The IPRA election is being conducted October 12-16, 2015 via VoteNet e-mail ballot. Per our Election Guidelines, all Professional Members have the opportunity to vote.

Take advantage of the early bird discounted rates and register by December 7, 2015.

The Agency Showcase Competition is the premier communications and marketing competition for park and recreation agencies. Nominate your best communication and marketing materials for judging and display at the Soaring To New Heights Conference.

Students who volunteer at conference are eligible for registration reimbursement!

Students studying parks and recreation are essential to the future success and growth of the parks and recreation field. Their education and experiences will translate into enriching experiences for future generations as new ideas, research and technology emerge. You have the opportunity to invest in the future of a park and recreation professional by donating a gift basket to the Silent Auction at the IAPD/IPRA Annual Soaring to New Heights Conference on January 28-30, 2016.

We have so much to be grateful for. We give thanks for all that we have; our families, our health, our security, and our opportunities. We give thanks for our careers and all the friendships we have made in service to our communities. For all of us, in our careers, we can look back and see that our success comes from both formal education and informal networking. We see that professional development has been most effective for us when we could attend an event in person and learn from others in the room, making connections that stayed with us for years.

Gain essential skills for understanding, relating and working productively with all types of people...even the most resistant. Strong team dynamics, cooperation, collaboration and people skills are the foundation of today's most innovative, profitable and successful organizations.

Do the children in your school respond to "no or don't" commands? Let's discuss how you can change those negative statements to positive and get children to follow directions while building their self-esteem. We'll also discuss the causes of misbehaviors, creating a plan of action for aggressive children and how to involve parents.

Register today - pre-registration deadline is November 4!

IPRA welcomes executive directors, future leaders, commissioners and guests to join us for the Director's Leadership Academy Breakfast (LAB). This is a light breakfast, networking and an interview with a transformational leader. The December interview will be with Adam Fox, President and CEO of the WNBA's Chicago Sky.