Professional Development Academy & Programs Academy Crisis Communications Track

Participants will work with the course facilitator on completing their capstone project, a research-driven strategic communication plan for their school, school district or educational service agency.

Participants will delve into the fundamental principles of pre-crisis planning. By understanding the psychology of a crisis, participants will gain valuable insights into human behavior during stressful situations. This knowledge is a critical first step in making informed decisions and effectively managing crises.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• The 3 elements critical to managing an incident
  • Clearly defined team structure, roles and responsibilities
  • Written incident & crisis response plans
  • Effective and timely response (action) and communications
• Psychology of a Crisis: How stakeholders react in a crisis
• Every crisis evolves in phases; understanding the pattern of a crisis helps communicators anticipate issues to respond effectively

We’ll focus on the importance of a clear and concise crisis communication plan, including hands-on work to create a risk assessment and scenario-based incident planning unique to participants’ school districts.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• The Fundamentals
  • Risk Assessment
  • Scenario-based planning
  • Stakeholders
  • Activation Criteria

In Part 2, participants will dive deeper into crisis communications plan objectives, including establishing clear roles and responsibilities for teams, procedures and protocols.

You’ll learn how to use your district’s strategic plan as a guiding framework for communications and be introduced to the industry-standard RPIE model—Research, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. Through guided exercises, you’ll begin drafting communication goals and strategies tailored to your organization’s needs, laying the groundwork for future planning efforts.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• The 3 elements critical to managing an incident
  • Clearly defined team structure, roles and responsibilities
  • Written incident & crisis response plans
  • Effective and timely response (action) and communications
• Psychology of a Crisis: How stakeholders react in a crisis
• Every crisis evolves in phases; understanding the pattern of a crisis helps communicators anticipate issues to respond effectively

Communication is the foundation of any crisis planning, management, response and recovery effort. In the first of two parts, participants will learn the key concepts and primary objectives of crisis communication in order to effectively navigate even the most challenging situations. We'll also discuss strategies for building and maintaining trust, even in the face of adversity.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• Foundations to communications strategies and messages
• Key concepts and primary objectives
• Trust is the currency in a crisis

In today’s evolving digital landscape, effective crisis communication requires more than just traditional social media. This session explores how school communicators can integrate a variety of digital tools, ranging from public social media to targeted community communication platforms, into their crisis management plans. Participants will learn how to craft clear, timely messages tailored to different audiences and platforms to build trust and maintain calm during crises.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• Understand the 5-Step Model for Effective Crisis Communication and how to apply it across diverse digital channels.
• Examine the shifting role of public social media platforms versus closed or targeted community communication tools in crisis response.
• Learn best practices for crafting and adapting crisis response messages to fit the unique dynamics of different digital channels.
• Participate in a group exercise to create and refine crisis messages tailored for various platforms like public social media, closed community channels, SMS and email.
• Discuss strategies for monitoring and engaging in two-way communication within both public and private digital spaces, balancing transparency, privacy and timely information flow.

In the aftermath of a crisis, effective communication is essential for rebuilding trust and restoring reputation. We’ll explore strategies for how to effectively navigate the post-crisis phase and increase our crisis ready status. Participants will also engage in a “hotwash” exercise.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• Power of communications in healing and recovery efforts
• What to expect and prepare for in the aftermath
• Key elements to “hotwashing” the crisis communications team’s work

Ready to put your crisis communication skills to the test? In this final, hands-on session, participants will be immersed in a real-world crisis simulation. These tabletop exercises allow academy participants to apply knowledge to real-world challenges, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills as part of a crisis communications team. By practicing communication strategies, coordinating with team members and navigating complex scenarios, participants gain valuable insights into their own strengths and weaknesses, enabling them to improve their crisis response capabilities.

Module-Level Learning Objectives:

• Enhance participants' ability to apply knowledge to real-world crisis situations.
• Foster effective collaboration and communication within a crisis team.
• Improve decision-making skills, analytical thinking and problem-solving under pressure.

Participants will work with the course facilitator on completing their capstone project, a research-driven strategic communication plan for their school, school district or educational service agency.