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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2000

News Release

NEA Crisis Guide Wins Business Communications Award

Washington, D.C. -- The National Education Association (NEA) received a Silver Inkwell 2000 Award of Merit from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Washington, D.C. chapter for its NEA Crisis Communications Guide and Toolkit.

Incorporating the experience of educators who have weathered crises like the shooting at Columbine High School, the crisis guide and toolkit was developed to help schools and NEA affiliate associations improve their ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a crisis. The resources provided in the guide help NEA members come to the immediate aid of affected and vulnerable students, staff and community members.

Edited by NEA Senior Professional Associate Becky Fleischauer, the NEA Crisis Communications Guide and Toolkit "is an outstanding example of communications excellence," said IABC/Washington Vice President Eric J. Bonetti. A panel of IABC members and communications experts from around the nation judged entries based on technical expertise, creativity, content and effectiveness in meeting stated objectives.

"A series of human and natural disasters have shown that schools are not immune from tragedy and children are not spared unspeakable suffering," said NEA President Bob Chase. "Our goal in developing this tool was to take every step to help and heal our students and our members in crisis. We appreciate the IABC's recognition of our efforts on their behalf."

Since its publication, resources from the NEA Crisis Communications Guide and Toolkit have been used by NEA members responding to the May 26 shooting of Lake Worth, FL teacher Barry Grunow, the March 28 school bus-train accident in Chatsworth, GA, the shooting this week of school worker Linda Shoemaker in Bidwell, OH, and the February 29 shooting of Buell Elementary School student Kayla Rolland near Flint, MI. Of the four-volume guide and toolkit, the Michigan Education Association's Margaret Trimer-Hartley said, "These provided our guidance. They were truly our lifeline."

See the NEA Crisis Communications Guide and Toolkit at http://www.nea.org/crisis/.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.