Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA)

Great to see WSPRA represented!

Congratulations to this week's Hero Spotlight: Kari Klebba! She works in Communications and Community Outreach, and is the Safety Coordinator for the School District of Milton in Wisconsin.

What she loves most about her job: "I feel like I have the best job in the world. I get to celebrate and highlight the amazing things happening in our classrooms, shine a spotlight on inspiring staff members and students and help bring people together through our social media channels! Every day brings new opportunities and challenges, no day is the same as the last."

School District of Milton Wisconsin

The Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) is excited to continue the Amplify Awards this spring!

Each WSPRA member school district was provided with a certificate template to be presented to an individual, or individuals, who have gone above and beyond in their respective districts to amplify the efforts of school public relations and communications.

Special Education teacher and School District of South Milwaukee Social Media Manager Natalie Eiting was recently awarded the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) Amplify Award for her work over the last seven years.

Mrs. Eiting created the plan and process for sharing all the amazing work our students and staff do each day, and her system ensures we can keep it up year after year.

The intent of this program is not only to celebrate, but also to shine the spotlight on the importance of school communication and the mission of WSPRA, which is to expand the capacity of its members to provide effective communication management for the purpose of strengthening educational opportunities for all students.

Member districts are reminded to email [email protected] with info about their Amplify recipient.

Sun Prairie Schools are searching for their next Director of Strategic Communications! Application info: https://www.applitrack.com/sunprairieschools/OnlineApp/JobPostings/view.asp?FromAdmin=true&AppliTrackJobId=3370

The Wisconsin School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) is excited to continue the Amplify Awards this spring!

Each WSPRA member school district was provided with a certificate template to be presented to an individual, or individuals, who have gone above and beyond in their respective districts to amplify the efforts of school public relations and communications.

The Green Bay Area Public School District's School and Community Relations team visited Green Bay Head Start to present them with the Amplify Award.

Head Start staff excel at communicating the great things happening at their schools. They go above and beyond at showcasing what is going on in their classrooms and highlighting family and community engagement on social media. Congratulations, Principal Patty Mevis, Principal Rachel De La Cruz and the Head Start team!

The intent of this program is not only to celebrate, but also to shine the spotlight on the importance of school communication and the mission of WSPRA, which is to expand the capacity of its members to provide effective communication management for the purpose of strengthening educational opportunities for all students.

Member districts are reminded to email [email protected] with info about their Amplify recipient.

Please welcome our newest WSPRA Board member who will officially begin his service July 1!

Name: Eric Hagen

District: Elmbrook Schools

Position: Communications Specialist

College(s) and degree(s): UW-Eau Claire (Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications, Minor: Multimedia Communications)

Proudest moment: My team has worked with a student intern named Mikey for the past three years on a web series that he stars in as he celebrates things across our district. My proudest moment has been watching the growth that he has shown through both his work and the confidence he's built in his skills over our time together.

Why WSPRA?: In our rather niche profession, it’s important to have a network of peers who have shared similar journeys - people you can lean on to navigate your struggles and celebrate your successes.

Little Known Fact About You: I am a huge fan of cursive handwriting, and received a statewide penmanship award for several years at Rolling Hills Elementary School. Go Raptors!

Fun Fact about Your District: We've been recognized by Niche as the #1 district in the state for the past seven consecutive years - it gives a huge sense of pride to all that our students and staff do each day.

What is a quote or piece of advice that has served you well throughout life?: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” - Barack Obama

Great to see WSPRA represented!

Congratulations to this week's Hero Spotlight: Emily DeBaker, Chief of Staff for Racine Unified School District in Wisconsin!

What she loves most about her job: "What I value most is the people. I have the opportunity to collaborate with passionate, dedicated individuals who truly care about what they do. Being surrounded by that kind of energy is inspiring and it pushes me to keep learning. I also love that no two days are exactly the same. There’s a constant mix of problem-solving, creativity and communication - which keeps it fun!"

Racine Unified Schools

Congrats to our WSPRA members who are presenting at the Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials Spring Conference this week in Wisconsin Dells!

Jennifer Ames (River Falls), Christina Brey (WEAC), Joëlle Doye (Mineral Point) & Jeff Wright (Sauk Prairie)
-- "Speak the Same Language: Bridging the Gap from the Boardroom to the Breakroom"

Melissa Thompson (Plunkett Raysich Architects)
-- "A Sure Bet for Your Budget: Educational SPECIFICations that Deliver"

Congrats to WSPRA Member Kristin Rozek of Howard-Suamico School District who was honored with the "You're Reely Awesome" in this year's SocialSchool4EDU Best of School Social Media Awards!

Congrats to WSPRA Member Anne Blackburn of Waunakee Community School District who was honored with the "Power of Social Media-Photos" in this year's SocialSchool4EDU Best of School Social Media Awards!