H1N1 Response Plans for Schools Addressed in First NSPRA PR Power Hour Panel of the Season

Washington D.C. and Santa Cruz, CA -- August 25, 2009 – The National School Public Relations Association today announced it will host a PR Power Hour panel designed to help educators prepare a clear, strategic communications program to address the H1N1 flu virus this fall. On September 11, "Immunize Your Communication Response Plan Against the Resurgence of the H1N1 Virus" will feature communication best practices shared by school PR veterans from around the country. An interactive forum will follow the live presentation to allow participants to pose questions, share ideas and communicate among themselves throughout the volatile flu season. The panel will be lead by moderator Frank Kwan, director, communications, Los Angeles County Office of Education. Panelists include: Rick Kaufman, APR, executive director, community relations, Bloomington (Minn.) Public Schools; Julie Thannum, APR, executive director, communications/marketing, Carroll Independent School District, Grapevine, Texas; and Brian Woodland, APR, director, communication/strategic partnerships, Peel District School Board, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Sponsored by SchoolMessenger, registration for the first 100 participants is just $35 ($50 thereafter) at http://www.nspra.org/pr_powerhours.

"NSPRA has been very alert to the H1N1 issue and extremely effective in sharing the strategies necessary to deal with it," said Mr. Kwan. "This Fall, as school communities face the regular flu season, a resurgence of the H1N1 flu virus and the largest vaccination campaign since the 1950’s, information will be key. Increasingly, parents will look to their local schools for the guidance and advice necessary to navigate through the uncertainty."