NJSBA Offers Communications Clearinghouse

NJSBA is offering a new service to school officials: A "Communications Clearinghouse" with sample letters and notices to parents that school boards can use when faced with a crisis, tragedy or other difficult issue.

NJSBA has been collecting sample letters that school districts have sent to parents and local citizens on issues ranging from bomb threats and violence rumors, to death of a student and mold in schools.

Other issues include updates to parents on issues such as weapons in schools; lockdowns; precautionary evacuations; political confrontations; communications during difficult labor negotiations; and even bedbugs on field trips. NJSBA's Communications Clearinghouse also contains helpful documents, such as the U.S. Department of Education's report Practical Information on Crisis Planning, magazine articles on media communications,and information from presentations on crisis communications.

To obtain sample letters from the Communications Clearinghouse – or to submit a letter to be included in the clearinghouse – contact NJSBA's Communications Department at (609) 278-5202 or email info@njsba.org.