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ALSPRA News | Message from Cindy Warner, APR

Greetings, fellow ALSPRA members!

I hope that you are all settling into some sense of a routine after a crazy start to the 2021-2022 school year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. That is one reason I am so excited that ALSPRA members have the opportunity to hear from the founders of K12PRWell — Kristen Magette and Shawn Mckillop — at our upcoming ALSPRA meeting on October 15 in Auburn. Kristen and Shawn will be sharing how school public relations professionals have to take care of themselves in order to do a good job for their districts and to avoid career burnout. I have personally watched several school PR pros recently leave the profession due to chronic stress and burnout, and I do not want that to happen to any of my great ALSPRA colleagues!

As many of you know, I was recently affirmed by the National School Public Relations Association Executive Board to serve as the next Vice President for the Southeast Region. I will begin my three-year term beginning October 1. I am looking forward to serving alongside our current NSPRA President, Nicole Kirby, APR; NSPRA President-Elect, Cathy Kedjidjian, APR; NSPRA Executive Director, Baraba Hunter, APR; and the other NSPRA executive board members in continuing the excellent work that was accomplished over the past year under the leadership of our very own Lesley Bruinton, APR, who served the past two years on the NSPRA executive board as president-elect and president.

One example of the recent work of the NSPRA Executive Board came from the strategic planning process where they listened to members regarding what they wanted from the organization. As a result of those conversations, NSPRA is now offering PR Power Hours free to members and unveiling the new Leaders Learn webinars (also FREE), which will feature various panel discussions focusing on communication issues and strategies. The first Leaders Learn webinar “School Communication Best Practices and Challenges in a Pandemic” is coming up on Friday, September 24 at 11:00 CST. I hope you will take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to hear from seasoned PR professionals — Lesley Bruinton, APR, Nicole Kirby, APR, Joe Ferdani, APR, and Angela Marshall. Information on the webinar and registration details are available on the NSPRA website and in an email that went out to members on September 13.

Blessings for a successful 2021-2022 school year. I hope to see you in Auburn on October 15!

Cindy Warner, APR
Public Relations and Community Education Supervisor
Shelby County Schools

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