2025 Winter Conference
March 6-7, 2025
Puget Sound ESD
Renton, Washington
Hotel Information
While we are not reserving a hotel block for the conference, we recommend the following locations which are nearby:
- Courtyard Seattle Southcenter
- DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport
- Hyatt Regency Lake Washington
- Residence Inn Marriott South Seattle/Renton
Thursday, March 6
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Welcome
9:15 - 10:15 a.m.
The Costs of Conflict: The Fiscal Impact of Culturally Divisive Conflict on Public Schools in the United States
Presenter: Joseph Kahne, University of California, Riverside, CA
10:25 - 11:25 a.m.
Moving Through Burnout: Finding Alignment, Presence, and Purpose
Presenter: Andrea Smith, Certified Life and Leadership Coach, The Lived Life Coaching
This session will explore a deep understanding of burnout, chronic stress, and its impacts. We will go beyond “I’m burned out and stressed!” and “I need self care!” to understanding the phases, symptoms, and potential impacts of burnout, and the control each individual has to move through and heal from these challenges. We will also look at how leaders can create and sustain work cultures of alignment and purpose vs. burnout and stress. Most importantly, participants will engage in self-reflection and assessment of their life, both work and personal, to walk away with strategies to increase overall presence, purpose, and alignment.
11:25 - 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 - 2:00 p.m.
Will Truth Prevail? Managing Misinformation and Protecting Reputation Under Fire
Presenters: Natalie Hurd, Communications & Community Relations Director and Ron Havniear, Executive Director of Leadership & Safety, Medford School District, OR
In today’s fast-paced, information-saturated world, misinformation can spread like wildfire, jeopardizing trust and damaging reputations. This dynamic session equips leaders to move their organizations beyond the echo chamber with communication strategies and insights from neuroscience to manage crises and maintain credibility under pressure.
Through a deeply personal and ongoing case study, learn how a school board member’s misinformation campaign targeted district leaders—including the presenters of this session and the superintendent—undermining trust and creating lasting challenges. This evolving story addresses complex dynamics, including board relations, politics, neighborhood Facebook groups, unions, and safety and security.
2:15 - 3:15 p.m. Breakout Session
Burn Bright, Not Out: Tools for Stress-Free Project Management
Presenter: Sarah Foy APR, Communications Officer, Oak Harbor Public Schools
Walk away with practical strategies to tackle multiple projects without sacrificing your sanity. In "Burn Bright, Not Out: Tools for Stress-Free Project Management," you’ll learn how to prioritize tasks, delegate efficiently and maintain balance when you have so much to accomplish in a short amount of time. This session offers actionable tools, templates and insights to help you stay organized, energized, and in control—so you can shine without burning out. Perfect for teams of one or twenty!
Master the Art of Public Speaking
Presenter: Diane Bradford, Director of Communications and Public Relations, Mukilteo School District
Public speaking is rated as the number one fear for most people, but it can be exciting and enjoyable for the speaker and the audience. Learn how to engage an audience so they want to listen to you while increasing their comprehension and remembering what you shared. During this model-engaging session, learn six concrete strategies you can implement immediately to squash limiting beliefs about public speaking and engage your audiences with confidence and ease.
3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Sparks & Strategies Session
We’re excited to introduce this new interactive roundtable session. This is your opportunity to collaborate with school PR professionals from across the state on the topics that matter most to you.
4:10 - 5:10 p.m. Breakout Session
How a Capital Levy Can be Used to Build a New School Instead of a Bond
Presenter: Gary Sabol, Director of Communications, Arlington Public Schools
We’ve always been told that bonds are for building and levies are for learning but is that always the case? Since 2018, the Arlington School District has tried seven times to pass a measure to replace an aging middle school in their district that was built in 1981. The first five times the district tried the measure as a bond but was unsuccessful due to the 60% supermajority. Based on feedback from voters, the district ran the measure as a capital levy in November 2024. While it didn’t reach the simple majority for passage due to a number of reasons, it was close and voters asked the district to run the measure again in February 2025 at a lower cost. Learn how to communicate with taxpayers about the pros and cons of running a capital levy to replace a school and how it can benefit your taxpayers.
Can Your Brand Influence Student Success? Easy Steps to Establish a Strong Brand Across Your District
Presenters: Bill Frenzel; VP, Sales - West; ParentSquare + TBD School PR Professional
Your brand has a large influence on the perception of your organization, and can even influence student success and family engagement and support. What should you consider to create a strong brand? In this session we will walk through the many aspects that go into branding – visuals, style guidelines, real-life stories, consistency, and more. We’ll share how creating a strong brand can help evoke emotion, build trust with stakeholders, and help establish your reputation. We’ll also share how ParentSquare’s fully integrated communications and school websites can help you maintain a strong and consistent brand presence. We’ll take a look at Smart Sites (our integrated school website solution), and Studio Editor (a powerful new newsletter tool that lets you create engaging, beautifully designed posts, right from within ParentSquare). Attendees will leave with easy steps to establish their organization's brand, as well as several real-life examples, templates, and resources to reference when creating their own school's brand.
5:30 p.m. No Host Networking Happy Hour
6:30 p.m. No Host Group Dinners
Friday, March 7
8:00 - 9:00 a.m. Breakfast and Networking
9:00 - 9:15 a.m. Welcome
9:15 - 10:15 am:
Making Headlines: Effective Media Engagement for Schools
Moderator: Jessica McCartney, WSPRA President-Elect
Panelists: Jackie Kent- KOMO News. Jeanie Lindsay-KUOW NPR
What makes a story stand out? What do reporters actually need from school district communications? And how can schools build stronger, more effective relationships with the media? In this panel discussion, media experts will share insights on what makes a story stand out, the key elements journalists look for in a school district news release, and how to build meaningful relationships with local and regional media.
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
The Power Partnership: CFO & CCO Collaboration in Budgeting, RIF/Recall, and Reductions
Presenter: Kirsten Fitterer, Executive Director of Communications and Engagement and Jacob Kuper, Assistant Superintendent of Finance, Yakima School District
In times of financial uncertainty, the partnership between the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Chief Communications Officer (CCO) is critical for ensuring transparent, consistent, and effective communication. This session will explore how strong collaboration between these roles can guide school districts through challenging processes like budgeting, RIF/Recall decisions, and reductions.
Using real-world examples, Yakima School District CFO Jake Kuper and CCO Kirsten Fitterer will discuss strategies to align financial planning with clear messaging, maintain trust with stakeholders, and foster a shared understanding across all levels of the district. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to strengthen this essential partnership and improve district-wide communication during difficult transitions.
11:30 a.m. Closing and No-Host Networking Lunches