C. J. Huff, Kim Vann to present $299 a head seminar in Chicago

One of the stipulations of the agreement former Joplin R-8 Superintendent C. J. Huff reached with the Board of Education last year to pave the way for his "retirement" was that the district had to pay his expenses to the annual conference of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in Atlanta, where Huff was a speaker, even though by the time he spoke, he was no longer superintendent.

At least this year, Joplin R-8 taxpayers won't have to pay the freight for Huff's self-promotion.

That will be done by those who fork over $299 to attend a pre-conference seminar at the NSPRA's annual conference entitled "Community Engagement," in which Huff and Bright Futures USA Executive Director Kim Vann will explain how Huff's vision of Bright Futures saved Joplin.

The seminar is described in the advertising for the event:

One of the greatest challenges faced by school systems across the country is how to engage community members in meaningful and impactful ways. As resources for schools become scarcer, creative ways to tap into the time, talent, and treasure of your community is essential for starting and sustaining effective programs and building community support.

Community Engagement 2.0 is a full day workshop built to help superintendents, public relations professionals, and other school personnel to think beyond traditional engagement strategies to create meaningful and lasting relationships between the school and community. Participants in this pre-seminar workshop will…

• Learn about the Bright Futures framework and the three pillars of Community Engagement 2.0.

• Engage in problem solving activities with other professionals.

• Develop an actionable plan that is unique to your community and ready for implementation.

The day will be action packed, hands on, and engaging! Bring a group or come alone to network with others like you who are ready for a community engagement upgrade!

The seminar will come at the end of a week in which Huff will also be in St. Louis giving lectures at the annual conference of the National Association of Educational Office Personnel on 'creating a positive workplace" and the "Three R's of Crisis- Readiness, Response, and Recovery."