Happy Spring Break School PR! Our work is tough, and there never seem to be enough hours to accomplish all of our goals. Despite our best intentions, we can't all be experts in everything. In this episode, we talk with Sarah Williamson, owner of SWPR group, an educational technology PR agency based on the west coast. Sarah talks about the partnerships that can be built between School PR personnel and external agencies.
Mar 15, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 212
Nicole Lyons from Keller ISD (TX) joins Justin from the lobby of the hotel at the TSPRA 2021 Conference in Denton, Texas to discuss Keller ISD's amazing Campus PR Reps Program. These PR Reps assist the district communications team in telling the story of Keller ISD. Enjoy!
Mar 01, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This month's episode is all about what it's like to be the KID of the School PR person. Hear from Fiona McCann and Kinleigh Dearing on what they think about late board meetings, football games and pandemics. This conversation is a glimpse into the mind of two elementary students who, even through all the crazy, still love school... still love learning... and still have fun.
Feb 14, 2021•34 min
In this episode, Justin is joined by Nicole Kirby, APR who was recently elected as the President-Elect for NSPRA. The two discuss the importance of NSPRA and spend. quite a bit of time discussing what being a parent has taught them about SchoolPR. Enjoy and have a great week SchoolPR Family!
Feb 01, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Across the world, people were delighted to say goodbye to the year 2020. School PR was no exception! As a welcome back from hiatus, Erin kicks off 2021 by talking with brand new NSPRA Executive Director, Barbara Hunter, APR. It's going to be a great year School PR!
Jan 15, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 208
Justin is joined by Dane Dellenbach and they discuss the origin of #K12PRChat and also spend time talking about what it means to be a Strategic Leader. Dane talks about how seeing a tweet about someone working non-stop and it never being enough really put him into deep thought on the issues facing strategic leaders in education.
Dec 01, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 7
School PR is a welcoming community, but sometimes it can be intimidating if you're new. New NSPRA board member, Joshua Sauer, APR, joins Erin to talk being a young leader, getting involved in the School PR community, and the beauty of telling your authentic story.
Nov 15, 2020•34 min•Season 2Ep. 6
David O joins Justin to talk about being named to the 2020 Class of NSPRA's 35 under 35. David talks about the importance of self-care, emerging trends in School PR and also some of the obstacles he forecasts in the coming months and years as we continue to work through this pandemic. This was a very raw and uncut conversation. You will have to stick around until the end to see if David finally reveals what the O is David O. stands for... #BattleWithBryton
Nov 01, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Even in the best of times, PR professionals need a reminder to stop and prioritize themselves. 2020 is not the best of times! Former PR pro, Mark Mohammadpour, APR, talks health, wellness, and most importantly - choosing ourselves.
Oct 15, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 4
If you haven't seen the back to school video "Kid Superintendent", it's time to go watch it and then come back to this episode to hear the creative journey that our friend Kristin Boyd Edwards just wrapped up. What started as a weekend project, lander Kristin and Reading Schools on Good Morning America. Justin talks creative process and handling going viral in the latest episode of School PR Happy Hour
Oct 01, 2020•33 min•Season 2Ep. 3
No matter where you practice #SchoolPR, there's a model for a resource, or service center to help you out. No one does this better than Rachel Frost, Chief Communications Officer at Region 10 in Texas. Thanks Rachel for all of the support you've provided to School PR Pros during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for reminding us that balance is possible!
Sep 15, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Erin and Justin talk about the struggles of COVID-19 and deciding if the second season of SPRHH was going to happen. Welcome back Happy Hour Friends!
Sep 01, 2020•17 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Whew... what a season! We have officially reached the end of Season 1 of SPRHH. It's time for us to take a short break and recharge some before we dive into creating another season of School PR Content. Before shutting down shop, Erin and Justin hosted an online live video recap of Season 1. This is the audio from that event. Have a great summer School PR, we will see you back here Sept. 1 with a brand new season!
Jun 01, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Throwing content at the wall and hoping it will stick - it's the nightmare of professional communicators everywhere. So what do you do, in an effort to create authentic engagement on your social platforms? Our final full episode of Season 1 features Justin Elbert from Klein ISD, a long-time school PR Practitioner with a speciality in engaging content and analytics.
May 15, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Justin was joined by his new friend and keynote speaker Aaron Davis to talk about a variety of topics that School PR pros are facing during this COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you leave this episode encouraged and ready to finish this historic school year strong.
May 01, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Join Erin as she talks with Julie Thannum, APR, about what Carroll ISD is doing to become cultural competent and became a leader among districts is choosing equity.
Apr 15, 2020•50 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Justin is joined by Katie Test Davis from Forthright Advising to discuss stats and tactics public schools can use to win in the new competitive education industry. Katie shared a TON of resources during this interview and they can all be found by visiting forthrightadvising.com/schoolprhappyhour . Stay safe School PR!
Apr 01, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this stripped-down version of SPRHH, Justin, Erin and Ben Pankonin from Class Intercom talk about the effects of CoVid-19 on the School PR community. Our community is doing hard work and this conversation is a callback to a previous conversation about wellness. This episode is about you, the professionals that listen and contribute to our show. We want you to know we see you and we want to support you however we can.
Mar 15, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 15
School PR is a rewarding business, but there's nothing easy about the work we do. We talk a lot about "finding our tribe," and knowing who to call in various situations. What about having formal mentor? Is it necessary? Does it make a difference? In this episode, Erin talks with her own mentor, Ian Halperin, and discusses the benefits of having a mentor, as well as the need for reverse mentors. Plus you get to hear about how Ian became Erin's mentor - lucky you!
Mar 01, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Don’t worry! You’re still getting your scheduled content on the first and the fifteenth. Erin and Justin just want to say thank you!
Feb 27, 2020•42 sec
Happy Valentine's Day Patrons of the Happy Hour. In this episode, we step outside of the industry to have an important conversation on the effect our jobs can have on the ones we love. Justin welcomed his wife, Caty Dearing, into the studio to talk School PR, the effects the job can have on a relationship, and even a little bit of the importance of incorporating teacher voice into our communications. You will realize very quickly that Caty is way smarter than Justin and should probably have her ...
Feb 14, 2020•39 min•Season 1Ep. 13
(Possible Trigger Warning) Crisis. The subject that School PR professionals seek endless training upon, consider themselves experts and prepare materials for. No matter how much you prepare, the true nature of a crisis, is there is always something you don't know. In episode 12, Kim Cathey from Floresville ISD talks with Erin about two severe crisis situations she guided her district through - both natural and manmade disasters. This episode contains serious material and addresses student death....
Feb 01, 2020•37 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Our jobs are to tell the good stories that are going on in the classrooms, but what are we doing about public education as a whole.? Join Justin as he talks with Dr. Richard Long from Learning First Alliance and Rich Bagin, APR from NSPRA about ways School PR professionals can step up and speak out for public schools. Public Schools Week is February 24-28... have you signed the pledge to support public schools? Learn how in episode 11.
Jan 15, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Happy New Year School PR! A new year is filled with new energy and new opportunity. In this special New Year's Day episode, Erin talks with School PR Rookie JP Prezzavento on breaking into the industry and finding your niche in school PR.
Jan 01, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 10
We are storytellers, but what makes a great story? This "extended" episode of School PR Happy Hour dives into everything VISUAL storytelling. Tove Tupper, Assistant Director of Communications for Highline Public Schools in Washington and Derek Duncan, Digital Communications Coordinator at Parkway Schools in St. Louis join Justin to talk about visual storytelling.
Dec 15, 2019•43 min•Season 1Ep. 9
As we move into the Holiday season, it feels appropriate to take some time to touch on an issue that has been a hot button in the K12 PR world. How good are you, as a practitioner of School PR, at taking time to take care of yourself, or to check in internally to make sure you are achieving balance in your life? In this episode, Erin talks with two dynamic thought leaders who are pioneering this conversation on a national level. Join Shawn McKillop APR, and Kristin Magette APR for an episode you...
Dec 01, 2019•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The most important voices in our district are the kids walking the hall. What if we, as storytellers, found unique ways for those students to be the storytellers. Brenda Drake, PIO for Montgomery County Public Schools is doing just that through her Ambassador program's Instagram responsibilities.
Nov 15, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 7
According to the New York Times best selling author Brene Brown, embracing Vulnerability is the key to unlocking greater clarity in our potential. Adam Harris, Head of Storytelling for Arlington Heights School District, feels exactly the same way. In episode 6, Adam shares how he uses vulnerability to increase his storytelling for his district built trust with his audiences, and challenge the status quo.
Nov 01, 2019•32 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Lesley Bruinton, APR, the Coordinator of Public Relations for Tuscaloosa Schools in Tuscaloosa Alabama and NSPRA President-Elect joins Justin to talk about the important role that strategy plays in the day to day operations of a School Communications Plan. Whether you are a strategy pro or if it is something you have never really jumped into, this episode will leave you with tips and motivation to really examine the WHY in your daily work processes.
Oct 15, 2019•24 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Bond. It's many School PR professional's favorite 4 letter word. Bonds are a necessary tool to achieve the needed funding for construction and other capital projects in school districts. They can be stressful, intimidating and heartbreaking. They can also be points of success to rally community members to come out and support public schools. Negotiating the political landscape can be tricky, and explaining tax increases and decreases can sometimes feel like you're explaining complex math that yo...
Oct 01, 2019•43 min•Season 1Ep. 4
