PRECONFERENCE SESSIONS

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 | 1-4 P.M.

Leading Through Communication in Times of Crisis with Rick Kaufman, APR

Texas Ballroom G, 2nd Floor

School safety is a top-of-mind concern for parents, staff and educational leaders. With few exceptions, our schools and communities are faced with the dilemma of how to protect the integrity of the environment where learning takes place amidst a world of violence. The concerns for school safety are not new. The challenges are real. In this engaging session, participants will explore a range of communication strategies and tools, and apply them to real-life scenarios in tabletop group interactions.

Boot

Scoot and Boogie into School PR (New Professionals Program) with TSPRA member Emily Conklin, APR, CPC (Sheldon ISD), Natalie Martinez (Somerset ISD) and Hanna Chalmers (Angleton ISD)

Texas Ballroom J, 2nd Floor

Heel-toe, do-si-do, come on, baby, let’s go to TSPRA! Whether you’re just starting in your career or are a public relations professional new to school PR, WELCOME, this is the session for you! TSPRA is a great resource to connect, learn and grow professionally as well as find fellowship along the way. In this session, we will Boot Scoot and Boogie as we provide tips, resources and strategies to twostepping your way into your first year in school PR. Plus, get connected with a mentor to help you Trailblaze Together into 2023.

The Art and Science of Planning School Bond Elections Today (It’s Not as Easy as it Once Was) with Cody Cunningham

Sundance 1, 3rd Floor

This pre-conference session will focus on the process of engaging the community and staff in an effective approach to planning any election (bond, TRE, VATRE, recapture election). The session will cover the process from long-range facility planning committee to district communications to community advocacy. In particular, the session will focus on effective bond election strategies including social media strategy, voter analysis, communication messages, branding, election law, engaging key community members, new election tools, district and campus communication strategies and more. We will cover both the art and the science of planning elections, during a time when school districts are facing some of the greatest PR challenges in our history. This session will also review recent elections across the state and identify potential challenges and opportunities in upcoming election cycles.

Put Data to Work for You in Three Easy Steps with CALSPRA Executive Director and author Trinette Marquis, APR

Sundance 2, 3rd Floor

Research and Evaluation are the least understood steps in the PR Four-Step Process. Many people are intimidated by the prospect of conducting original research, understanding what data to pay attention to, and figuring out how to display data in a way that makes it powerful and accessible. This session is designed to change that. We’ll explore how to collect the data, how to analyze the data, and how to report the data in a way that keeps your organization focused on the most impactful communication efforts. Using best practices, examples from the field, and interactive discussions, you’ll leave this session more confident about your ability to put data to work.

Re-Engaging the Misengaged: Adding Capacity and Building Best Practices Into Your District’s Listening Architecture with TCU Certified Public Communicators (CPC), Ashley E. English, Ph.D and Jacqueline Lambiase, Ph.D.

Sundance 3, Floor

Is your district listening as much as it should? And is your listening done in equitable ways, leading to action and change that will build trust with your stakeholders? This session helps you audit the ways that your organization listens, finding the gaps and building in accountability so that when parents and residents speak, their words and ideas aren’t overlooked. Drs. English and Lambiase will help you identify new roles for communicators, especially for a “listener-in-chief,” where the buck stops on listening. They will share quick research and theories, and then give you practical ideas for building and maintaining a listening culture through engagement practices and two-way dialogue.

Rules of Social Media Engagement – Episode 2023 with Andrea Gribble of Social4SchoolsEDU

Sundance 4, 3rd Floor

My, how things have changed in regards to school social media! While navigating the negativity in a highly-politicized climate can drain your energy, there is still so much to celebrate. Grab a pep talk from School PR’s biggest cheerleader, Andrea Gribble. She’ll break down the proven strategies for social media success and engagement. You’ll learn:

• How to rethink the content shared on social media

• How to build an army of storytellers

• Easy ways to save time

• How to plan your content

• How to boost community engagement

• The latest social trends to help you thrive

It Takes APRo: Advancing Your Career with Accreditation (APR) with TSPRA member Danielle Clark, APR

Sundance 6, 3rd Floor

Want to move from communications technician to advisor and strategist? Three letters are the key to success: APR. Come learn about the process of becoming accredited and how it will forever change the way you approach your work. See why accreditation is an important step along your career ladder while gaining insight into the process. Dialogue with veteran school PR professionals about the value of accreditation and create a plan for how you can do it, too!

K-12 Video Strategies that Get Results! with Jake Sturgis, APR, and Andrew Coons of Captivate Media

Sundance 5, 3rd Floor

Competition for your audience’s attention has never been greater. With social feeds full of videos, how do you create compelling content that connects with and engages your audience? Jake Sturgis, APR and Andrew Coons from Captivate Media, work with schools across the country and will share practical ways for you to level-up your video production skills. From storytelling strategies to Instagram Reels, you’ll learn new ways to approach video production that will increase views and engagement with your content.