DDR Public Relations Inc

Public Relations

A Community Awareness Campaign for the Katonah-Lewisboro School District

CASE STUDY:
Crisis Communications Campaign for the Katonah-Lewisboro School District Turns Into Positive School PR-Community Relations

Client Situation 

The Katonah-Lewisboro School District contacted DDRPR following a failed school budget vote. Our firm was asked to develop a crisis communications campaign that would convince a divided community to vote “yes” when the second vote was held. 

We created a campaign that focused on the consequences of a contingency budget and the perils of rejecting a second budget. We educated the community about how a contingency budget carried with it a drastic reduction in school programs and resources (something that is commonly unknown). 

Aligned with this messaging, we also promoted all that made the District so wonderful – the talented teachers; top students and the awards they received; innovative academic initiatives; music, arts, and sports programs; after-school offerings, etc. 

As a result of DDRPR’s Crisis Management Campaign, the second budget vote easily passed with overwhelming support – and our crisis communications efforts turned into a School PR-Community Relations Campaign for the Katonah-Lewisboro School District that lasted for over four years.

Challenges & Objectives

Our primary challenge was to reach all the members of this spread-out community, which spans 50 miles, with accurate information and to replace rumors with facts. In addition, one of the key local newspapers had a bias against the school district, so improving relationships with this media outlet, among others, became a top priority and an important hurdle to overcome. 

Overall, a united feeling of satisfaction and pride did not exist in this school district. Therefore, it became the overarching goal of our campaign to instill a more positive feeling and a sense of pride in the Katonah-Lewisboro School District.  This became particularly important as periods of “crisis” continued to emerge throughout our tenure (i.e., E.coli found in the water, NYS School District Audit uncovering financial mismanagement, etc.)

DDRPR Strategies 

  • Develop an open dialogue and effective two-way communications with community members and the media.
  • Create a platform for defusing rumors and replacing them with facts. 
  • Implement an ongoing reputation management strategy to balance any negative coverage with positive news stories about school programs.

DDRPR Action 

  • Meetings and forums were first held with parents, teachers and administrators to identify key concerns and opinions. 
  • An in-depth analysis of past media coverage, along with interviews with local reporters, were conducted to identify media focusing on Katonah-Lewisboro schools and which of those media held a negative opinion of the District.
  • A phone survey was conducted to learn about the community’s concerns and interests.
  • We developed a proactive communications process featuring press releases, bulletins, letters, and a steady flow of positive information about the District.
  • Regular updates were disseminated to the media to keep the community informed about any District happenings or specific school news. 
  • We pitched and secured guest columns in key media written by the Superintendent about issues of interest to parents. 
  • We created a “Bus Stop Talk” FAQ page on the District website, where the community could ask questions and receive answers quickly and accurately to eliminate any rumors from starting or spiraling. 
  • We organized special Realtor Breakfasts for local realtors and community leaders. These breakfasts became great opportunities to provide these influentials with reports, materials, and information about the District.
  • DDRPR also published a district newsletter that featured articles that addressed key concerns about class size, hiring and information about District programs and initiatives.
  • DDRPR created, wrote, and produced a cable TV show, Spotlight on Katonah-Lewisboro, hosted by the District Superintendent, who used this medium to share news, make announcements, and “interview” relevant guests. The show also served to position the Superintendent in a more fun, informal, and approachable manner.

DDRPR Impact & Results

In addition to every school budget vote that followed passing with great community support, our extremely successful campaign was measured by the overwhelming majority of positive news about the District in key media outlets, and the popularity of our Realtor Breakfasts, Bus Stop Talk, and the Spotlight on Katonah-Lewisboro cable TV show. All worked in tandem to create school spirit and an overall positive feeling about the Katonah-Lewisboro School District, which continued to prevail even throughout crisis periods, most notably the NYS School District audit.