Aug. 2, 2024 Update

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August 2, 2024

Dear NESPRA Members,

Happy Friday! I am writing with some updates.

1. NSPRA Seminar: Several of us were fortunate to learn and connect with each other and school PR folks from across America at the NSPRA 2024 Seminar in Seattle. NESPRA received two Marks of Distinction for membership growth and offering ongoing professional development. Next year the Seminar will be in Washington, D.C. Check out our Facebook page for photos. Congratulations to all who received recognition for their hard work!

2. Membership Renewal: With the ongoing transition of the Treasurer and Membership Coordinator, we are working on finalizing a process for membership renewal and setting a date for members to renew for the 2024-25 year. We will update you soon.

3. Working Groups: At our summer Executive Board meeting on July 26, we established three working groups for the 2024-25 year. We encourage any of our members to participate in the working groups once they launch this fall!

The three working groups are: 1) Membership Growth and Networking; 2) Content Planning for Professional Development (Including Conference); and 3) Advocacy of the Profession.

These groups are tied to the three feedback themes shared by our Executive Board members during our in-person retreat in May, and will be used as our operational framework for this year. A fourth theme is Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, and I am working with other SPRAs, particularly Michigan which has a DEIB Task Force, to bring some of their DEIB resources in to support all three working groups. More details to come late summer/early fall.

4. Events Calendar: Vice President Julia Mitchell (Pinkerton Academy, NH) is finalizing an events calendar for our members, which will have “save the dates” for monthly virtual Lunch and Learns, Chapter Chats, and any in-person gatherings as they are planned. Look for that late summer.

5. Massachusetts Representative Position: I’m happy to share that we have one person who is formally interested in serving in the role of Massachusetts State Representative. If you are interested in this role, please fill out this form no later than Wednesday, August 7. Please note the position has been advertised to members since June 25. Please review the role description or email me for more information. We still have a vacant position for Maine State Representative. If you are from Maine and are interested, please fill out the form and contact me.

6. Summer Book Club: The first lunchtime meeting of the NESPRA Reads Summer Book Club was this past Monday to discuss the first three chapters of Why Should the Boss Listen to You? The next meeting will discuss chapters 4-6. Please email Kat Johnson, Senior Communications Coordinator of Holyoke, MA Public Schools, if you would like to participate in the book club.

Please remember we are all volunteers and always looking for our general members to participate in helping us provide offerings for our chapter. Please let me or any executive board member know if you have any questions, thoughts or ideas.

Have a great day,

Dan O’Brien

President, NESPRA

Chief Communications Officer, Worcester Public Schools (MA)