Agenda
Monday Schedule
February 17, 2025
9:00 AM – Noon
Pre-Conference (Morning)
Enhance your PR efficiency with strategies to streamline your workflow. Leverage ChatGPT and techniques for impactful communication, crisis management, and media engagement, making your PR efforts more effective and time-efficient. Bring your computer and be ready to practice and make ChatGPT your new favorite office tool!
Includes an overview of Chat GPT and other platforms. Register for the free version prior to attending this session. (If you have the paid/subscription version, you can upload documents and/or create graphics/images.)
Arianna Vazquez-Hernandez, APR, CPC, Region One Education Service Center
Julie Zwahr, Denton ISD
Kristin Zastoupil, Forney ISD
Marco Alvarado, Lake Travis ISD
In today’s digital landscape, effective brand management requires more than just a good idea—it demands strategic design and efficient content management. This session will delve into key aspects of design and design management, providing practical guidance for maintaining a strong, cohesive brand presence.
Participants will explore when and how to use tools like Canva for quick and impactful designs, and when it’s essential to invest in more advanced solutions for larger projects or specialized brand requirements. We’ll cover design principles for maintaining visual consistency and quality across platforms.
In addition, the session will highlight strategies for design management, including content calendaring to streamline marketing efforts and maintain a steady flow of engaging content. We’ll share art and photo asset tips to keep your library organized and accessible, ensuring you have the right visuals at your fingertips. Learn essential tricks for asset management to save time, stay organized, and enhance your creative output.
By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with practical tools to elevate your brand design and efficiently manage your visual assets, ensuring consistent and powerful brand communication across channels.
Aubrey Chancellor, Northeast ISD
Gustavo Reeveles, Canutillo ISD
of water for a short period of time) have now become large- scale events. Social media has created immediate response and engagement that can potentially turn negative. And what about the greater issues: school threats, student deaths, bus accidents, and more. All present themselves as an alarming daily reality for districts, as schools are working tirelessly to investigate, mitigate, and communicate during these crises.
Schools are also moving beyond traditional messaging taking a hard stance in unique ways to communicate. Ensuring the safety of students while keeping stakeholders informed is a top priority.
Join this panel discussion to learn how districts are taking innovative steps to combat issues head on. Explore the strategies and communication tactics that are making a difference in protecting our students and our schools. Share your issue, collaborating with attendees to find new ways to share your story!
Noon – 1:00 PM
Lunch & Learn
Join us for a Lunch & Learn like no other—Lunch with a Lawyer! This session offers a valuable opportunity to dive into recent legislative changes and court cases that directly impact schools. Over lunch, you’ll gain insights from a legal expert who will break down these developments and their implications for school districts. Special focus includes recent immigration enforcement issues.
It’s lunch with a side of learning, offering both a satisfying meal and crucial legal updates for school professionals!
Noon – 1:00 PM
Or Lunch on Your Own
1:00 PM – 4:00
Pre-Conference (Afternoon)
You’ve mastered the basics in Marketing 101—now it’s time to take your skills to the next level! This advanced session is designed for those ready to go beyond the fundamentals and dive deeper into sophisticated marketing strategies. Learn how to refine your messaging, enhance your digital presence, and create more impactful campaigns that engage your audience.
From advanced branding techniques to innovative content creation and analytics, you’ll discover how to elevate your marketing efforts for greater success. If you’re ready to build on what you’ve learned and make a bigger impact, this session is for you!
Join us for a comprehensive, three-hour workshop designed specifically for school communication leaders with some AI experience. Ensure your organization’s success and growth by mastering the essential strategies for AI adoption. This interactive session will delve into advanced AI techniques, policy development, and real-world applications. You’ll:
- Explore structured chatbot prompting and multiple chatbot smashing for enhanced responses.
- Develop a tailored AI policy for your organization, guided by expert-led discussions and sample policies.
- Learn from peer leaders who are successfully integrating AI for personal and professional productivity.
- Experience the latest AI tools and best practices through hands-on learning.
Bring a device and be prepared to share your AI experiences, challenges, and successes with fellow leaders. This session is ideal for those with prior AI experience, seeking to refine their skills and stay ahead in the AI landscape.
Lexie Greathouse, Judson ISD
Sean Callaway, Owner, Foundation Innovation
Join our panel of seasoned education foundation professionals as they share their experiences in launching, re-launching, and re-branding their foundations to strengthen their presence within their school districts. Through effective branding and marketing, they have boosted awareness, increased donor participation, and enhanced student and community engagement.
Discover the creative events and initiatives they’ve implemented to raise the bar for their foundations, driving philanthropic efforts that directly benefit classrooms across Texas. Whether you’re looking to revitalize your foundation or start fresh, this session will offer actionable insights to help you elevate your impact.
Elevate your school’s social media presence with expert tips and strategies from two seasoned social media influencers. In this session, you’ll learn how to build a strong and cohesive brand, leverage Canva for quick yet impactful content creation, and design engaging posts that resonate with your community.
Discover the proven marketing tips and tricks that have driven success for Judson ISD, and leave with actionable insights to boost your school’s online presence. Whether you’re looking to enhance your current social media strategy or start from scratch, this session will equip you with the tools to level up your social game!
Ian Halperin, Wylie ISD
Lari Barager, Mansfield ISD
You arrive at work, set down your bag, and start brewing your morning coffee. Just as you reach for the creamer in the fridge, your phone buzzes—it’s a text message from your superintendent. Something major has happened, and it’s bad. This is the kind of crisis that keeps you up at night, one that will demand long hours, strategic coordination, and quick, decisive communication. Do you know what to do next?
In this high-stakes tabletop exercise, seasoned PR professionals will immediately throw you into crisis mode managing unfolding scenarios that mirrors the chaotic reality of true crisis situations. Your mission? To manage the situation head-on while keeping the organization’s reputation intact.
After Action Review
How did you respond to the crisis? What worked, what didn’t, and why? Once Pre-Conference Crisis is complete, attend the follow-up After Action Review, scheduled a day later, Tuesday, February 18, from 2:45 – 3:45 pm, in Republic B, during the conference concurrent sessions. The same team of PR pros will conduct an After-Action Review. The team will discuss the strengths and areas for improvement, and analyze how your choices impacted the outcome.
By the end of these sessions, you’ll have gained critical insights and practical tools to refine your crisis management skills—ensuring you’re ready to lead with confidence in any high-pressure situation. (Attend both sessions and earn a TSPRA certification!)
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Presidents Reception (Sponsored by K-12 Insight)
– EC Members and Conference Committee Chairs only please.
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception (Sponsored by WRA Architects)
– It’s a TSPRA Meet & Greet with our colleagues and friends from across the state! Gather in the Pre-Function Area.
