• Revised April 14, 2017

    2017 MOSPRA Mark of Distinction Entry:  PR Boot Camp

    • Section II: Special Focus Areas
    • Category A – chapters with less than 50% NSPRA membership
    • Professional Development/PR Skill-Building

    As part of MOSPRA Strategic Plan, members of the association developed a six-month public relations and communications “boot camp” for those new to the field of education communications.  The facilitators, Stephanie Smith, APR, and Chris Tennill, APR, organized six sessions that included communications planning, key messaging, effective use of social media, understanding and effectively working with the media, PR/Legal issues, and being a strategic advisor.  The boot camp included two “in person” sessions, one directly preceding the Fall Conference in November 2016 and the second at the Spring Conference in late March 2017.  The other four sessions were held via webinars.

    Besides teaching the workshop, the two facilitators brought in other experts in the field to help guide and train participants.

    The cohort included twenty (20) participants, all of whom were in their first five years in school communications.  The participants included those from large and small --rural and urban districts.  There was even a participant who joined the group from Arkansas.

    For documentation, please see the following links on the www.MOSPRA.org website:

    • Chapter goals and objectives for programs/activities:  MOSPRA StrategicPlan, Strategy 1.3.3.  MOSPRA determined to alter the strategy and make it a half-year program instead on a single day session.
    • Documentation and copies of conference/workshop/meeting programs and agendas, marketing materials, tip sheets and/or PowerPoint presentations distributed to participants. 

     

     

    Identification of target audience and participation/attendance lists.  The cohort included twenty (20) participants, all of whom were in their first five years in school communications.  The participants included those from large and small --rural and urban districts.  There was even a participant who joined the group from Arkansas. Workshop Roster

    Documentation/demonstration of measurable outcomes, effectiveness and success of the program/activity:  PR Bootcamp Survey

     

    Explanation of how program/activity relates to NSPRA’s Goals and Objectives.  

    MOSPRA’s PR Boot Camp is directly in line with the mission, goals and beliefs of NSPRA.  Specifically, the program admirably addresses Goal 1, subsection1: NSPRA members will have the skills they need to plan and implement an effective public relations program.  As dedicated, skilled professionals, Chris Tennill and Stephanie Smith worked to help members improve their knowledge base and skill sets.  Ultimately, it is the school district and its students who will benefit from the instruction.

    • The Boot Camp also addresses Goal 2, subsections 2, 3, and 4:

    2. NSPRA will be the primary source of expert information and knowledge on school public relations.

    3. School communication professionals, superintendents and other education leaders will understand the positive impact of an effective public relations program on student achievement and on a district’s mission.

    4. NSPRA members will use new and emerging communication technology to expand outreach and engage all stakeholders, including students, parents, staff and community members, in the schools.

    Like our parent chapter, MOSPRA works to be the primary source for outstanding school public relations in the state of Missouri.  The work of those participating in the Boot Camp will assist them in assuring that their districts’ missions will be better heard and understood.  Finally, those who participated received outstanding training in effective use of emerging communication technology.  (Kristen Magritte, APR, served as the instructor for the Social Media session.)

     

    Other relevant examples of chapter’s professional development/PR skill-building efforts 

    MOSPRA is committed to assisting members as they work to achieve expertise in the field of school communications, public relations and marketing. 

    Sample MOSPRA professional development and skill building efforts:

    Fall Conference

    MOSPRA hosts an annual Fall Conference that in which one major topic is chosen.  Participants have time during the two-day conference to “deep dive” into the subject. For a comprehensive list of Fall Conference sessions, visit this link.  https://mospra.schoolwires.com/Page/14

    MASA/MOSPRASpringConference

    MOSPRA joins with the Missouri Association of School Administrators to host a powerful four-day conference that includes breakout sessions on communications, legal matters, leadership, technology and much more. View the 2017 ConferenceProgram

    ColleagueConnections (Mentoring)

    Assistance with obtaining the APR

    MOSPRA SpecialSession:  “Strategic Planning for the One-Person Office"

    Monthly Regional Meetings. 

    The Regional meetings allow those from the Eastern, Western, Ozark and Mid-State areas opportunity to come together to share the work they are doing and to receive professional development.

    Sub-regional “Rogue” Meetings

    In an effort to serve members who cannot easily attend the regional meetings and to provide communications assistance with smaller schools that do not have a PR person, MOSPRA has developed four sub-regional groups (and a fifth is being developed this year).  The quarterly meetings allow communications professionals and others to come together and discuss common challenges and issues.  A great by-product of these groups is that MOSPRA has grown its membership, especially among those smaller districts.