WEATHERING THE STORM

Crisis management in K-12 education

Allison Evans recalls the steps drilled into her head during a recent emergency at Carlstadt Public Schools in Carlstadt, New Jersey. When a fire turned into an offsite evacuation, Evans, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, knew just how to read the playbook. After making sure each student had exited the building and was safely ushered into the district’s offsite drill location, she turned to the next phase: communicating with parents and guardians. The process helped relay the message that their children were safely evacuated and escorted by the police and staff, and that the situation at the building was under control and emergency responders were there.

While it goes beyond saying that communicating as quickly as possible that everything is under control is critical, it is equally as important not to cause panic or alarm. “Transparency is always best practice,” Evans says. “You do not want parents or guardians to panic and show up at the scene.”

In this case, the police department and administrative staff told parents that even if they came to the evacuation site, their students would not be released. “When you start to release students during an active emergency, it creates panic and chaos in an environment where it needs to be calm and organized.”

Following the emergency, the Carlstadt administrative team met with a crisis prevention team to go over what happened, what should be changed and what should be done if the incident were to happen again. Evans says these types of tabletop drills are extremely important for maintaining the plan and implementing it effectively in the event of an emergency. “School leaders need to always be prepared and, in most cases, overprepared. In an emergency, the staff, students, parents, first responders, community leaders, etc., will be looking to school leaders for direction, answers and support. It is imperative to remain calm and organized in the middle of a crisis.”

“School leaders need to always be prepared and, in most cases, overprepared.” 

— Allison Evans, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Carlstadt Public Schools

According to a 2023 Gallup poll, 38% of parents of U.S. school-aged children fear for their child’s safety at school. The recent number is one of the highest in Gallup’s trend watching dating back to 1977. The historically high 55% was recorded immediately after the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, in which 12 students and a teacher were killed by two students who then committed suicide.

In a time when crises come from every direction, Julianna R. Sciolino, Chief Technology Officer, Buffalo Public Schools, says vigilance is a mandatory requirement, especially in areas regarding network protections and implementing risk assessment practices to protect students and district data.

“Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) influence on teaching and learning is growing,” Sciolino says. “The privacy issues that are going to ensue from this technology will have an impact on district administration. Training on privacy needs to be revamped to include specifics on how AI is implemented in schools. It is a trend for IT systems, but it does not truly have immediate impact on inner-city classroom learning. Administrators will need to prioritize building/district goals and then determine action items to increase proficiency first. There must be continuous evaluation of risks, plans, business continuity, etc.”

“Administrators will need to prioritize building/district goals and then determine action items to increase proficiency first. There must be continuous evaluation of risks, plans, business continuity, etc.” 

— Julianna R. Sciolino, Chief Technology Officer, Buffalo Public Schools

Assess. Train. Repeat.

Crisis management thought leader Thomas Mustac says that while there are myriad steps for K-12 administrators to follow during an emergency, three should be prioritized: assess the risk, establish communication protocols and provide training, and develop an emergency response strategy.

“Schools must address all risks, be well prepared and have a plan for worst-case scenarios,” says Mustac, medical and health industry PR specialist for Otter PR. “By being prepared, you can ensure the safety and well-being of staff, faculty, students and parents. To maintain the plan’s effectiveness, you must conduct a review once a year. However, frequent reviews may be necessary if there are changes in the school’s infrastructure or personnel, or any external factors that may impact the plan’s effectiveness. It also is essential to gather feedback and adjust after each crisis or emergency drill to continuously improve the plan’s efficacy.”

More than anything else, school administrators and educational policies will continue to play major roles in preparing for and responding to crises, significantly impacting how well a school can handle emergencies. To keep in step, Mustac says there are essential aspects of their involvement that must be maintained, including school administrators taking responsibility for creating crisis management policies that cover potential crises, such as natural disasters, health emergencies, security threats, and more, as well as conducting assessments to identify any hazards or vulnerabilities within the school environment.

“This information helps in developing targeted plans for crisis preparedness,” Mustac says. “Additionally, administrators organize training sessions and emergency drills for staff and students to ensure everyone knows how to effectively respond during real-life situations. School administrators also establish communication protocols within the school community and with stakeholders. Communication channels must be efficient, dependable, and easily understood by all school community members. Lastly, they allocate resources for crisis preparedness, such as funding, training programs, equipment, and technology requirements. Prioritizing preparedness is a part of the school’s budgeting and resource-planning process.”

Evans believes the best path forward is to create and continually reinforce a culture of safety and readiness. This starts with having regular conversations between all stakeholders. “Everyone must be comfortable enough to problem solve and work with school leaders. The staff are at the ground level daily, so they know best and have a different lens to look at response to crisis. That is why it is essential to have a strong crisis prevention team made up of various stakeholders who feel their opinions and feedback are necessary to the success of the plan. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard and taken into consideration when developing plans, and the school leadership team is necessary to foster that sense of community and belonging.”

SIDEBAR

6 reasons why your crisis preparedness plan matters

1. Regular drills help participants become familiar with emergency procedures. The repetition reinforces knowledge and enables more effective responses when facing a real crisis.
2. Schools can identify weaknesses in their crisis response plans by conducting drills. This allows for addressing and refining those weaknesses, thereby enhancing preparedness.
3. Drills allow testing communication systems within the school and with agencies. This helps identify any issues with technology or protocols that may require adjustments.
4. Consistent training fosters a culture of preparedness within the school community, encouraging a mindset and establishing a shared responsibility for safety.
5. It is crucial to design training sessions and drills around scenarios relevant to the specific school environment. This approach helps participants understand the actions required for types of crises.
6. After each drill, it is crucial to conduct an evaluation and debriefing session where strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement can be identified. Utilize feedback gathered during this process to refine crisis response plans as training materials.

Source: Thomas Mustac, Otter PR