Bridget McGuiggan is community relations coordinator for Orland School District 135 in Orland Park, Illinois, and a member of the Illinois chapter of the National School Public Relations Association.
No one wants to be the bad guy who says "no" to cupcakes for the birthday party. It may not be the most fun job to tell moms and dads their homemade sweets have to go, but as is so often the case, "What's right is not always popular."
In Orland School District 135, we've delivered the "no cupcake" message and lived to tell the tale. Here are the public relations lessons we put into practice that may have meant the difference between parent support and parent revolt:
Lesson #1: It's good to listen; it's better to listen and then act.
Just before the end of the 2006-07 school year, a parent requested a meeting with Dennis Soustek, district superintendent. She was concerned about her son and an issue that could literally be life or death for him.
"My son's peanut allergies are so severe he could die from them," she told Soustek. "The school nurse helps as much as she can, but I feel like more needs to be done."
Eager to help the parent and learn more about food allergies, district administrators and school nurses met with Christine Szychlinski, Division of Allergy manager at Children's Memorial Hospital. Szychlinski provided insights regarding the role schools need to play to help children with food allergies.
Lesson #2: Don't wait for something bad to happen before doing all you can to prevent it.
After the meeting, school administrators and nurses met with parents whose children have food allergies. We discussed the information Szychlinski had shared and talked about solutions to help protect our kids.
That meeting, and the conversations that followed, led to several proactive steps, including the implementation of new cleaning methods for certain areas of each school. We also created "peanut tables" in the cafeteria where children with and without food allergies could choose to eat as long as their lunch did not include nut-based products.
Classroom placement was re-worked so that students with food allergies (a relatively small number) were put into the same classroom. The biggest change to the district's procedures, though, was the creation of the first official food list for snacks and parties.
Lesson #3: Change is hard, but if it needs to happen, make it happen.
The original "Approved List of Food and Drinks for Snacks and Parties" that we sent out was designed to better protect students with allergies by prohibiting parents from sending in items that contained common allergy-prone products, such as nuts. "The List," as it became known, only applied to treats brought in for class parties and snack time, not to individual student lunches.
Some parents were frustrated with "The List" because it did not address wellness issues, as evidenced by the inclusion of Doritos, Skittles and a variety of other less-than-healthy options.
Some parents were upset with "The List" because their children didn't have food allergies. "Why should my kid suffer just because some other kid can't eat peanuts?"
Some parents were bothered because "The List" existed at all. "Who are you to tell me what my kid can eat?"
Lesson #4: The best discussion involves a variety of viewpoints.
Soustek formed a parent advisory committee to discuss "The List" and rising parent concerns. Conversation at that meeting and those that followed flowed into other food-related issues that went beyond allergies, such as diabetes and obesity.
Soustek shared his vision that "The List" would become wellness-focused, while still maintaining the safeguards for allergy-afflicted children. The group reviewed examples of other districts' policies regarding health and wellness and shared their support of a healthier list.
Lesson #5: When it's right, you know.
In March 2008, the school board approved Policy 647, Wellness through Nutrition and Physical Activity. Soustek and the parent advisory committee then revamped "The List" for the 2008-09 school year. The new list removed the unhealthy items and replaced them with low-fat, low-calorie and low-sugar choices such as lean meats, vegetables, fruits and dairy products.
Reception of that list was exponentially better. When "The List" was sent home to parents before the start of the year, it was accompanied by a letter Soustek wrote that addressed concerns over not only allergies, but diabetes and obesity. He reminded parents that while children are in school, they are the school's responsibility, and part of that responsibility means providing better nutrition and opportunities for physical activity.
"The List" remained virtually the same for 2009-10 and is expected to have few changes for 2010-11. The advisory meetings now are held only twice a year.
Lesson #6: Consistency is key. If it's "no" this time, it's "no" next time.
The biggest challenge the district faced in implementing Policy 647 was consistency. With each Halloween and Valentine's Day and winter party and birthday party, questions still arose about the approved foods. Teachers and secretaries, who are typically the "front line" for these con- versations, have remained committed to the policy and parents have accepted it.
In fact, in part because of the wellness focus, parents have become true supporters of "The List" and Policy 647.
Lesson #7: Never underestimate the value of a strong partnership.
The district's food service provider, Quest Food Management, has been an outstanding partner in the process. The Quest staff co-hosted a food fair just before their start in the district in August 2007. The fair was an opportunity for parents and kids to sample foods, look at menus and register for a new point-of-sale system for cafeteria purchases.
It was immediately evident to our families that Quest brought a wealth of knowledge in the arena of incorporating healthy foods into school meals. Their student menus include a variety of healthy foods and nutrition information is provided on our district website.
By talking about the food issues our children face and taking on a pro-active public relations role, we created a significant and positive change in our community. What began as a dialogue about protecting students with allergies is now a whole new way of thinking about health for all our students.
Each step we have made and will make toward wellness helps our students become healthier and happier. And that is something we can all support.