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NSPRA Plus About NSPRA
Designed for mid-career and veteran school communication professionals seeking advanced expertise on the issues, challenges and trends shaping today’s school communication landscape, this track will help you elevate your impact where it matters most.
- Past NSPRA Academy Participant
Today's school communication leaders operate in increasingly complex environments, balancing competing expectations, evolving communication habits, organizational priorities, and heightened public scrutiny. Success requires more than strong tactics; it requires a deep understanding of how communication shapes relationships, culture, perception, and decision-making.
The Strategic Communications track of the NSPRA Academy is designed for experienced school communication professionals and district leaders seeking to strengthen their strategic thinking and expand their communications leadership capacity.
This four-part professional learning experience explores strategic communication through the lens of four critical stakeholder audiences: students, parents, employees, and the broader public. Drawing from communication theory, public relations research, organizational communication, reputation management, and contemporary communications practice, participants will examine how broader communications principles apply within today's school systems.
Each session combines theory, discussion, real-world examples, and practical application. Participants will explore emerging trends, analyze communication challenges, learn from successful organizations both inside and outside education, and work through school-specific scenarios designed to strengthen strategic decision-making.
Throughout the Academy, participants will be challenged to move beyond tactical execution and think more deeply about communication as a leadership function—one that influences culture, shapes perception, strengthens relationships, and supports organizational goals.
NSPRA Academy offers flexible registration options! Enroll in the full course for comprehensive development or select individual modules to meet your specific training needs.
Registration Information
By the end of the Strategic Communications track, participants will be able to:
Participants will work with the course facilitator on completing their capstone project, a research-driven strategic communication plan for their school, school district or educational service agency.
Enroll in the full course for comprehensive development, or choose individual modules tailored to your needs.
Live, virtual modules will be held on Fridays at 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT, 10 p.m. MT, 9 a.m. PT).
Can't attend a module live? All modules will be recorded and available for participants to catch up on-demand for a flexible learning experience.
The course is facilitated by Kenon Brown, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Communication and Information Research and Professor, Department of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Alabama.
Module 1: Friday, October 9, 2026: Communicating to Students: Co-creating Voice with Authentic Storytelling
The Strategic Communications track of NSPRA Academy is designed specifically for professionals working in regional education service agencies, including ESAs, BOCES, AEAs, ESDs and similar organizations. Register for individual modules or the full track.
Students are often the subject of school stories, but increasingly they expect to be participants in telling them. This session explores how school communicators can move beyond creating messages for students and instead create opportunities to develop stories with them. Drawing on narrative storytelling theory and audience-centered communication principles, participants will examine how organizations can engage students in shaping messages, experiences, and organizational narratives. Through examples from education and beyond, participants will explore practical approaches for elevating student perspectives and creating communication that feels more authentic, relevant, and reflective of the communities schools serve.
Module 2: Friday, November 13, 2026: Communicating to Parents: Navigating the Outside Noise
Parents are making decisions about schools in an environment shaped by competing narratives, misinformation, social media, and information overload. As schools compete with an ever-growing number of voices for attention and credibility, communicators must better understand how audiences process information, form opinions, and respond to competing messages. This session explores communication and media theories that help explain audience behavior, including concepts such as source credibility, the third-person effect, hostile media effect, and misinformation. Participants will examine how these dynamics influence parent perceptions and identify strategies for helping school communities cut through the noise and make informed decisions.
Module 3: Friday, February 26, 2027: Communicating to Staff: Processing Change, Preserving Culture
Even well-intentioned change can create uncertainty, resistance, and culture challenges when employees do not understand how those changes affect them. This session examines how communication influences the way staff process change, interpret organizational decisions, and remain connected to the mission and values of their school system. Drawing on change management strategies, organizational communication research, and examples from both education and other sectors, participants will explore how effective communication can reduce uncertainty, build alignment, and preserve culture during times of transition. Through real-world scenarios and practical application, participants will consider how communicators can help staff move from confusion and concern toward understanding and engagement.
Module 4: Friday, April 9, 2027: Communicating to the Public: The Cost of Reputation Mismanagement
Most reputation challenges do not begin as crises. They instead begin as issues that were underestimated, mishandled, or ignored. This session focuses on the communication decisions that shape public perception long before a situation reaches crisis level. Participants will explore reputation management, issues management, public confidence, and the factors that influence how communities interpret organizational actions and decisions. Through examples from education and beyond, participants will examine common mistakes that damage credibility, amplify concerns, and erode confidence over time. Together, they will analyze strategies for identifying risks early, responding thoughtfully, and protecting reputation before issues become larger problems.
School PR professionals are often expected to wear many hats—from media relations and social media management to photography, graphic design, website updates, and visual storytelling. While it can be difficult to develop expertise in every area, understanding the fundamentals and knowing where to focus your growth can help build confidence and effectiveness over time.
In this fast-paced, practical session, participants will learn from experienced school communication professionals who will share real-world tips, tools, workflows, and lessons learned across several core areas of school PR. Through a series of focused spotlight presentations, attendees will gain actionable strategies they can apply immediately, discover resources that support continued learning, and explore approaches used by practitioners in districts of all sizes. The session concludes with guided reflection and professional growth planning, helping participants identify strengths, prioritize future learning opportunities, and create a personalized roadmap for continued development as school communication leaders.
Module-Level Learning Objectives:
By the end of this module, participants will be able to:
Dr. Kenon A. Brown is a professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations (A+PR) at the University of Alabama. As the director of the university's Institute for Communication and Information Research, Dr. Brown is responsible for the day-to-day management of the institute to help achieve its mission and promote its efforts.
Prior to his academic appointment, Dr. Brown worked for eight years in restaurant management and marketing, while also conducting independent media training for several smaller non-profit organizations and local businesses. Kenon has published more than 70 journal articles and book chapters. He has also co-authored one book and co-edited three books. Keeping with his practitioner roots, Kenon also consults with several local and regional organizations, specifically assisting with market research and strategic planning. He has worked closely in multiple capacities with several sport and entertainment organizations, including the International Olympic Committee, Twitch, FOX Sports, NASCAR and the Country Music Association.
Register: Module 1 (Oct. 9) Communicating to Students: Co-creating Voice with Authentic Storytelling
Register: Module 2 (Nov. 13) Communicating to Parents: Navigating the Outside Noise
Register: Module 3 (Feb. 26) Communicating to Staff: Processing Change, Preserving Culture
Register: Module 4 (April 9) Communicating to the Public: The Cost of Reputation Mismanagement