Public Relations and the Schools

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that school leaders, from elementary school through college, need to develop and use public relations skills in order to sooth parents, assert authority and reduce tensions at times of crisis and during the normal course of administration. The author points out that school leaders must be familiar with grief counseling methods not only because of a community-wide crisis but also to assist when the student or the student's family faces a crisis. The paper concludes that the school leader achieves better public relations simply by visibly addressing problems as they develop, with a successful outcome being the best public relations of all.

From the Paper:

"Graseck (2005) sees a need for administrators to take a more nurturing role, bringing the community into the process, and so serving the role of public relations on an ongoing basis rather than waiting for a crisis to begin the process. Graseck finds that administrators too often fail to see this need until there is a crisis and so lose touch with the community but that administrators even tned to lose touch with their own teachers. School administrators too often see their own survival as the paramount task rather than the improvement of the school."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Allen, M. & Ashbaker, B.Y. (2004). Strengthening Schools: Involving Paraprofessionals in Crisis Prevention and Intervention. Intervention in School & Clinic, Volume 39, Issue 3, 139-143.
• Bryk, A.S. & Schneider, B. (2003, March). Trust in Schools: A Core Resource for School Reform. Educational Leadership, 41.
• Buchanan, H.K., Geubtner, M.D., and Snyder, C.K. (1996, May 1). "Trauma bereavement program: Review of development and implementation. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 35-44.
• Crandall, W. (1997, April). How to Choreograph a Crisis. Security Management, Volume 41, Issue 4, 40-45.
• Ferszt, G.G., Heineman, L., Ferszt, E.J., & Romano, S. (1998, October 1). "Transformation through grieving: Art and the bereaved." Holistic Nursing Practice, 68.

More papers on Public Relations and the Schools:

• Term Paper # 133786 : "School Public Relations"
• Term Paper # 137196 : "EMOs and the Privatization of Schools"
• Research Paper # 93132 : "Constructivism and the Urban Public School"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: