How our community’s mass shooting changed my mind about Twitter

This week’s shooting at the Clackamas Town Center mall happened in the heart of our school district.

One of our students was shot and remains in serious condition. Another student’s uncle was killed. Untold numbers of our students, staff and their families were among the 10,000 holiday shoppers and employees in the mall at the time of the incident. Our community remains in shock.

Before the shooting, I figured I had my social media bases covered with Facebook. I wasn’t sure I needed Twitter. After the shooting, I changed my mind.

Here’s why.

Twitter is now a mainstream information source:
In the first hour of a crisis, information gathering is key. Much was rumor, but some was fact. Twitter was a go-to source for breaking news, with sources ranging from the Sheriff’s office to the news media. During and after the mall shooting, a lot of information we needed first surfaced on Twitter.

Twitter is a research tool:
Following the event hash tag (#ClackamasShooting), I was able to tweet a personal question to a friend of a victim on Twitter. She confirmed the identity of the injured survivor, our student.

Twitter is where teens live:
If our students are there, we need to be there, too. One of our students posted inappropriate comments about the incident on his Twitter feed. Many respondents were angry, and made threats against him. Knowing this, we were able to have district staff and his friends contact him immediately. They urged him to make a public apology and then to log off.

Twitter is a lifeline:
With 10,000 people in the mall at the time of the shooting, people across our community used this tool to get quickly in contact with loved ones. Whether they discovered their loved ones had safely left the building or were protected by the lock down, they were relieved to hear the news quickly.

Twitter is a rumor mill:
This is the way to find out what the community is saying and feeling during an incident. What better place to correct misinformation than at the place where rumors spread?

Responding to this situation, we used all the tools in our toolbox, including auto-dial phone calls, parent emails, Facebook, the website, our list serve and the telephone.

Twitter was our tool of choice for on-the-go, up-to-the-minute information and rumor control in an evolving situation. I need this tool. The next step is to use it more to master the medium and explore new ways to use it.  I encourage you to do the same.

Five ways to take the pulse of your community

PR professionals always have an ear to the ground. Issues anticipation is about sensing and understanding public opinion, then using what you learn to navigate strategically and transparently through times of change and challenge.

Twitter and Facebook are essential tools in this work, providing windows on the world into the concerns and priorities of school district parents, students, employees and community members.

Five easy strategies can help you take the pulse of your community on a regular basis:

1. Broaden your friend base:
   Besides growing your school district’s fan base, cast a wide net to expand the circle of Facebook friends on your personal page. Friend district partners, involved parents, community leaders, neighbors, staff members, Board members, Education Foundation board members and volunteers. Be sure to protect your personal privacy by setting up different groups for personal vs. professional contacts.
2. Lurk and listen:
   Pay attention to what’s buzzing in your community. Watch for complaints, debate and controversy tied to education. When they mention schools or kids, what are people wondering about or worried about? Which education or political groups are they tracking on social media? Are coalitions forming for or against a proposed school district change? Resist the urge to post or comment, and just listen.
3. Invite private messages:
   Be sure to invite fans of your school district Facebook site to message you privately about any issues or concerns. Respond promptly to resolve issues, provide information or direct them to the right district expert. This is a good way to resolve individual issues around grades, health, bullying, employees, or discipline without compromising student or staff privacy.
4. Post a survey:
   When a hot issue bubbles up, try an online survey. If a protest group has achieved critical mass, post it on their site. Community members will be glad you’re listening, and by using open-ended questions, you may well find some workable compromises or innovative strategies to resolve the issue.
5. Share what you hear:
   Many district leaders do not follow social media, so let them know what you’re hearing, especially in turbulent times. Copy key conversation threads into an email, so they have a feel for the community’s priorities and concerns. Remind them that it doesn’t matter how much you are listening if the district does not act on what it hears from the community.

Seven Facebook Strategies to Build your School Community

With so much caution around student-staff social media interactions, should a school have a Facebook page? Absolutely. Facebook posts from your school can provide a professional online presence and open the door to two-way communication with parents.

Each school has a unique personality, and its Facebook presence will reflect that. Here are seven strategies principals can use to build trust, connections and involvement with families and students.

1) Control rumors: Is the school gossip mill working overtime? Use Facebook to respond publicly to parent and student questions, clarify misconceptions and make sure people have the facts.

2) Push toward a goal: Whether you’re trying to boost attendance, increase conference participation or raise funds, use Facebook to celebrate progress toward a goal, and remind people how they can help the school hit its target.

3) Showcase student work: If you have parent permission to post student work and photos, use Facebook to post art, essays, projects or music performances to highlight the innovative learning opportunities in your school.

4) Boost event attendance: While you still need to announce school events in all the usual ways, using Facebook events for just-in-time information may boost attendance at parent conferences, school concerts, open houses or parent meetings. The RSVP feature provides the opportunity to announce last-minute changes and to send a reminder.

5) Make school announcements: Bus running late? New after-school program? Flooded gymnasium? Snow day? Use Facebook for breaking news and watch it go viral.

6) Do research: Want to know what your community thinks? Post a link to your online survey, and do the research before making a change at your school.

7) Try trivia: Make it fun! See if your fans can answer a weekly question tied to facts about your school, student achievement, staff or curriculum. Prizes can be as simple as a reserved volunteer parking space, free tickets to the school play, a tour of a new facility, or a chance to be a guest speaker at a classroom event.