This document has been formatted for printing from your browser from the Web site of the Illinois Association of School Boards.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE --This document is © copyrighted by the Illinois Association of School Boards. IASB hereby grants to school districts and other Internet users the right to download, print and reproduce this document provided that (a) the Illinois Association of School Boards is noted as publisher and copyright holder of the document and (b) any reproductions of this document are disseminated without charge and not used for any commercial purpose.

Illinois School Board Journal
March/April 2007

Open communications: Not as easy as it sounds

by Charles McCormick and Terri McHugh

Charles McCormick is superintendent for Kaneland Unit School District 302 in Maple Park; Terri McHugh is director of community relations for Schaumburg Elementary School District 54. Both are members of the Illinois chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.

When asked, any school board member or administrator would agree that open communication is a good thing. It is one of those unquestionable axioms, like motherhood and apple pie.

However, some districts do not operate as openly as others and even those who do believe in open communication can find it very difficult to accomplish.

In Kaneland District 302 and Schaumburg District 54, we embrace open communication — both in theory and in practice. We are public entities. We have nothing to hide.

Open with the community

Do not underestimate the power of community grapevines, both internal and external. Districts must keep in mind that internal communication with staff is just as important as communication with external audiences, especially when a crisis occurs.

Whether you share information or not, stories will be told about your district. We prefer that those stories be accurate and that we have a hand in shaping them.

For example, if budget cuts need to be made, staff should hear that from the district first. Give them accurate information direct from the finance director — before they hear inaccurate information on the street. Armed with the facts, they can be powerful voices for the district when the rumors begin to fly. Then, once staff is informed, share the information with the community and the media.

Open communication doesn't just apply to negative situations. If a teacher wins an award, staff should hear that first, too. When a district is the first to share positive news, staff and community realize this is something of value. Spreading positive news about students and staff is a form of praise. This communication strategy may even lead to higher staff retention levels.

By sharing information with your many publics upfront, you are engaging in proactive communication, rather than reactive communication.

When District 54 had to close a school due to mold, staff and parents heard it from us first. The community didn't react to what they read in the papers. They knew about it before the papers.

Open with the media

The media play a part in both Schaumburg's and Kaneland's open communications plans. First, we believe strongly that our school districts should be open with the media. That openness fosters relationships. An outgrowth of those relationships is that the media become a vehicle for us to spread our messages.

Through the years, both of us have met many school board members and administrators who fear the media. Yes, reporters, editors, disc jockeys and anchors make mistakes. They are human. We have had situations when we weren't thrilled with the quote the media chose to use, as well as times when we felt information was inaccurately reported.

However, even if you've been burned by the media, you cannot afford to hide from them. Rather, you need to double your efforts to woo the media by building relationships and feeding them accurate information. Much like the majority of your citizens, reporters didn't major in education and may not have been inside a school for years. You must teach them.

Even when the law allows you to guard information, it is not always in your best interest. The Freedom of Information Act allows you not to disclose certain types of information, but it doesn't prohibit you from sharing that information. As a school district, you should provide all available information that is not restricted from being released.

Confidential issues

Having waxed on about the benefits of open communications, some of you may wonder if we ever keep anything confidential. Yes.

We value the privacy of our students, our staff and their families. We respect that confidential information exists related to both children and employees. However, even in these instances, we don't need to remain completely silent.

While we cannot speak about a certain case, we can talk about our policies in general. We may not be able to talk about the specifics involving a student who was expelled for bringing a gun to school. However, we can share our weapons policy and the character education programs in each of our schools.

How to communicate

Once you embrace the concept of open communication, the next question is how. Research has proven, time and time again, that the best form of communication is one-to-one. Second to that is one person communicating to a large group. In both instances you have a chance for two-way communication.

However, neither the school district nor the public has time for regular communication meetings. So we are forced to depend on other, more efficient forms of communication.

Several Illinois school districts have set up Key Communicator Networks or other forms of two-way communication. These districts identify people (staff and community members) who communicate about their schools and invite them to serve on the network. Then the district makes a point of sharing information directly with those key communicators, asking them, in turn, to share the information with others. In addition, key communicators are asked to call the district whenever they have a question or hear a comment about the district.

E-mail, newsletters, messages on district Web sites and other written communications should not be the only form of communicating with your publics, but they can be one tool in your communications plan.

Whatever form of communication you choose, our core message to you is this: Attempting to hide or unduly restrict communications will backfire. When this happens, not only does the district have to catch up with the communications process, often in a reactive manner and in a now-hostile context, but it also must deal with the negative perceptions this approach has caused.

Being forthright, whether the news is good or bad, is typically the best approach and will help grow the school district's credibility and trust with the public.