If you thought fiestas were just about partying and eating delicious food, the 1,200+ school PR professionals who descended on San Antonio’s River Walk last month had news for you. The 2025 Texas School Public Relations Association (TSPRA) annual conference proved that professional development can indeed come with a side of Texas-sized fun. The four-day event brought together school communicators for a celebration of skill building, networking, and even some friendly competition.
As a proud sponsor of the event, the Class Intercom team was eager to connect with schools and districts from across the state to listen and share insights on authentic school storytelling, which has become especially critical for Texas schools.
Adapting & Advancing School PR
Central to the event are the engaging and thought-provoking sessions, which help attendees stay up to date on emerging trends, develop skills and gain insights from fellow TSPRA members on challenges facing their districts. But before the learning could begin, the fiesta was kicked off by captivating keynote speaker and magician Jon Tai, who left the audience in awe with his mind-blowing session. Also featured were local student mariachi and folklórico groups, whose performances brought a fun, cultural flair to the morning.
The packed conference schedule covered key focus areas, from bond issues and crisis communications to graphic design and event planning. Attendees also had the opportunity to earn TSPRA certifications through three instructional tracks designed for new professionals, advanced professionals, and those exploring artificial intelligence. AI integration was a recurring theme across nearly all focus areas, underscoring its growing role in school communications.
¡Viva TSPRA! The fiesta officially began at the TSPRA 2025 First General Session this morning. We're ready to connect, learn, and be inspired alongside the best in school PR! 🪅🎊🥳 #VivaTSPRA pic.twitter.com/6qq9Eky9cC
— TSPRA (@tspra) February 18, 2025
Class Intercom’s Dr. Jill Johnson led a session on involving students in social media content creation to a full room of engaged attendees. With 30 years of experience in education and a doctoral dissertation on student-driven content, she shared how empowering students to create social media content improves consistency, elevates storytelling, and provides valuable learning opportunities for students. Once a school administrator tasked with managing school social media as an “other duty as assigned,” she quickly realized the impact of giving students a voice in the process. Now, she helps schools across the country harness the power of student-driven content—a strategy that is now more important than ever for Texas schools.
“There’s a bill moving through the Texas legislature that would give families more choice in where they send their kids to school,” said Dr. Jill. “It means that telling your school’s story and really showing the community what your school is all about becomes so much more important. And I can’t think of a better way to do so than inviting students to share their own experiences. It makes the content so much more authentic and engaging and, on social media, that’s the name of the game.”
Class Intercom’s Dr. Jill Johnson and ParentSquare’s Anupama Vaid team up for a podcast live from TSPRA 2025.
Dr. Jill also joined Anupama Vaid, co-founder of school communications platform and Class Intercom partner ParentSquare, for a live podcast straight from the conference floor. Their conversation explored how schools can build stronger partnerships with families to tackle large-scale issues like chronic absenteeism. With ParentSquare now serving 40% of students nationwide, the discussion also touched on AI’s powerful ability to personalize communications at scale, as well as how the company has maintained a strong culture through a period of substantial growth.
Balancing Emerging Technology with Authentic Storytelling
Emerging technologies like AI are reshaping school PR and streamlining communication in ways once unimaginable. Now, schools are tasked with integrating this technology in a way that doesn’t take away from the authentic aspect of communication. While AI promises to write our press releases in seconds, attendees agreed that even the smartest algorithm can’t capture the pure joy in an elementary classroom on Valentine’s Day. Some things still require the human touch—or at least a human with a smartphone.
This focus on authenticity is especially important as Texas schools navigate potential enrollment shifts due to pending legislation, heightened political discourse around education, and the typical challenges of crisis communication, bond campaigns, and personnel issues.
At the Class Intercom booth, attendees shared and ranked their biggest communication challenges, finding humor and solidarity in shared struggles. But as emphasized by the stickers and merch on the table, “the sauce is in the stories.” Even in the face of crises and controversy, the everyday moments of joy, achievement, and connection in schools paint a far more accurate picture than the latest headline.
By prioritizing these positive stories—whether it’s a student’s success, an innovative classroom project, or a dedicated teacher’s impact—schools can take control of their community presence and share the truth that 99.9% of what happens inside their buildings is positively impacting students’ lives and preparing them for the future.
School PR professionals share their “Hot Comms” at TSPRA 2025
Celebrating Excellence & Building Community
The conference featured multiple opportunities to recognize excellence and build relationships among school PR professionals. The Star Awards honored outstanding work in districts of all sizes. In an industry under constant scrutiny, these moments where members can celebrate and uplift their peers are extremely meaningful.
Texas school PR professionals compete in the annual Battle of the Regions karaoke competition.
Of course, the highlight of TSPRA each year is the Annual Karaoke Competition, co-sponsored by ParentSquare and Class Intercom. The Pink Shark bar’s speakeasy area provided an unforgettable setting for this beloved tradition. NSPRA President Heidi Vega joined representatives from Class Intercom and ParentSquare to make up the judging panel, wowing the audience with an impressive drop split during her introduction that energized the crowd. The Battle of the Regions brought friendly competition among teams from across Texas. HASPRA (Houston Area School Public Relations Association) took home the championship with their crowd-pleasing rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” Turns out the same people who craft perfect crisis responses by day can absolutely slay a karaoke mic by night.
The conference also marked a historic moment for the organization with the installation of Kristyn Cathey, APR as TSPRA’s president—the first Black president in the association’s 62-year history. This milestone reflects TSPRA’s commitment to diverse leadership and perspectives in the field of school communications.
Throughout the event, themed dress-up days, work-life balance sessions, and networking along the scenic San Antonio River Walk fostered the sense of community that defines TSPRA. In school PR, it’s easy to feel isolated by constant pressure and tight deadlines. However the conference reminded professionals that they are not alone. The TSPRA community offers professionals a space to reconnect with their passion, recharge, and find support from colleagues who truly understand the demands of the job—empowering them to continue sharing the stories that matter to their communities.
Danielle Clark, APR, Chief Communications Officer at the Harris County Department of Education poses with her Most Valuable Member award at TSPRA 2025. Photo courtesy of Angel Verdejo Jr.
The 2025 TSPRA Annual Conference highlighted key trends shaping school communications in the coming year. As Texas school communicators adapt to these changes, the strategies and connections formed at TSPRA will be essential.
Class Intercom is proud to support school PR professionals in amplifying authentic student and staff voices, ensuring the true value of their communities shines through. A special thanks to our friends at TSPRA for hosting another outstanding conference—we’re already looking forward to next year’s event in Galveston!
