SAMPLE MESSAGING EXAMPLES

Opening statement:

It is with a heavy heart that I am sharing news regarding one of our Anytown Elementary teachers. This is a huge loss for the Anytown school family and for Anytown ISD.

Show sympathy and personalize, when necessary:

Mr. Smith was an amazing teacher, father, husband, co-worker, and human being. His kindness, humor, and positive attitude will be forever missed, but his legacy continues in those he has made an impression on in life and into the future.

Own it and apologize if necessary:

I am writing to inform you about a mistake that was made today by our staff when serving the afternoon snack to the Pre-K students in Mrs. Smith’s and Ms. Jones’ class at Anytown Elementary. We are committed to providing a quality food service program and apologize for this oversight.

Provide resources:

If you have questions regarding the medical impact of lead, the best source of information is your family health care provider. The District has been working closely with the County Public Health, and they are ready to answer any medical questions. The CPH Information Line is 000-000-0000.

We realize you may have many questions. Please see the following information from the CDC and let me or the school nurse know if there are any additional questions you may have.

Show gratitude when appropriate:

We greatly appreciate the assistance of the Anytown Police Department in handling this situation and helping Anytown ISD ensure a safe and secure environment for our students.

Reinforce your commitment/share your plans:

Your student’s safety is our highest priority, and we are doing everything in our power to address this situation in a quick and thorough manner. We will continue to keep you and your family informed throughout this process.

In the meantime, our custodial staff remains diligent in cleaning all possibly-affected classrooms, including removing and washing all cloth items and stuffed animals. The health and safety of our students, staff, and visitors are extremely important to us, so we are proceeding with due diligence to mitigate the situation.

I am currently working on plans for after Spring Break in regard to coverage for the classroom and providing consistency for the remainder of the year. I will share further information with the parents of his current students before we return on March 23rd.

Close with contact information:

I know you join me in extending our heartfelt sympathy to his family. Please do not hesitate to contact the school at 000-000-0000 if you have any concerns or questions.

Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult situation.

REBECCA M. VILLARREAL, APR, FELLOW PRSA

Rebecca is the Bond Operations Specialist for New Braunfels ISD and the Immediate Past President of the Texas School Public Relations Association. She has more than 20 years of experience as a communications professional and is Accredited in Public Relations. She frequently presents at the state and national levels on crisis communication, media relations, and community engagement.