Beyond Logos: Building a School Brand Families Understand

Families cannot engage with opportunities they do not understand. Many schools offer innovative programs, specialized pathways, unique supports and engaging student experiences, yet struggle to communicate them clearly to families and the broader community. This poster presentation offers a practical framework for creating clarity around your school's mission, programs and culture through strategic communication, storytelling, student voice, social media and digital tools. Drawing on real-world examples from an innovative district-wide virtual school, explore how to identify what makes your school unique, clarify your value proposition and key messages, use student voice and storytelling to build authentic engagement and align websites, newsletters, events and other channels around consistent messaging. You will leave with examples, templates and strategies you can adapt immediately, along with guidance for developing an implementation plan using existing resources and staff, so you can showcase your programs, strengthen community understanding and help families make informed educational choices.