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Dorothy Leavell (left), editor and publisher of the Crusader Group in Chicago, reacts during a conversation with Kara Demirjian Huss of DCC Marketing, during Huss' power session "Meet The Media Buyer" during the Illinois Press Association/Foundation Convention on Thursday, Aug. 11, at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. (Photo by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
By ERIN HENKEL For Illinois Press Association
SPRINGFIELD – A return to an in-person convention this year also meant the return of power sessions.
The roundtable discussions during power sessions last 25 minutes as convention-goers go from table to table to talk with presenters. There were three power sessions during this year’s convention Aug. 11-12 at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel. Each included three 25-minute discussions.
There were eight tables during the Thursday morning session, nine on Thursday afternoon and five on Friday morning. Topics ranged from brainstorming new revenue opportunities for weekly newspapers, creating success with events, covering climate change in your community, and addressing news literacy in your nondaily newspaper. Convention-goers were encouraged to attend sessions that best fit their needs and interests.
Rinda Maddox, publisher and owner of the Sidell Reporter, was one of Thursday morning’s presenters. She purchased the nondaily newspaper for $1 in 1991 after having worked there as a typesetter since 1985. Today, the Sidell Reporter covers five communities and annually wins many Illinois Press Association contest awards. Her table’s focus was on generating new revenue ideas to help weekly newspapers.
“I sat down and thought of some of the revenue ideas I’ve had. Probably every one of these ideas came from the same roundtable at a previous year,” Maddox said.
One idea that Maddox presented was a notepad that included a coupon for six free editions of the paper.
“We’ve got to keep our subscriptions up or we lose out and one of the things that we have done is notepads,” she said. “The first page is a coupon for six free papers and when we are at parades or the Strawberry Festival and we have a booth set up, we hand these out. Everyone wants a notepad.”
Free editions of the paper allow consumers to learn what content is being offered and decide if they would like to subscribe.
Maddox estimates that about half of those who are given a notepad subscribe after the free trial period ends.
Sean Finch, sales director for Creative Circle Media, manned another table, leading discussions on sales pro tips.
“In media sales, it’s totally fluid, everything can change at the drop of the hat, so you always have to be aware of the landscape,” Finch said.
Finch also encouraged attendees to learn their clients’ needs and build a relationship with clients.
“it’s not a one-size-fits-all, these are the options I’ve chosen based on our relationship and our conversations on where I really want to pinpoint you and you should take advantage of [these],” Finch said.
“Once you get to the level where people trust you, it is OK to disturb their complacency. You need to do that …and have the conviction and passion.”
At their table, Jackie Martin and Mark Lukas from The News-Gazette in Champaign discussed creating success with events and customizing a package to fit customers’ needs.
“People have print packages, have radio packages, so we try to make it supplemental or incremental to any current things that they already have,” Lukas said. “Which is why they might want to take out the radio because they already have radio, so we’ll push the package then to digital and print.”
The table also included conversation on how to create events with limited staff and resources. Partnering with other organizations that already have events scheduled is a great way to reduce liability and manage staffing concerns.
“If you have staffing challenges, maybe there is an event out there that you could get a piece of and make it bigger and better for them and make it a revenue generator platform for yourself,” Lukas said. “You bring print and digital and other elements to the table and ask if you can come in to run a certain aspect of it at the fair or at the event that exists, and ‘Can we come in and do this’ and we find that to be a revenue generating platform for us”
Virtual events such as job fairs are also a good tool to use when dealing with limited resources, as they can be a revenue source with less effort than an in-person event.
Bev Sams, director of advertising and marketing with the Daily Journal in Kankakee, focused her session on how to sell advertisers an audience.
“You hear that nobody is reading the newspapers anymore and that is just so far from the truth,” said Sams, who has more than 29 years of experience in newspapers. “It’s really important to know who is reading it, (and) what are your audience numbers. That way you can talk to your customers about it.”
Sams also discussed increasing online page views through content creation and audience analysis through tools such as Google analytics.
“Our team looks at our Google analytics on a daily basis,” she said. “When I first got there I think our page views were around 750,000 so the editor and I worked really hard and we hired a digital person on the newsroom side to do digital content and manage our website. Our goal was to hit 1 million and now we are at almost 1.2 million monthly. We start a lot of our stories online.”
Ken Campbell, business development manager for AdCellerant, speaks during a power session Thursday, Aug. 11, at the IPA/IPF convention in Springfield. AdCellerant has an advertising technology platform that oversees, manages and enhances clients' digital marketing efforts. Campbell's session was conducted along with IPA Director of Revenue Sandy Pistole and was titled "Selling With Illinois Press Advertising Services." (Photos by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Capitol News Illinois Bureau Chief Jerry Nowicki (right) talks with convention-goers during his power session Thursday afternoon, Aug. 11, at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield. Pictured with Nowicki are Kathy Farren (left), a member of the Illinois Press Foundation Board, and Jerry Whitney, co-owner and publisher of the Carroll County Review and also an IPF Board member. (Photo by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Jackie Martin, sales manager of The News-Gazette in Champaign, talks about Success With Events during a power session Aug. 11 at the Illinois Press Association/Foundation convention in Springfield. (Photo by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Convention-goers look at an example of a notepad with a coupon for 6 free editions that readers of The Sidell Reporter received recently. Rinda Maddox, the paper's owner and publisher, talked about the notepads during a power session Aug. 11. (Photo by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Jennifer Heintzelman, publisher of Sauk Valley Media, talks with convention-goers during her power session about Breathing New Life Into Old Ideas on Aug. 11. (Photo by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Dave Storey, senior vice president key accounts from Coda, speaks during a power session at the convention on Aug. 11. Coda is an ROI-driven research and consulting firm. (Photos by Erin Henkel for Illinois Press Association)
Dennis Anderson (center), Shaw Media vice president of news & content development, presents his power session "Reader and Revenue Project" on Thursday, Aug. 11. (Photo by Sarah Rogers for Illinois Press Association)
Tucker Kennedy, communications director for Ameren Illinois, gives a power session on energy prices and availability Aug. 12 during the IPA/IPF convention. (Photo by Jeff Rogers of Illinois Press Foundation)
Larry Lough, editor of The Woodstock Independent talks with staff members from The Hinsdalean during a power session Aug. 12. (Photo by Jeff Rogers of Illinois Press Foundation)
Madison Lammert, formerly a reporter with the Republic-Times of Waterloo, talks to convention-goers along with Editor Corey Saathoff (left) about a reporting project she and the newspaper did about news literacy. Lammert, now a Report For America reporter at a Wisconsin newspaper, returned to the convention to present power sessions on Aug. 12. (Photo by Jeff Rogers of Illinois Press Foundation)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 2, 2024 Contact Information: Illinois Region 3: Mutual Aid Team Dr. Patrick M. Twomey 309-229-9093 c4ol.twomey@gmail.com
United States Rural School Safety Project: Conducting a first of its kind, full scale regional response parent-student reunification exercise
MACOMB, Illinois – The Illinois Region 3: Mutual Aid Team will conduct a full-scale regional response reunification exercise at Western Illinois University on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. The exercise will commence at 11:30 a.m. Parents, media outlets, and exercise participants will be stationed in Q lot directly east of Western Hall located on University Drive. There will be electronic signage directing all media outlets to a predetermined staging area. Separate signage will direct parents to their appropriate parking location, while dignitaries and invited observers will go directly to the Emergency Operations Center located at the east end of Q lot just in front of Tanner Hall. The goal is to reunite approximately 430 students with their parents or guardians between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. In addition, there are a significant number of state, county, and local personnel and organizations practicing and participating in this exercise. Organizations include local, county, and state law enforcement, hospitals, fire departments, emergency services, disaster agencies, State Police K-9 Unit, Salvation Army, and the American Red Cross, as well as others. The United States Rural School Safety Project was created to assist rural schools in tabletop exercise trainings and the formation of regional mutual aid teams. The tabletop exercises are designed to improve each individual school district’s crisis responses, while additional trainings create a prepared regional response to any district experiencing a catastrophic event. The Illinois Region 3 Team has been training together for more than two years. A calm and organized reunification process after a critical school incident is paramount and marks the beginning of the recovery phase. Parents, students, staff members, and the community at large must be assured that a well-designed plan in conjunction with a highly trained team is ready and prepared to respond at all times.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024 Contact Information: Sherry Sejnost, program chair irc@illinoisreadingcouncil.org
ILLINOIS READS! A Reading State of Mind www.illinoisreads.org and www.illinoisreadingcouncil.org www.facebook.com/IllinoisReads www.twitter.com/IllinoisReads #IllinoisReads #IRCReads Illinois Reading Council's 2025 Illinois Reads book list will be featured at the IRC Conference on March 13-14, 2025, and the Illinois Reads Book Festival on April 26, 2025
The Illinois Reading Council (IRC) has just released the list of Illinois Reads books for 2025. Illinois Reads is a statewide program that promotes reading for all Illinois citizens. The program promotes six books in six different age bands by authors and illustrators who have ties to Illinois. The books range from read-to books for infants to books for adult readers. Bookmarks and posters highlighting the Illinois Reads books will be available in early 2025. Order early as supplies are limited! The Illinois Reads Program will be featured at the annual IRC Conference in Springfield on March 13-14, 2025. Conference registration is now open for educators, librarians, and others interested in promoting literacy. The 2025 Illinois Reads Program will also be featured at the Illinois Reads Book Festival in Jacksonville on April 26, 2025. Readers throughout Illinois are invited to this free family event. Visit our websites to find out about other upcoming Illinois Reads events.
The Illinois Reads book selections for 2025 are: Birth-4 Can You Dance Like a Peacock? by Rekha S. Rajan Hide-and-Seek by Molly Cranch Moms Can Do It All! by Ted Maass Sleepy: Surprising Ways Animals Snooze by Jennifer Ward Painting the Sky with Love: A Celebration of Love and Community by Mary E. Haque Play Outside with Me by Kat Chen K-2 Bats Beneath the Bridge by Janet Nolan Love Grows by Ruth Spiro Somebody Needs to Do Something About That Monster! by Doug Cenko The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything by Nadia Ahmed The Heartbeat Drum: The Story of Carol Powder, Cree Drummer and Activist by Deidre Havrelock and illustrated by Aphelandra Umami by Jacob Grant 3-5 Cloud Puppy by Kelly Leigh Miller Detective Sweet Pea: The Case of the Golden Bone by Sara Varon It Belongs to the World: Frederick Banting and the Discovery of Insulin by Lisa Katzenberger Legendarios: Wrath of the Rain God by Karla Arenas Valenti One Cool Duck #1: King of Cool by Mike Petrik The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock 6-8 Forget-Me-Not Blue by Sharelle Byars Moranville I Felt Myself Slipping by Ray Nadine Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi Rare Birds by Jeff Miller Stage Fright by Wendy Parris The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt 9-12 American Wings: Chicago’s Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky by Sherri L. Smith and Elizabeth Wein Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao Last On His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century by Youssef Daoudi and Adrian Matejka This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed This Night Is Ours by Ronni Davis We Shall Be Monsters: A Novel by Alyssa Wees Adult By Water Beneath the Walls: The Rise of the Navy SEALs by Benjamin H. Milligan Star Wars Dad Jokes: The Best Worst Jokes and Puns from a Galaxy Far, Far Away . . . . by Kelly Knox and illustrated by Johnny Sampson The Best Lies by David Ellis The Great Divide: A Novel by Cristina Henriquez The Wheel of the Year: An Illustrated Guide to Nature’s Rhythms by Fiona Cook Woe: A Housecat’s Story of Despair: (A Graphic Novel) by Lucy Knisley
A special title for 2025 will also be A Love Letter to My Library by Lisa Katzenberger. Illinois Reads is a statewide literacy program provided by the Illinois Reading Council, a nonprofit organization with nearly 2,000 members across Illinois. The mission of the Illinois Reading Council is to provide support and leadership to all who promote and teach lifelong literacy. Book lists from 2013 to 2025 may be found on the Illinois Reads website. For more information, visit our websites at www.IllinoisReads.org and www.IllinoisReadingCouncil.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 1, 2024 Contact Information: Alison Maley, government and public relations director Phone: 217-299-3122 alison@ilprincipals.org
Illinois Principals Association to host 'Legacy Builders' Conference in October
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) will host its 53rd Education Leaders Annual Conference, “Legacy Builders,” Oct. 20-22, 2024, in Peoria. The event will feature keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities to help school leaders enhance their impact on schools and communities. 2024-2025 IPA President Cris Edwards shared, “We’re excited to welcome Illinois school leaders to this year’s conference, offering inspiring speakers and opportunities to celebrate the legacy they bring to their schools.” The conference kicks off Sunday with a golf tournament, committee meetings, and a welcome reception honoring past IPA presidents. Keynote speakers include: Dr. Stanley Leone, Jr., CEO of This Side of Hope, will open Monday with his session “The HeArt of Teaching and The Science of Relationships.” Dr. Leone will share his personal journey from a traumatic childhood to success, emphasizing how relationships within schools transformed his life. A Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and award-winning speaker, Dr. Leone has shared his story with more than a million people. Cris Edwards, 2024-2025 IPA president and Dr. Jason Leahy, IPA executive director, will speak Monday afternoon. IPA Awards for Excellence, Herman Graves Award, Reaching Out & Building Bridges Award, and the Mr. John Ourth & Dr. Fred W. Singleton Professional Development Scholarships will also be presented at this session. Monica Genta, author and educator, will deliver a keynote Tuesday morning titled “180 Days of Awesome – Celebrating Every Day of Education.” With 14 years of teaching experience, Genta will inspire leaders to turn each school day into an exciting adventure. She is the author of five books, including “180 Days of Awesome,” and is a National Board Certified Teacher. Illinois State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders will speak on Tuesday, addressing the state of education in Illinois and sharing insights with school leaders. Additionally, Tuesday’s IGNITE session will feature fast-paced presentations from notable principals, including Allan Davenport (Granger Middle School), Dr. Lisa Carlos (Plainfield Elementary School), Charles Williams (Michele Clark Academic Prep Magnet High School), and IPA President-Elect Dr. Angie Codron (Normal West High School). Each will share their unique perspectives on school leadership in 5-minute bursts. The conference will conclude with IPA Deputy Executive Director Brian Schwartz and Government Relations Director Alison Maley providing updates on new education-related laws passed during the 2024 Illinois Legislative Session, offering insights on how school leaders can stay informed and advocate for their schools. For more information about the IPA or to register to attend, please visit ilprincipals.org.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2024 Contact Information: Alison Maley, government and public relations director Phone: 217-299-3122 alison@ilprincipals.org
Illinois Principals Association encourages principal appreciation in October
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois – The Illinois Principals Association (IPA) encourages communities to celebrate Principal Appreciation Week October 20-26, 2024, and Principal Appreciation Day on October 25 to highlight the dedication of principals, assistant principals, and deans. This annual recognition has been recognized by Illinois governors since 1990. October is also National Principals Month, supported by the IPA, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), and the American Federation of School Administrators (AFSA). Cris Edwards, IPA president and principal of Richland County Elementary School in Olney, shared: “Whether this is a principal’s very first year, last year, or somewhere in the middle, Illinois is celebrating these leaders for all they do for children. As ‘legacy builders’ we are constantly mentoring others; helping students to find their voice or their career path, supporting paraprofessionals who want to return to school to become a teacher, and encouraging teachers that are thinking about becoming an administrator. Thank you to all the leaders across Illinois for your unwavering commitment and for building a legacy that will inspire generations to come. I am excited to thank you and celebrate you during National Principals Month!” “This year, we celebrate our state’s school leaders for what they do – build a lasting legacy with those they serve,” said Dr. Jason Leahy, IPA executive director. “These courageous individuals lead their learning organizations with optimism, humility, vision, perseverance, and a deep commitment to do what is best for their students. Both research and common sense tell us how critical these servants are to positively influence young people, teachers, and communities. For this, they deserve our respect and gratitude.” IPA invites teachers, students, parents, and community members to show appreciation for school leaders on October 25.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 23, 2024 Contact Information: Becky Jansen, senior vice president Phone: 217-821-6036 becky@paycourt.com
PayCourt named one of 2024 Best Workplaces in Illinois
PayCourt, a government collections company, has been named one of the Best Workplaces in Illinois for 2024. The company earned a 97% overall score in the workplace assessment. The Best Workplaces in Illinois award is based on an employer questionnaire and employee engagement survey. It examines workplace indicators such as leadership, culture, satisfaction, work environment, training and overall engagement. "We're incredibly proud of this recognition as it's extremely rare for a collection agency to have ever won this award," said Rick Bonitzer, CEO of PayCourt. "Since 2010, we've focused on making our employees the cornerstone of our success, and this award highlights our commitment to fostering a thriving workplace." PayCourt has won the Best Places to Work in Collections award every year since 2019. With more than 900 reviews, the company proudly maintains a 4.9 out of 5.0 Google rating and has also been honored with the Better Business Bureau’s prestigious Torch Award for Ethics. "Our approach has always been to be large enough to ensure maximum results, yet small enough to provide personalized service to every client," Bonitzer said. PayCourt provides government collections for cities, counties, courts, districts, municipalities and parishes; court-related collections for fines, court fees and tickets; and consulting services for Illinois Circuit Court Clerks. For more information, visit www.PayCourt.com. About PayCourt: Re-established under new ownership in 2010, PayCourt blends a digital-first strategy with in-depth courthouse operational expertise, delivering a fully reimagined approach to government collections. The company serves clients across more than three-quarters of Illinois counties, as well as in Indiana and municipal courts in Louisiana. About Best Companies Group: Best Companies Group is an independent research firm that identifies outstanding workplaces through evaluation processes.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 2, 2024 Press Release Contact Information: Damon Schuldt rescue14me@yahoo.com
Illinois Fire Service Conference coming soon
The Illinois Association of Fire Protection Districts (IAFPD) and the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) are pleased to announce their combined conference at the Peoria Civic Center on Sept. 15-18, 2024. Titled the Illinois Fire Service Conference (IFSC), this event spans four days and includes a memorial service honoring fallen firefighters and friends of the fire service, numerous educational classes including nationally know keynote speakers, a large vendor exhibit showcasing equipment and services while supporting the event, along with social networking opportunities, just to name a few. “If you are involved in the fire service in any way, this conference is for you” states Damon Schuldt, IAFPD board member and IFSC Conference co-chair. The IFCA will also host its annual Officer installation Dinner and President’s Reception on Tuesday evening. Added again this year will be opportunities to obtain Emergency Medical continuing education credits and pension board training hours. Ray Larson, deputy fire chief and IFSC Conference co-chair said “Months of planning by many dedicated people has come together to bring high quality educational programs to fire service professionals.” For additional information and to register for the conference, please visit IAFPD.org or illinoisfirechiefs.org The IFSC is a collaborative event sponsored by the IAFPD and the IFCA.
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