Volume 3:: March 2004

Calling All Candidates!
Have you ever thought about being an officer in CalSPRA? CalSPRA needs your leadership now more than ever to help our profession grow and survive in tough times.

Salary Survey Results Unveiled
In the members-only section of this site, you can view the results of the 2004 CalSPRA Salary Survey. You can still take the survey online and your results will be listed in an update. The survey is completely anonymous and we appreciate your input!

Y'all head on down to Nashville...
NSPRA's Annual Seminar offers invaluable learning experience and one deserving CalSPRA member can get a free ride. Learn more and apply today (PDF).

Communications Contest Update
The deadline has passed and now the waiting begins. Find out when the results will be back and how you can learn from the success of your peers.

Communicating from the Eye of the Perfect Storm
Reflections on the changing role of the school communications professional
:: The triple threat of dwindling resources, growing parental consumerism and the accountability movement are pressurizing the education system like never before. Amidst all of this seeming chaos and tension, he urged school communicators to be their school district’s compass and early warning system. Here are Tom DeLapp’s ten tips for riding out the perfect storm as a school communicator.

Prop 98 explanation helps clarify message from schools
:: Those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to attend the “pre-conference” session at the CalSPRA Sacramento Summit came away with a wealth of information on Proposition 98 – what it really is and isn’t and how it works.

CDE Briefings offer wide variety of valuable topics
:: The Sacramento Summit provided one CalSPRA member with a suitcase full of valuable information to take home to colleagues.

What will happen March 2?
The March 2 election holds several important State propositions whose fate will greatly impact public education. EdSource has created an “Election Page” on its Web site which features non-partisan information on Propositions 55, 56, 57 & 58. You’ll find this page from a link on the EdSource homepage: www.edsource.org.

CalSPRA makes improvements to ListServ
The CalSPRA ListServ is now being hosted by the Contra Costa County Office of Education. Despite a few technical difficulties, it is now successfully up and running. All members should receive ListServ messages and there is a detailed "user guide" in the members-only section of this site. If you have questions about the ListServ, please contect jthompson@cccoe.k12.ca.us

LINKS

:: California Department of Education’s Fact Book is a valuable resource for school communications professionals. The book provides statistics and information on a variety of subjects concerning education in California.

:: Raising the Bar for School PR
NSPRA has released a new document to help school PR professionals and others who are in a position to create, fund and implement school public relations programs entitled, Raising the Bar for School PR: New Standards for the School Public Relations Profession.