Conferences/Events
TNSPRA Meetings/Opportunities
If you are interested in any of the professional development opportunities below, email TNSPRATreasurer@gmail.com to learn more about becoming a member!
Virtual Professional Development Sessions
Friday, August 28 at 1:00 pm
Don't Stop Believing: The Psychology Behind School PR's Irreplaceable Role in the Age of AI
The rise of AI content creation, staffing cuts, growing responsibilities, and content crises are leaving many school PR pros fatigued, undervalued, and questioning their worth. It's time to reclaim your confidence, overcome imposter syndrome, have fun, and prove why school PR is indispensable!
Let's be clear: AI makes you a powerhouse of versatility and impact, not obsolete. Any program or person can generate text, but it takes a PR pro to build belief in institutions, establish trust, interpret emotion, and create legitimacy.
This session will leverage behavioral psychology and communication science to underscore the profession's intrinsic value and help participants advocate for their role, scope, and impact. Participants will gain research-backed frameworks, leadership-ready language, and strategies to confidently showcase why school PR professionals are an essential, irreplaceable part of every leadership team.
Presented by: Sondra Whalen, APR, Director of Student Programs and Communications at Vernon Verona Sherrill Central School District in New York.
Friday, September 18, 9:00 a.m.
TNSPRA Office Hours: Coffee & Conversations
Grab your coffee and join Jen Hannah with Collierville Schools for an informal office hours session. As a communications staff of one serving a district of more than 9,000 students, she understands the opportunities and challenges of being a solo team.
Bring your questions, ideas, challenges, or simply come for open dialogue with fellow school communicators. Whether you want to talk social media, websites, media relations, crisis communications, community engagement, accessibility, strategic communications, or anything in between, this hour is for you.
There is no presentation and no set agenda. Just a chance to connect, collaborate, troubleshoot, and share ideas with others who understand the unique role of school communications.
Friday, October 23, 1:00 p.m.
Leading in a Rapidly Changing School Enrollment Landscape
Public education is changing. Families have more choices than ever, enrollment patterns are shifting, and school districts can no longer assume students will simply walk through their doors. This session explores how Sarasota County Schools responded to that new reality by rethinking how it communicates, competes, and connects with families. Attendees will gain practical ideas and strategies they can adapt in their own districts to strengthen their brand, reach prospective families, and position their schools as the first choice in an increasingly competitive education marketplace.
Presented by Craig Maniglia, Sarasota County Schools Director of Communications and Government Affairs
Friday, November 13, 9:00 a.m.
TNSPRA Office Hours: James Evans
Friday, December 11, 9:00 a.m.
TNSPRA Office Hours: Kate Crowder
TNSPRA Roundtable: What's Next?
Bring your coffee, questions, and best ideas for an informal conversation with colleagues from across Tennessee. We'll talk thrugh current trends, communications challenges, and what's happening in school PR right now, while brainstorming the professional development topics that matter most to you.
Whether there's a skill you've been wanting to build, a challenge you're navigating, or a speaker or topic you'd love to see at a future TNSPRA event, this is your chance to help shape the year ahead. No presentations. No slides. Just great conversation with peers who understand the work.
Moderated by Kate Crowder, Communications Supervisor for Germantown Municipal School District, where she leads strategic communications, marketing, and community engagement. A former teacher and theater director, she enjoys finding creative way to tell the stories of students, staff, and schools.
Kate serves as Southeast Region Vice President for the National School Public Relations Association. She was named NSPRA's 2024 Front Runner and enjoys sharing ideas on branding, storytelling, social media, crisis communications, and AI in school communications.
Friday, January 8, 1:00 p.m. CST
TNSPRA Virtual Panel: Crisis Communications in Every District
The conversation doesn't stop here. Buidling on one of TNSPRA's most engaging discussions, this virtual panel brings together communicators from three very different district settings: a large district, a mid-sized district, and a one person communications office.
Panelists will share how they prepare for the unexpected, navigate high-pressure situations, communicate with families and the media, and adapt crisis communication strategies to fit their unique resources and challenges. Whether you're part of a large communications team or wearing every hat yourself, you'll leave with practical ideas, fresh perspectives, and real-world strategies you can put to use right away.
Friday, February 19, 9:00 a.m. CST
TNSPRA Office Hours: Jessica Goldberg
AI can be a powerful partner in the design process, but you are the secret sauce to securing your district's brand identity. Knowing how and when to use AI matters. This open discussion will explore practical best practices for using AI to support design work while keeping creativity, flexibility, and designer control at the center. Discussion topics will include why it is important to create designs you can manipulate yourself, when AI is helpful (and when it's better left out of the chat), and how other design tools like Canva and Adobe can support an efficient, flexible design workflow. We will also discuss how to help schools recognize and eliminate "AI slop" in favor of intentional, thoughtful, high-quality visual communication.
Friday, April 16, 9:00 a.m.
TNSPRA Virtual Session: Admire and Aquire with Kate Crowder
Thursday, June 10, 1:00 p.m.
TNSPRA Office Hours: Kate Crowder
Why reinvent the wheel when your colleagues are already doing great work? In this fast-paced idea-sharing session, TNSPRA members will showcase some of their favorite professional development presentations used in their own districts. From customer service and social media skills to ADA compliance, using AI, branding, and more, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at what resonates with staff.
Best of all, presenters will share their slide decks and resources, giving you ready-to-use materials and fresh inspiration for the next time you're asked to lead professional learning in your own district. Come ready to admire, acquire, and leave with practical ideas you can put to work right away.
In-Person Conference
March 4 - 5, 2027
Mark your calendar for the annual TNSPRA Conference in Franklin, TN! The conference continues to grow, and we have found a larger venue to provide even more learning at this year's event. The conference will be hosted at the Hilton Cool Springs.
Mark your calendar for the annual TNSPRA Conference in Franklin, TN! The conference continues to grow, and we have found a larger venue to provide even more learning at this year's event. The conference will be hosted at the Hilton Cool Springs.
The conference is FREE for all TNSPRA members, and a special hotel rate will be available for attendees.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a vendor or presenting at the conference, contact Mealand Ragland-Hudgins at raglandm@rcschools.net.