News

The official tenure of Rich Bagin, APR, with the National School Public Relations Association comes to a close at the end of February 2021. Bagin spent the last four months serving as executive director emeritus after serving as NSPRA’s executive director from 1992–2020. His retirement marks the close of three decades with NSPRA on the front lines of school communications leadership.  

The National School Public Relations Association is excited to announce that the 2021 NSPRA National Seminar is now open for both  in-person and virtual attendee registrations. No matter how you choose to attend, you will get high quality, thought-provoking professional development full of actionable ideas and strategies to elevate your school PR work!

In honor of Public Schools Week 2021, a panel of exemplary educators working each day in public schools will come together virtually to discuss what has been learned and how public schools can move forward from the COVID-19 pandemic.

During times of change, there is one thing that’s certain: Your messaging and communications have never been more important—or more scrutinized. NSPRA is proud to partner with Finalsite to present a free, four-week, live webinar series all about “Messaging in Times of Change,” offered exclusively to association members. 

When Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power Five football game last November, the Vanderbilt University senior and 2017 alumna of Wylie (Texas) Independent School District became a national media sensation.

The political events and images of rioters storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, reached schools and homes across the nation and beyond.

The National School Public Relations Association offers a variety of resources to assist public school leaders and school PR professionals during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Those resources include virtual professional development for school communicators; communication examples, templates, tip sheets and plans from a variety of school systems; and free consultations with NSPRA staff who are Accredited in Public Relations (APR). 

The National School Public Relations Association, as a member of the Learning First Alliance, has added its support to a national call for teachers and all school staff to receive priority access to new vaccines for the COVID-19 virus.

Watch a special video message below from new NSPRA Executive Director Barbara Hunter, APR, who reflects on this season of Thanksgiving after a challenging year for public schools and the school public relations community.

NSPRA is pleased to announce the four NSPRA Front-Runners for 2020-21:  Phil Campbell;  Jessica Hull; Brian Nicol;  and Kelly Wachel, APR. These association members were identified by the NSPRA Executive Board as emerging leaders who are doing outstanding work for their schools, their chapters and for NSPRA.