handouts and practical, proven tips for managing difficult issues.
Date and Time: Thursday, November 17, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Session 2
Building a Crisis Communications Plan
From natural disasters to a human resources issue gone wrong, every organization can benefit from a useful crisis communications plan. In this session, we’ll walk through the essential elements of a high-quality crisis plan and send participants home with a template suitable for customizing.
Date and Time: Thursday, December 15, 2022 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Session 3
Working with the Media
We’ll use this third session to provide tried-and-true tactics for media interviews and outreach. Our time together will incorporate sample interviews (both for watching and for practicing) and recommend strategies for building strong media relationships so they’ll be there when needed.
Date and Time: Tuesday, January 24, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Session 4
Building a Crisis-Proof Brand
During the last session of the four, we’ll share strong approaches to building the very best defense against a crisis: a trusted, consistent brand. We’ll help participants understand their brand strengths and areas of opportunity, and share leadership tactics for proactive, targeted improvements.
Date and Time: Tuesday, February 14, 2023 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Presenter Information
Stephanie Van Koevering
Introducing Stephanie Van Koevering
Smart. Experienced. Practical. Determined.
When clients talk about Stephanie, they describe a professional who gets results. Look behind the scenes of many key initiatives of the last three decades and you’ll find her tirelessly producing strategies, documents and internal supports for a wide array of organizations.
After beginning her career in K–12 school finance, Stephanie went on to work in politics and state government. She spent four years in the executive office of the Michigan Department of Treasury before striking out on her own in 2001.
Stephanie has worked with clients in the public, private, nonprofit, university, and K–12 sectors. Her breadth of experience ranges from supporting top executives in large multinational corporations to helping start tiny new organizations from scratch.
A Michigan native, Stephanie now lives in DeWitt with her family. She is a graduate of Hope College.
SCECH Availability
At no cost to participants, up to 4.0 SCECHs can be earned for participating in our Crisis Communications for K-12 Schools series (1.0 for each session).
Questions?
Please contact Jayme Lesperance, Manager of Teacher Development, if you have any questions about this series.