Camden County Educational Services Commission

NJSPRA hosts responsive School Safety Communications Symposium

BURLINGTON TWP., N.J. – Responding to recent school tragedies, the New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA) is building trust in the school systems through “honest

From left: Paul Minoff, a father of two survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS shooting; with Jeff Gale of NJDOE office of School Safety and Preparedness; and Scott Newgass of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement speak at the NJSPRA – School Safety Communications Symposium in Burlington recently.
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communications.”

Two weeks ago, the NJSPRA took action by hosting and event called, “School Safety Communications Symposium: The Parent Perspective,” at Burlington Township High School Performing Arts Center, where 75 New Jersey school administrators attended.

A parent name Paul Minoff, who is the father of two survivors of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy that took place in Parkland, Fla., on Feb. 14, 2018, spoke at the event.

Minoff said, “It is critical to those who put their trust in the school systems for education to also be able to trust that the school officials will properly communicate with them.”

He continued to say that, “thorough and honest communication is key.”

Joining Minoff on the dais, were other supporters such as Jeff Gale from New Department of Education’s Office of School Safety and Preparedness and Scott Newgass of the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement.

Also, joining via video conference from Minnesota, was Rick Kaufman, a school communications professional who was among the first-responders to triage victims during the Columbine High School tragedy that occurred in April, 20 years ago.

The symposium informed and educated school administrators on the best practices related to school crisis communications.

“Schools that are willing to take the perceived or imagined risks of communicating difficult information are usually rewarded by the appreciation and trust of their community,” said Newgass.

Leading the panel was Alicia D’Anella, Esq. of the Comengo Law Group who also sponsored the event.

D’Anella commented that, “Developing a communications strategy that anticipates the needs of stakeholders is an essential component of risk management. Districts that are prepared to communicate responsively, rather than reactively, provide leadership, reassurance and healing to their communities.”

Other co-hosts of the event were Burlington Township Public School District and the Camden County Educational Services Commission.

Perlow leads N.J. schools’ new communications initiative

CLEMENTON, N.J. – With educational institutions facing safety, security,

Lori Perlow is manager of public relations and communications at Camden County Educational Services Commission.
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and mental health crises, Lori Perlow is managing a new communications initiative to address these issues locally.

Therefore, the Camden County Educational Services Commission (CCESC) recently introduced public relations and communication services to New Jersey’s public and private school districts, as well as to higher education institutions.

In order to establish this strategic effort, the CCESC has hired Perlow, a seasoned school communications professional and president of the New Jersey School Public Relations Association (NJSPRA).

Perlow states that, “Between my years of experience and my commitment to helping schools improve and increase their communications, I’m confident that this initiative will be a success.”

Perlow has 20 years of marketing communications experience in the private, non-profit and public sectors.

She is one of four in the United States to receive the 2017-18 Front-Runner Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). Perlow has also won several NJSPRA awards.

A provider of shared services to school districts for nearly 40 years, CCESC has responded to the challenges of school district administrators who must be prepared for high-quality, proactive and reactive information exchanges with their stakeholders.

“Public relations planning along with timely and effective communications are critical for school districts,” says Daniel Del Vecchio, superintendent of the CCESC.

He continues that, “However, staffing with this skill set is not practical. Our shared service will provide school leaders an opportunity to consult with an expert and execute a customized, cost-effective campaign.”

That is why Perlow works directly with school districts and higher education institutions to provide them with a wide range of offerings including crisis communications, media relations, website design, marketing/branding, recruitment, social media, community relations, establishing partnerships, internal communications, and more.

As a result, school administrators can now focus on students’ achievements, safety and security while placing district communications in the hands of trained professionals.

However, states such as California, New York and Pennsylvania have provided school communications services through a shared-service model for decades, and New Jersey will now follow suit.

For more information, contact Lori Perlow, manager of public relations and communications at CCESC at LPerlow@CamdenESC.org, or 856-784-2100 x121.