Agenda – Day 2
Tuesday Schedule
February 18, 2025
7:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Registration Open
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Exhibit Area Open
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Vendor Viewing
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Grab & Go Breakfast
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
First General Session; Keynote Speaker; Professional Awards
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
School PR Work Lounge – Sponsored by CatapultK12 
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Designated Vendor Viewing/Caffeinated Connections/Candy Cart
– Sponsored by K12Insight 
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Pre-Conference (9:00-12:00 – no breaks)
Presenters
Bruce Ellis, TCEA
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Are you stuck in the “one-way communication” trap? This session will provide your district with strategies to leverage your entire community to overcome obstacles and create truly collaborative relationships. Going out for bond? Developing a strategic plan? Addressing social issues? Incorporating student voice? Increasing business partnerships? Join us as we share strategies to “sync” up your collaboration!
Evaluation
Presenters
Joel Weckerly, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Like any industry, success in school PR is earned, not given. Learn tips and lessons from a 17-year school PR veteran who began his career as a specialist in Texas’s third-largest school district and now oversees the communication department. Discover how to develop good habits, build critical relationships and commit to personal growth while blossoming as a trusted PR practitioner. A sweet life in school PR awaits you!
Evaluation
Presenters
Veronica Castillon, APR; Claudia Rodriguez, Julio Ovando; Laredo ISD
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
New Trustees are eager to contribute and make a difference. It’s important to make sure they are welcomed and properly onboarded. Learn how to engage new Trustees so they can quickly get up to speed and hit full sail. This presentation includes a variety of methods to help you integrate new board members seamlessly.
Evaluation
Presenters
Claudia Lemus Campos, APR, MA; Elizandro Gallegos, Marco Vasquez, Cynthia Ybarra Leal, Clara Barrera, Daniel Ramos; Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD
Focus Area
Web
Description
In this session, we’ll unravel the roadmap to a successful school website transition. We’ll explore the integration of captivating video and image elements, harnessing the website for marketing events and initiatives, and the critical importance of creating an ADA-compliant, mobile-friendly platform. Join us to learn how to enhance your school’s online presence, ensuring inclusivity, accessibility, and dynamic promotion in the digital era.
Evaluation
Presenters
Jon Sheldon, Aledo ISD
Focus Area
EMP
Description
Tired of creating and then recreating animated elements? Wish there was a way to turn them into templates? Want to learn how to better use expressions? Stop by and learn how to streamline your video projects, create reusable templates for animated intros like lower thirds and bumpers, and use expressions. Bring your laptop, learn, and share your insights to work smarter, not harder.
Evaluation
Presenters
Nate Turner, Texas School Safety Center
Focus Area
Crisis
Description
The Texas School Safety Center is charged with overseeing many school safety mandates and trains and educates districts throughout the State. This training is geared specifically for school PR professionals who are looking for a bird’s eye view of the mandates and will cover how your relationship with your school safety and security committee is crucial to your role, especially during crisis communications. Best practices when communicating with your community will also be shared.
Evaluation
Presenters
Stephanie De Los Santos, Harris County Department of Education; Adam J. Holland, La Porte ISD
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
AP Style isn’t just for newspapers anymore. It is also widely used by PR practitioners across the US, and it changes regularly. Freshen up your Associated Press Style skills with an overview of some important updates and a review of some of the most common mistakes, particularly as they relate to current events. (Bonus points for finding the AP Style errors in this description!)
Evaluation
Presenters
Kathleen Kennedy, APR, Center for Communication & Engagement
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Have you ever hosted a community input meeting, and only the same ten participants spoke up? Whether you’re a veteran or new professional, rethinking community facilitation can help you gain critical insights from every participant. This training provides the foundation of communication types, how to utilize them, and practical examples. Don’t be late! Our first example is a real-life illustration of how this modern facilitation approach can be applied and implemented in your district.
Evaluation
Presenters
Rachel Acosta, Liberty Hill ISD
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Whether we’re new to a role, heading into an election, or trying to maintain/rebuild trust with internal/external stakeholders, making sound connections and solidifying positive relationships is key! Join Liberty Hill ISD as we share best practices and ideas that have helped us create and maintain relationships within our fast-growth community. We would also love to hear your ideas so that we may all become better together. Let’s make a connection!
Evaluation
Presenters
Danielle Clark, APR; James Colbert; HCDE
Focus Area
Event Planning
Description
Does the thought of Convocation make you break out in hives? Are you stressed trying to figure out why you have to do it when nobody wants to come? Hear from a veteran Superintendent and Communications professional about how you can use the annual staff meeting as a tool to meet goals, raise staff morale and create an experience people remember fondly. Review the Superintendent Tiers from last year and leave with a recipe (framework) for success no matter your Superintendent’s experience or speaking style.
Evaluation
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch on Your Own/Sweet Meetup Lunch & Learns
– Sponsored by Finalsite & Apptegy 
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Description
We’ll start with a panel discussion of a high-level overview of bonds and the recent experiences of our member districts. Attendees will then move to a second session during the 2:45-3:45 time frame for in-depth discussion with panelists and their teams. See that time block for a comprehensive list of sessions. You must attend both parts of this session to earn your bond certification.
Evaluation
Presenters
Kristin Zastoupil, Forney ISD
Focus Area
Work/Life Balance
Description
In our role as communications experts for our district, we deal in crisis sometimes on a daily basis. We hope to go home at the end of the day and not be faced with personal crisis as well. How do handle balancing both at the same time? In the midst of a pandemic with a child battling leukemia for 3 years while moving to a new town and managing a new district team in a fast-growth district with 2 massive bonds and a VATRE passed in just 4 years, Kristin Zastoupil will share her story and what she’s learned along the way when it comes to balancing personal and professional struggles.
Evaluation
Presenters
Max Smith, Rachel Frost; Region 10 Education Service Center
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
In an age of negativity on social media, how are you amplifying the positivity? In this dynamic session, discover how school districts can harness the power of positive mentions on social media. From leveraging user-generated content to fostering genuine relationships, this session will equip you with tips, strategies, and ideas for turning first-time mentions into dedicated fans.
Evaluation
Presenters
Deanna Jackson, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD (SCUC ISD); Veronica Goldhorn, SCUC ISD Education Foundation
Focus Area
Ed Foundation
Description
Follow along with two leaders from Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD and the Education Foundation to learn how they faced their current (brutal) reality through an honest self-assessment that would eventually transform their organization through authentic (and fun!) community engagement.
Evaluation
Presenters
Mark Vasquez, Daniel Ramos; Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD
Focus Area
EMP
Description
In this session, attendees will receive best practices and tips on how to set up a multi-cam production and learn what is required not only for recording but also for live-streaming. We will discuss the equipment needed, from a single-camera setup for recording or streaming a meeting to a multiple-camera production for capturing a sporting event, and everything in between. Our focus will extend beyond the video aspect to include audio components, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality production.
Evaluation
Presenters
Graysen Reid, Forney ISD
Focus Area
Graphic Arts
Description
In a world of never-ending media, creating designs that pop is a school PR superpower. But, let’s be real, who has the time? Unlock design secrets using tools like Canva and Adobe Suite to take your content to the next level.
Evaluation
Presenters
Amelia Lindley, Kate Hope, Magnolia ISD; Jessica Grace, Stephanie Wells, Montgomery ISD
Focus Area
Community Engagement
Description
Whether they’re sweet or sour, community connections are vital for schools. Hear from two school districts in the 9th fastest-growing county about how they are building relationships with local realtors, business owners, faith-based leaders, parents and PTOs to create advocates in the community and expand their communication team beyond the central office. Attendees will leave with delectable ideas on how to think outside the box and partner with other local organizations to bring people together. You’re in for a TREAT!
Evaluation
Presenters
Stephanie De Los Santos, Janet Wachs, Andrey Cuellar, Mark Perez; Harris County Department of Education
Focus Area
Event Planning
Description
Whether you are given a year, six months, a month, or even a couple of weeks to plan, the show must go on. Learn the strategies used by the Harris County Department of Education marketing team and the resources used to successfully execute a run of show for annual events. Take a journey with our team as we walk you through the planning process of an actual event from beginning to end. You will leave this session with the tips and tools you need for your next run of show.
Evaluation
Presenters
Kim Wyatt, Beeville ISD
Focus Area
Media Relations
Description
Elevate your media presence across platforms immediately by learning to unlock the secrets of how to get media coverage in today’s modern landscape! Learn top strategies on how to navigate media effectively to get coverage with intention. Seize the spotlight and make your story resonate in the new world of media dynamics offering value they can’t see.
Evaluation
Presenters
Gustavo Reveles, Canutillo ISD
Focus Area
Comm/PR/Marketing
Description
Writing speeches can be daunting, but with the help of professional speechwriters, the task can be insightful. This session will help PR pros craft effective speeches to reach parents, employees or other community members. The session will provide easy-to-follow tips on writing for specific audiences, messaging, speech structure, timing, editing, researching and marketing.
Evaluation
2:30 PM – 2:45 PM
Candy Cart – Sponsored by K12Insight
2:45 PM – 3:45 PM
Concurrent Sessions
Bond Session 1:
Title
There’s No Such Thing as a “Bond Killer”
Presenters
Jenny Bridges, CPC, Waxahachie ISD; Becky Bravo-Escos, Caelen Communication
Description
Activists throughout the state tout themselves as “bond killers.” They are well-funded, outspoken, and bold. Do you even have a chance to pass a bond if one of them lives in your community? Join us to find out the strategies Waxahachie ISD used to pass the largest bond package in Ellis County history, despite the best efforts of “bond killers.”
Evaluation
Bond Session 2:
Title
Beyond Passing by 1%: Strategic Communications Plan Transforms Bond Support to 65%
Presenters
Amanda Simpson, CPC; Sara McCullough; Coppell ISD
Description
Discover how the Coppell ISD Communications Department developed and implemented a Strategic Bond Communications plan that aligned with the department’s overall Strategic Communications plan to pivot support for the CISD 2023 Bond to pass by 65% percent of the vote. This majority support of the bond is a turnaround compared to the 2016 Bond, which only passed by less than 1% or only by 22 votes. Presenters will share tips, tactics and strategies, as well as sample Bond Road Show presentations, collateral materials, talking points and more. This session will also include an interactive portion where attendees can share their pain points for bond communications and engage in a collective dialogue for advice and support.
Evaluation
Bond Session 3:
Title
Get in the Zone: The Secrets to Passing a $1 Billion Bond
Presenters
Anthony Kirchner, Marlys Diggles, Jaime Handy, Megan Middleton; Crowley ISD
Description
Do not launch a bond campaign without this Zone Plan. The Crowley ISD team will share simple strategies that expanded their department from a team of six into an army of more than 60 people who worked together in zones to educate and inform thousands of voters across who approved a $1.04 billion bond package.
Evaluation
Bond Session 4:
Title
One-(wo)man Bands and Bonds
Presenters
Mercedes Mayer, Aledo ISD
Description
Tips, timelines, tricks and tales from a successful bond election marketed by a one-person communications department. Learn how Aledo ISD’s 2023 bond election (with an I&S tax rate increase) passed with 56.4% voting “for” in a fast-growth, mostly bedroom community. The 2023 Bond was the first time in a few decades for Aledo ISD to pass consecutive bonds (2019 and 2023). Be prepared to learn and also share out some of your wins from bond elections.
Evaluation
Bond Session 5:
Title
Bonding with Your Community: Passing a Bond through Relationships, Targeted Messaging
Presenters
Anthony Tosie, Jennifer Becan, Seth Denton, Northwest ISD; Hailee Fojtasek, ESC Region 11
Description
In the May 2023 election cycle, Northwest ISD proposed and passed the largest school bond package in the state. By analyzing challenges of a previous failed bond election, the district used targeted communication and community relationships to pass a $1.996 billion bond package. This effort relied on carefully segmented communication based on various aspects of the bond proposal as well as leveraging relationships with staff and highly involved families.
Evaluation
Presenters
Erin Gregg, APR, Lubbock ISD; Tyler Vawser, Apptegy
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Maintaining your district’s brand requires the strength of your team. You can’t be your district’s only spokesperson; you need brand ambassadors to get others excited about your schools! We will share how Lubbock ISD is leveraging collective authorship by having campus staff act as ambassadors, helping parents to have a better understanding of what makes Lubbock unique. We’ll also highlight SchoolCEO research that focuses on broadening your communications team by rethinking who represents your brand.
Evaluation
Presenters
Abbie Geveshausen, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
Focus Area
Comms/PR/Marketing
Description
Feel like you have too much to cover in your district and need to figure out how to be in multiple places at once? Come learn how Cypress-Fairbanks ISD established the High School Journalism Network to not only help showcase
student work but also help share the good news and happenings around the district (and take some of the load off our department!)
student work but also help share the good news and happenings around the district (and take some of the load off our department!)
Evaluation
Presenters
Juan Hernandez, Forney ISD
Focus Area
EMP
Description
Beyond the basics! Join me as we look at all the tools and techniques available to create exciting social media content and visually engaging films. From gear, the production process, and AI, we’ll dive deep to make your videos as SWEET as can be! We’ll also go through our district’s workflow for video production.
Evaluation
Presenters
Doug Bellamy, Wylie ISD; Michelle DoPorto, Birdville ISD
Focus Area
Web
Description
Choosing the right Content Management System & CMS for your new website is a crucial decision that can greatly impact your district and campuses’ online presence. With the massive change in the website CMS world, many of us have the task of finding a new home for our district and campus websites. But where do we start? Come by to learn how Wylie ISD and Birdville ISD navigated the sea of providers, established scoring rubrics, and ultimately decided on a new home for their websites. You will have access to behind-the-scenes access to their processes, and learn tips and tricks learned along the way.
Evaluation
Presenters
Colette Pledger, Willie Thomas; Robinson ISD
Focus Area
EMP
Description
We have implemented and sustained a production method for staff and students for 3 years while communication is not our primary district responsibility. We will share tips and tricks about how we manage the workflow to make the production easy to record, create and communicate. Learn how it’s possible to sustain consistent communication and engagement, connect to district values, learner profile and professional learning. We will share how students and staff provide input and are involved in the process as well.
Evaluation
Presenters
Avery Arizola, Leslie A. Howland; Region One ESC
Focus Area
Community Engagement
Description
In the ever-evolving social media landscape, the secret sauce to successfully growing your engagement lies in proper segmentation. Learn to harness the power of online micro-communities to supercharge your digital presence, build better relationships with the media and connect with the communities that matter most to your organization.
Evaluation
Presenters
Kacy Swaim, Elizabeth Ross; Longview ISD
Focus Area
Event Planning
Description
We will discuss what PR professionals need to organize and execute events in collaboration with community partners. You will learn about various digital marketing techniques to engage your district and create buzzworthy events that are enjoyable and encompass your families and the community. In this hands-on workshop, we will work to create an event from start to finish and work collaboratively to generate ideas you can take back to your districts.
Evaluation
Presenters
Ian Halperin, Wylie ISD; Mike Leasor, Leasor Crass
Focus Area
Legal
Description
School attorney Mike Leasor, a former teacher, coach and school board member, and TSPRA past-president Ian Halperin, a 27-year TSPRA veteran, have seen just about every type of request out there. But today’s requests are often more targeted and complicated. Leasor and Halperin will lead a discussion on some of the latest trends in open records requests and how TSPRAns can use the law to be better prepared to respond.
Evaluation
3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Snack Break/Designated Vendor Viewing
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
Corporate Showcases
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
Corporate Showcase
Four $100 Gift Cards will be awarded by PowerSchool, ParentSquare, Finalsite, and Harris County Department of Education for lucky attendees to their Corporate Showcase presentations!
Presenters
ParentSquare featuring Lindsey Fishback, VP of Sales – East, ParentSquare; Deanna Jackson, Director of Communications, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District; Anthony Tosie, Chief Communications Officer, Northwest Independent School District; Helen Escobar, Coordinator of Public Relations, Roma Independent School District; Art Del Barrio, Director of Communications & Printing, Pasadena Independent School District
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Join us for an insightful exploration into the variety of challenges that families face when it comes to engaging with schools. Through the lens of six distinct family roles facing unique challenges, this session delves into the complexities of building meaningful connections between school and home. Join us in a panel discussion of your peers, Deanna Jackson at Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD, Anthony Tosie at Northwest ISD, Helen Escobar at Roma ISD, and Art Del Barrio at Pasadena ISD. Listen to their feedback and discover practical approaches and innovative solutions to foster inclusive and effective engagement, ensuring that every family feels seen, heard, and valued in the educational journey. Attendees will leave with tips for overcoming barriers to engagement and building vibrant, engaged school communities.
Evaluation
Presenters
ThoughtExchange featuring Dana Cave and Saxony Brown
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Discover how AI is reshaping community engagement and ultimately transforming leadership; but maybe not how we expected it too.
In this session, learn how generative AI is changing how districts engage, its capability to generate faster insights and tailored messaging. With AI, Communication Leaders can have a better grasp on community needs faster, cultivate a deeper sense of empathy, and ultimately be more compassionate and responsive to their stakeholders. Join this highly interactive session and hear from Texas Leaders on how they have leveraged AI.
Evaluation
Presenters
Finalsite with guests Amanda Brim, Lewisville ISD; Brandon Buckner, Little Elm ISD; Claudia McWhorter, Eanes ISD; Chris Weddle, Del Valle ISD; Graysen Reid, Forney ISD; and, Joel Weckerly, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Elevate your school experience to new heights and leave a lasting mark on your community. Discover the power of simplicity as you streamline your processes, bring your community together in harmony, and unleash the full potential of your impact. Join us in our session to hear from Texas School Districts on how they simplify their approach, unite their community, and amplify their influence with our comprehensive suite of tools.
Evaluation
Presenters
edVantage featuring Ronna Johnson, edVantage
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Wouldn’t you like to invite all the Senior Citizens in your district to join your Silver Club? How do you get registration info to every Pre-K family in your district? What if you could virtually tap someone on the shoulder just as they walked into one of your facilities? How cool would it be to send a digital message to everyone who was in one mile of your stadium on any given night? We all want to know how to find our students, families, community members and voters where they are at any given moment. Lifestyle data provides micro-targeted lists that shape strategies for digital advertising and print marketing. Come learn about the granular data that is available, how to access it and how to use it.
Evaluation
Presenters
AlwaysOn featuring Kent Daiber, AlwaysOn, Founder & CEO
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Using AI for School PR is an educational session about the different ways school communicators can use Artificial Intelligence to support their work. The session is intended for anyone from beginner to expert. We start by covering the basics of Artificial Intelligence and how AI technology works. Then, we demo a variety of AI tools that can be used for different use cases in school PR. We give an overview of each tool (how to get started, general capabilities, pricing options, etc.) and then provide a live demo using scenarios relevant to school communicators. We focus on tools that support written content creation, visual content creation, and general customer service. We conclude the session by providing additional resources for self learning and time for questions.
Evaluation
Presenters
PowerSchool featuring Stephen Anderson, Andrew Maminta, and Michael Goulet
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Stop in to place the cherry on top of TSPRA Conference Day 1 and learn how PowerSchool can power your plans, productivity, and progress throughout the year!
Evaluation
Presenters
Scholarus Learning featuring Corey Ryan
Focus Area
Corporate Showcase
Description
Is your district using surveys to inform decisions like attendance zones, calendars, bond elections, or school-of-choice offerings? With those big decisions, reaching the most people is paramount to getting a response rate that benefits your decision-makers. In this session, attendees will hear from former Chief Communications Officer and TSPRA Board member Corey Ryan as he shares tools, resources, and strategies to increase your response rates.
Evaluation
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Dinner on Your Own/Client Dinners
8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Karaoke – Sponsored by ParentSquare & Class Intercom 
