Communications
Lessons From
Sandy Hook
Oregon School Public
Relations Association
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
A Quiz… Fact or Fiction

The shooter was 24 year old Ryan Lanza

The Mother of the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary
school taught there at one time

A man was arrested outside of Sandy Hook elementary
school on the morning of the shooting

The school asked for teddy bears to comfort their students

The community needed volunteers, especially grief
counselors to come to Newtown to help
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Sandy Hook…Now You See
It…
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Now You Don’t…
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Overview
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26 people killed in a small community
Some parents are city employees – everyone knew someone
Media and visitors shuts down the town. Gridlock
President comes to visit… so does Anderson Cooper and Dr.
Phil
21 Funerals in town in about a week
Massive law enforcement effort
Multiple Federal agencies respond
Businesses impacted
Volunteers… some invited … some not
$7.5 Million donated to families within 4 weeks
60,000 Teddy Bears
Cascading Events… School leadership a victim, snow, flu,
conspiracy theory
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
60,000 Teddy Bears!!!!
School Issues- Shooting at a
school, not a school shooting
Neighboring schools in
lock down

 Non Traditional Support
Methods… Comfort Dogs,
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horses and pigs
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 Trigger Events for Kids –
scraping chairs

 Staff – Parking Lot Phone
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Call Support
TYPICAL Reactions:
Scapegoat, Staff turn
over, Test Scores,
Vocabulary… 12-14,
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com Anniversaries

Key Leaders Victims
Plans in place… worked
well for the most part
Rebuild? Tear it down?
Relocate and Reopen
New Sandy Hook
Elementary
Costs
Personnel Decisions
 Superintendent
 Sandy Hook Principal

Donations Management… VOAD
Adventist Disaster Services
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
What Are The PIO Issues Around
Donations?
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Community
Communication
Hub
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt,
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Memorials… Intentional, Unintentional
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt,
Media/Communications Issues
 MSN
Story giving address
of school “send a
sympathy card”
 MSN Story asking for
‘Volunteers, especially
Grief Counselors, please
call…
 Funeral Home Visit
 Police information was
wrong in the beginning

Newtown Bee
provided Media
Training to impacted
First Responders

Connecticut
Association of
Funeral Directors…
18 volunteer Funeral
Directors to help and
a Media Consultant
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt. yoursafeplace@msn.com
We are NOT objective

An Event Impacts You….

Judgment May Be Impaired

School System Isn’t Alone… Use Your
Resources

PIO/Communications Job During a Major
Crisis May be Different Than Day to Day
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
We Are Not Alone
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Parent
School
Superintendent
SelectWoman
Senator
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com
Take Aways
 Coordination
 It’s
begins in chaos
about relationships
 Understand
we are in this for the long haul
 Spokesperson
consistent
 Perception
may change but message should be
IS reality
Dr. Mary Schoenfeldt.
yoursafeplace@msn.com