NSPRA Academy: Workforce Communications track

School districts across the country continue to face workforce challenges, from recruiting qualified candidates to retaining talented employees and building positive workplace cultures. While these responsibilities often reside within Human Resources, communication plays a powerful role in shaping how current and prospective employees experience the organization.

This four-module learning experience helps school communicators move beyond supporting hiring efforts to becoming strategic partners in the employee experience. Participants will develop an authentic employer brand, create communication strategies for hard-to-fill positions, strengthen internal communication systems that support engagement and retention, and build stronger alignment between communications, HR, and district leadership.

Module 1: Friday, February 5, 2027 (12 - 2 p.m. ET, Virtual): Defining and Communicating Your Employer Brand

Every district has an employer brand, whether it has intentionally defined it or not. This session helps participants identify what truly distinguishes their district as a workplace and translate that identity into clear, credible communication. Through guided activities and examples from school districts, participants will develop messaging that reflects their culture, values, and employee experience.

Guest Facilitator: Nicole Lawson | Chief Communications Officer, Atlanta Public Schools (Ga.)

Module 2: Friday, March 5, 2027 (12 - 2 p.m. ET, Virtual): Recruitment Messaging for Hard-to-Fill Positions

The best recruitment communication is designed for the audience you want to reach, not the position you're trying to fill. This session explores how to better understand candidate audiences, develop messaging that connects with their motivations, and use storytelling to communicate purpose, culture, and opportunity.

Guest Facilitators: Erin Robinson, Coordinator of Digital Media and Engagement and Hillary Donovan, Recruitment Marketing Specialist | Loudoun County Public Schools (Va.)

Module 3: Friday, March 19, 2027 (12 - 2  p.m. ET, Virtual): Internal Communication for Retention

Communication continues to shape the employee experience long after someone accepts a position. This session examines how intentional internal communication can strengthen trust, improve clarity, reinforce organizational culture, and support employee retention. Participants will map key communication touchpoints throughout the employee experience and identify opportunities to create stronger connections, greater consistency, and more meaningful engagement.

Guest Facilitator: Chantelle Green | Communications Specialist, Papillion La Vista Community Schools (Neb.)

Module 4: Friday, April 16, 2027 (12 - 2  p.m. ET, Virtual): Aligning Communications and HR for Impact

Recruitment and retention are most successful when communications, Human Resources, and district leadership work together with shared purpose and clear roles. This capstone session explores practical strategies for building stronger cross-functional partnerships, coordinating communication throughout the employee lifecycle, and creating sustainable systems that support both employees and organizational goals.

Guest Facilitators: Cathy Kedjidjian, APR, Chief Communications Officer, and Dale Fisher, Ed.D., eHCLE, SPHR, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources | Deerfield Public School District 109 (Ill.)

Full program registrants will receive calendar invites for each module after registration.

Pricing - 

Full program: $599 Members, $799 Non-Members

Single modules: $199 Members, $249 Non-Members