Times are tough. More students are homeless and hungry. More school employees are getting laid off. People who normally don't worry much about their personal finances are worried now.

With anxiety and stress rampant, school leaders need to focus more time and attention on communications.

Simple things, such as stopping by classrooms and offices more frequently to check in with staff about how they're doing and offering a pat on the back or a sympathetic shoulder, often mean the most. Students need to know they're more than just a test score; staff members need to know they're more than just another line item on the budget.

During a crisis--and make no mistake, this is a crisis--visible leadership is critical. School board members, superintendents, and other district-level administrators need to get out of the central office and into the schools, cafeterias, maintenance facilities, and transportation depots.

Technology can help. North Carolina's Guilford County Schools (GCS), for example, has created a special Employee Support Center online to help staff cope with job loss and stress.

The site puts information regarding benefits, reduction-in-force policies, job openings, and the employee assistance program in one place to make access easier. Links to services, from human resources to local food banks, support groups, and crisis assistance programs, are included as well.

GCS also has devoted a special section on its web site to keep employees, parents, and the public informed about the district's budget. Updated frequently, this site includes spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, press releases, public hearing dates and times, and answers to frequently-asked questions, as well as information about state budget cuts and federal stimulus dollars.

With North Carolina's budget outlook worsening daily, GCS Superintendent Maurice "Mo" Green also sends weekly, sometimes daily, eMail messages about budget issues to staff members, so they hear it first from him, rather than the news.

While facts are important, school administrators should take the time to outline what they're doing to support employees and how they're trying to soften the blow by placing staff as positions become available through attrition.

Often, the tone matters more than the message. "As we continue to work through the economic crisis facing our nation, state, and community, I encourage each of you to take a moment or two to reflect on the good work you are doing, and the good work your colleagues are doing," wrote Green. "Then tell someone about it. While we can't choose the situation we're in, we can choose how we respond to it."

The district also eMailed a toolkit to principals and senior staff members that included information and tips about recognizing and managing anxiety, stress, and depression in students and staff. The information came from the National Association of School Psychologists and other credible mental health resources.