PRE-REGISTRATION: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6
Join us for dinner courtesy of ParentSquare and Qualtrics at the Library Restaurant & Pub!
DAY ONE: THURSDAY, MARCH 7
Register and grab some breakfast and coffee, while meeting our 2024 sponsors!
INDSPRA President Brooke AllenWelcome!
SPEAKER: Joe Sanfelippo, Ph.D., Superintendent & Best Selling Author Dr. Sanfelippo is a renowned figure in the education community and will share his experiences and tips on fostering strong family engagement in schools. In this session, he will discuss the importance of telling the real story of schools to create a narrative that builds culture and gives everyone in your community an identity.
TRACK: PR FOUNDATIONS 9:50-10:50AM: I CANva (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTER: Stephanie Leiter, Ph.D., Chair, Dept. of Communication & Design Arts; Assoc. Professor of PR, Anderson University With Internet access and a willingness to learn, you can create visual assets to not only strengthen your brand but cohesively align your message. Create visually cohesive templates. Pair fonts and color palettes for your visual assets. Gain instant access to millions of ideas. Learn basic principles of branding. This design course is intended for people with little background in design experience as well as those who may be designers but would like to learn the secrets behind Canva tools. COME PREPEPARED with your laptop and Canva account and learn together how to create what you need to succeed. 10:50-11:00AM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
11:00AM-12:00PM: Auditing Your School PR: Overview of Good Communications (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTER: Melissa Deavers, Director of Communications & Community Engagement, Portage Township SchoolsThe most effective communications plans are strategic, but before you can set your strategy, you have to evaluate your current practices and needs. In this session, Portage Township Schools Director of Communications and INDSPRA Vice President Melissa Deavers will lead attendees through a self-audit of your district's communications and determine where you can grow. Based on six strategies of practice from the National School Public Relations Association, this presentation will help you move beyond a communications to-do list and create a strategic plan that moves your district forward. | TRACK: PR ADVANCED 9:50-10:50AM: Creating Valid Survey Tools for Communications Research (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Chantell Manahan, Director of Technology, MSD of Steuben County Surveys are a popular way to give our stakeholders a voice and collect feedback for our districts. But people are complicated, and designing surveys that accurately measure what we are trying to learn can be difficult. This session covers multiple methods of ensuring our surveys return the valid and reliable insights we need. 10:50-11:00AM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
11:00AM-12:00PM: Target Your Marketing (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Krista Stockman, APR, Director of Communication & Marketing, Fort Wayne Community SchoolsMass marketing has its place, but what if you could get your message specifically to a targeted audience and know it is reaching the desired recipients? You can! Learn how Fort Wayne Community Schools is using digital advertising and other methods of targeted marketing for student and staff recruitment. |
Join us at lunch for the annual INDSPRA membership meeting and the election of new officers in the 2024-2025 school year. President Brooke Allen and Chapter Administrator Krista Baber will give an update on INDSPRA's current goals and growth. We will present the award for the 2024 School Communicator of the Year and give an update on the national NSPRA conference coming to Indianapolis in 2027.
PANEL FACILITATOR Susan Haynes, Director of Communications & School Safety Specialist, Mooresville Consolidated School CorporationPanel: Brian Chambers, Police Chief, Mooresville Schools; Rich Myers, Morgan County Sheriff.
The link between the schools and law enforcement agencies is important every day, but the foundation should be established long before a crisis occurs. Learn how to lay the groundwork for effective communications between you school and local emergency agencies for crises such as online threats, the arrest of a member of the school community, situations outside the school which affect students, and even an active situation inside the school. Also covered will be the differences of handling situations based on your school’s setup – whether you have no officers on campus, school resources officers, or even a school police department. This critical groundwork will help school and emergency agency public information officers create strong communications for families and community.
PRESENTER: Stacy Conrad, Executive Director of Communications, Center Grove Community SchoolsAre you ready to face the media following a crisis in your district? Learn how to prepare yourself and your district leadership for any situation with this hands-on training session.
LOCATION: Big WoodsJoin us for a networking dinner sponsored by K-12 Insight in the Hard Truth Saloon at Big Woods, 1002 N. Main St., Speedway.
DAY TWO: FRIDAY, MARCH 8
Meet with our 2024 sponors and grab some breakfast!
INDSPRA President Brooke AllenWelcome!
SPEAKER: Trent Allen, NSPRA President, Chief of Staff, San Juan Unified School DistrictGet an overview of school PR from the national level, plus learn about 2023 membership report findings.
Choose Three Table Topics! Attendees will have 15 minutes at each table.
During your break, visit our exhibitors or get a new (free) headshot.
TRACK: PR FOUNDATIONS 10:00-11:00AM: Defining/establishing your role in school PR (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Erin Meyer, Director of Communications, LaPorte Community School Corporation; Betsy Kohn, Director of Communications, Michigan City Area SchoolsWhether you are new to school PR or school PR is new to your district, this session will explore effective strategies to help navigate and define your role on the team. Gain practical insights and tools to become a pivotal voice in shaping the narrative and image of your school community. 11:00-11:10AM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
11:10AM-12:10PM: Bringing the Best to the Best: Innovative Strategies for K-12 School Staff Recruitment (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTED by FINALSITE Join us for an insightful session that delves into the dynamic landscape of staff recruitment in K-12 schools. As the demand for qualified educators and support staff continues to grow, districts are faced with the challenge of attracting top talent. Our session will explore innovative strategies and solutions to address this pressing need. | TRACK: PR ADVANCED 10:00-11:00AM: APR Coffee Chat (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTER: Trent Allen, APR, NSPRA President, Chief of Staff, San Juan Unified School DistrictAre you considering pursing your accreditation in Public Relations? Hear from NSPRA President Trent Allen, APR, about how to get started and get it done! 11:00-11:10AM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
11:10AM-12:10PM: Paying it Forward: Becoming a Mentor (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Trent Allen, APR, NSPRA President, Chief of Staff, San Juan Unified School DistrictLearn how mentoring can drive professional growth, even for seasoned PR professionals. |
Join us for lunch and the opportunity to network with your colleagues, visit with our exhibitors, and get a new (free) headshot.
1:00-2:00PM: Elevating Engagement and Relationships in Your District (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTER: Abigail England, Communications Coordinator, Danville Community School Corporation 2:00-2:10PM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
2:10-3:10PM: Creating a Community Ambassador Group (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Brooke Allen, INDSPRA President, Director of Communications, Crown Point Community Schools Making sure your community has accurate information about your district is more important than ever. Learn how Crown Point Community School Corporation created an Ambassador Program to make sure dozens of well-connected individuals share accurate, positive information with community stakeholders. The presentation will cover everything from getting started, marketing the program, hosting sessions, and continuing ambassador engagement once the program ends. | 1:00-2:00PM: Serving & Connecting Meaningfully with Multilingual Families (Conf. Rm 1-3)
PRESENTER: Carly Spina, Multilingual Education Specialist, Author 2:00-2:10PM: BREAK & EXHIBITOR NETWORKING
2:10-3:10PM: AI Magic in Education: The Customer Service Revolution (Conf. Rm 4 & 5)
PRESENTER: Steve Ebinger, Senior Regional Partnership Director, K-12 Insight |