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2023 Annual Conference

Pre-conference sessions are $100 each. Since these occur at the same time, you may only register for one. These sessions will be held on Monday, February 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. and feature state and national presenters you won’t want to miss on the following topics:

It Takes APRo: Advancing Your Career with Accreditation(APR) with TSPRA member Danielle Clark, APR
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!
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The Art and Science of Planning School Bond Elections Today (It’s Not as Easy as It Once Was) with Cody Cunningham
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.
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Leading Through Communication in Times of Crisis with Rick Kaufman, APR
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 table-top group interactions.
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Put Data to Work for You in Three Easy Steps with CALSPRA Exec. Director and author Trinette Marquis, APR
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.
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Boot Scootin’ Boogie into School PR with TSPRA members Emily Conklin APR, CPC, Hanna Chalmers, and Natalie Martinez (New Professionals Program)
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 Scootin’ Boogie as we provide tips, resources and strategies to two-stepping your way into your first year in school PR. Plus, get connected with a mentor to help you Trailblaze Together into 2023.
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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.
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.
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Rules of Social Media Engagement – Episode 2023 with Andrea Gribble of Social4SchoolsEdu
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

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

Keynote Speaker
Dr. Adolph Brown

Dr. Adolph Brown, III without a doubt, offers the most uniquely inspiring, relevant and entertaining presentations around. He is an American urban and rural school educator, author, research-scientist, businessman, and keynote speaker. He is a servant-leader at heart, and is admired around the world for his simple and direct “Real Talk,” and powerful, universal and timeless teachings. Dr. Brown is best known for inspiring all who hear him to learn, laugh and lead, while simultaneously reducing implicit bias at every turn. He is the leading provider of anti-bias training in business and education. Dr. Brown knows that understanding structural inequities is only the start, however dismantling the foundations from which these structures are built leads to solutions. He is highly regarded as the “balcony” leadership speaker who gets you from where you are to where you want to be. Also as a credentialed Master Teacher, he helps teachers reach every student. As a much sought-after and highly effective Unconscious Bias, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion keynote speaker, Dr. Brown skillfully addresses the impact of stereotypes. He credits much of his success to the luxury of humble beginnings of being reared by a single parent mother in abject poverty of the inner city housing projects infested with gangs, drugs and violence. His oldest sibling and only brother Oscar was murdered when Adolph was only eleven years old. Young Adolph often received a respite when he was sent to spend summers with his grandfather in rural farming country, and when he was sent to the library for time-outs in elementary school. Adolph became the first in his family of five to participate in Head Start, graduate high school, and attend college.

Nowadays as a Master Teacher, Dr. Adolph Brown shines in the classroom and in research. He is in the top 1% of world-class scholar teachers based on peer-reviews, nominations, teaching performance, teaching awards, published evaluations and ratings from American’s best schools, colleges and universities. He is recognized as one of the top 10 most influential thought leaders in America. Although he does not consider himself a motivational speaker, he was selected as one of the top motivational and inspirational speakers in America as well. Dr. Adolph Brown is one of the world’s foremost attitude experts, personal development coaches and humorists.

Dr. Brown is the author of acclaimed books, including the international mental wellness best seller, Two Backpacks. Other best sellers authored by Dr. Brown include a business classic – Championship Habits; and the education classic – Real Talk. He is also the co-author with his third grade teacher of a children’s book, It’s Gonna Be A Great Day! for youth. His trainings have withstood the test of time with audiences all over the world and he is still extremely passionate and committed to helping others “Learn, Laugh & Lead’ in all walks of life while spreading “Love, Light and Insight” wherever he goes.

Millions of people and countless business, corporate, early childhood, K-12 primary and secondary education, higher education campus, and family and community engagement clients throughout the world have personally experienced the “Wow” of Dr. Brown’s quiet charisma and introverted personality as he dynamically engages, educates and inspires his audiences from all walks of life. His bridge-building approach is brilliant with a massive power to embrace and bring great hope to the world. His keynotes, lectures and seminars transcend all differences – political, religious, socio-economic, philosophical, gender, lifestyle, generational, etc.

Numerous clients exclaim that they wish there was a way that everyone in the world could hear Dr. Adolph Brown, III. Many also say he’s the best they have ever seen. Dr. Brown remains humble and grateful for his journey. He is most proud to be the husband of Marla and father of eight uniquely beautiful human beings including a special needs daughter.

Milestones:
Dr. Adolph Brown “Started From The Bottom,” now…
Founder of one of the largest business & education consultation firms in the United States
President of the Business & Education Leadership Authority/Leadership & Learning Institute
Distinguished Visiting President’s Professor at Livingstone University
Philanthropist & sits on a myriad of local and national Boards and Advisory Groups
Awarded Best Corporate Social Responsibility & Best Customer Focus
Awarded numerous ‘Keys to the City’ in the U.S. and abroad
Awarded Black History Month Legacy Award as a Leading Innovator in Business & Education
Former Chief Resident of Internship Training in Clinical Psychology at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS)
Former Managed Care Senior Vice-President Project Manager
Former Certified Nurse’s Aide (CTE) at Eastern State Hospital
Youngest Tenured Full University Professor in the United States at the age of 29
Clinical & Educational Psychologist
Former President of the Virginia Association of Black Psychologists
Former President of the Virginia Head Start Association
Former Special Education Teacher, Alternative Education Teacher & Administrative Intern
Former Advisory Board Vice-Chair for Gifted Education
Former Faculty for the National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges
Former Hampton University Professor, Chairperson & Dean
Former Regent University Faculty
Former Tidewater Community College Faculty
Former Graduate Teaching & Research Assistant at the College of William and Mary
Former College Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet
Inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame
Author, Co-author & Reviewer of numerous research publications, academic texts and books
Recipient of over 300 teaching, research and servant-leadership awards and honors
Proud Product of Head Start & Public Education

Dr. Brown has earned undergraduate degrees in anthropology and psychology with a minor in education, master’s degree work in special education and experimental psychology, and a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. Whilst having a strong economic presence in his community with several established businesses, Dr. Adolph Brown, III worked as an anthropology undergraduate assistant for the late Dr. Mario Zamora, worked as a special education graduate assistant for Dr. Dennis Wade and as a statistics research graduate assistant for the late Dr. Ellen F. Rosen at the College of William and Mary. Before joining the psychology/education faculty at Hampton University, Dr. Brown became one of the initial major investigators of “The School To Prison Pipeline” paradigm and received the First Annual Francine Kee Peterson Memorial Scholarship for Social Justice advocacy from his role model, social activist Geoffrey Canada. While at Hampton University, Dr. Brown was selected to be a “Scholar in Residence” at NYU, nationally awarded “Service-Learning Fellow,” and earned the highest distinction given by the President, Provost and Board of Trustees of the prestigious “E.L. Hamm Master Teacher Award for Distinguished Teaching” as a result of having a sustained record of recognized teaching excellence. Based on his record of teaching and research excellence in education, implicit bias training and servant leadership, Dr. Adolph Brown was appointed chairperson of his department, promoted as a tenured full professor and was also the dean of the graduate college. Dr. Adolph Brown continues to be a business, community and educational leader whilst being a continuous learner. Bringing People Together to Learn, Laugh & Lead has become his life’s work.

Pricing:

• Monday, Feb. 20 Preconference Sessions – $100
• Member registration – $550
• Nonmember registration – $980 (includes registration and a TSPRA membership through Oct. 31, 2023 starting when paid)
• Wednesday, Feb. 22 Banquet – $80
• Late fee for registrations received on or after Jan. 23 – $100
• No refunds on or after Jan 23; you may send a substitute in your place

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CONFERENCE HOTEL:
Onmi Fort Worth Downtown Hotel
1300 Houston St
Fort Worth, TX 76102

The Omni Hotel room block for #TSPRA23 is open but the block is full. You can call the hotel to see if rooms are available but they may not be at the conference price of $229.

Overflow hotel
TSPRA is happy to announce our first overflow hotel, the Aloft Fort Worth Downtown. This hotel is a 10-12 minute walk from the Omni Downtown, the official conference hotel for TSPRA 2023. The Aloft has set aside a block of 100 rooms for TSPRA members. The rate for this block is $149 for a single and $159 for a double.

Booking at the overflow hotel is closed. You might check with the Sheraton to see if they have rooms.

Need to Know Information for an Omni Reservation:

• A credit card is necessary to secure the reservation.
• The hotel accepts personal checks, cash, debit cards, and major credit cards for room payments. Hotel management confirmed that charges will not be incurred at the time of the reservation.
• Any guaranteed reservation not canceled 72 hours prior to arrival will be charged one night’s room plus tax.

#TSPRA23 Information:

• Location: Omni Fort Worth Hotel Downtown
• Hotel Address: 1300 Houston Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
• Dates: February 19-23, 2023 
• Check-in: 4 p.m.
• Check out: 11 a.m.

Omni Hotel Rate:

• #TSPRA23 contracted rate is $229 per night (state sales tax exemption paperwork accepted prior to the event).
• There is a $20 additional charge for the third person in the room and a $40 additional charge for the fourth person.
• Hotel parking is only by valet: Valet parking is available as long as space exists for $34 per day currently; TSPRA members will get a 10% discount on 2023 valet parking prices; city available parking garages are $22 per day with no in/out. More parking information will be available on the website as we get closer to the conference date.

Fort Worth is home to a number of amazing options for dining and entertainment. 

THE EXHIBITOR SPACE IS OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT!

For information on future sponsorship opportunities, click here.

The Annual Conference scholarship application process is now closed. The Scholarship committee will announce the recipients in December 2022. Applications were due by Nov. 18, 2022.

Scholarship Committee:

Chair: Leanne Libby, APR, Corpus Christi ISD
Ed Suarez, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD
Reece Waddell, Sanger ISD
Alternate: Elaina Polsen, Clear Creek ISD