Effectively handling critical school district communications for situations ranging from union negotiations and strikes to active shooter incidents instills pride and confidence in the quality of the educational experiences provided to students and their families. Administrations of school districts of all sizes are managing complex, multi-channel communications with increased scrutiny and must have of a solid game plan for communications during crises situations.
Solution
Chartwell Agency has worked with numerous public school districts to provide direction and communication strategy around difficult union negotiations or impending teacher strikes. We are called upon to navigate these challenging waters, providing expertise into crafting and driving a narrative, clarifying misinformation, addressing the community’s potential questions and sharing information and the decision-making process with transparency. We believe in a communications strategy that ensures that meets the needs of internal and external audiences while placing working relationships and community well-being as the top priorities.
We understand the complexities of district funding sources, teacher compensation and the dynamic of elected boards and committees. Our communications strategy includes defining audiences and centers of influence, crafting consistent and effective messages and anticipating questions. Preparing potential spokespersons with media and message training allows our clients to confidently and effectively engage their communities and share information throughout the process, even during the most difficult of circumstances.
We also have developed collateral material and infographics to translate and share complex information easily with internal and external constituents
Outcome
Chartwell has become a leading go-to firm for districts seeking crisis communications assistance. For all districts with whom we’ve worked, the administrations have garnered positive media and community support and efforts have reinforced trust, preserved relationships and resulted in an ultimately positive resolution for the district leadership, school boards and communities.
