
In the advent of cultural changes and market forces in education, educational institutions are recognizing the need to build their identities through branding. They are utilizing branding as an approach “to align all actions and messages with core values” and “share and preserve their heritage and build their culture”*.
Why should schools consider branding?
Parental Buy-In and External Engagement
When given options, parents will select the school best matched to their beliefs, their children's requirements and their expectations for the future. Without a clear operational brand, it's difficult for schools to communicate their beliefs, goals, principles, and outcomes with parents and guardians. In turn, without adequate information, parents will be less informed when making school choice decisions. Further, when potential homeowners are searching for home sites, the school’s brand is often the determining factor if a family chooses the neighborhood school or other alternatives. Lastly, when external partners are vetting candidates for funding sources a school’s reputation, i.e. brand, can be the governing factor in whether or not an endowment is awarded.
Competition among schools for students, teachers, and benefactors is intense
When it comes to student enrollment and teacher recruitment, an effective brand strategy can dramatically increase the number of people interested in an academic institution. For the first time, today’s public schools are competing for students whose families may not be able to send them to private institutions. The movement of this segment of students to other school choice venues causes a decrease in enrollment, which affects every aspect of school funding. Further, school choice has allowed teachers to negotiate entry salaries as they were before limited to the negotiated scale. These changes in the educational sector makes it increasingly necessary for schools to communicate their story in ways that detract from any negativity, and create a narrative and brand that makes their school the school of choice! Schools must have clear identities and cultures within the communities in which they are embedded. What the school represents and strives for should be well understood by its stakeholders. From the moment a prospective pupil, parent, educator or contributor walks through the front door, they should have a sense of the school’s beliefs and how they are promulgated. An excellent school brand conveys a clear message about the school’s core values, mission, vision, and the collective behavioral expectations of its members. It helps to share the school’s narrative by communicating that the school is a positive place for learning, where parents and children are welcome and students graduate “with a standard high school diploma , Industry valued credentials a clear pathway for success ;i.e.”College , Post-secondary Education and/or Career Ready”!
In summary, branding provides a sense of ownership and responsibility among all stakeholders that carries throughout the school community. If properly developed and implemented, branding becomes the tie that binds; that forever links the student, the teacher, the parent and the community stakeholder to a jointly developed dream of educational and personal excellence. *Quotes are derived from: https:// www1.american.edu/strategicplan/pdf/ docs/BrandEd.pdf
Dr. Wanda Brooks-Long is the Founder of Newark Institute of Culinary Education (A Newark Public Schools Shared Time Program for Students with Differentiated Learning Needs). She currently serves as both program director and principal. Dr. Wanda Brooks-Long served as a State Turnaround Coach for the New Jersey Department of Education's Regional Achievement Center 4. In her role as an STC, she worked directly with Priority School Principals and other district personnel to leverage the power of school leaders to manifest transformational change in schools. Prior to joining the RAC 4 Staff, Dr. Brooks-Long served in Newark Public Schools as a Special Assistant of Teacher Quality where she trained and coached administrators; and in the roles of Principal and Elementary School Teacher. She also served the Plainfield Public Schools in the role of Vice Principal and Middlesex County College as an adjunct Professor of English. She has served as a Mentor of new school leaders through the New Jersey Principal Supervisor Association Leader to Leader Program since 2008. Dr. Brooks-Long holds a Doctorate Degree in Urban Leadership a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision, a B.S. in Management Science and B.A. in English with a focus on British Literature. She attended Harvard and Princeton University’s’ Principal’s Institutes in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Princeton New Jersey. She has completed work on Effective Feedback and Coaching at Relay Graduate School and Executive Coaching at The Center for Creative Leadership.
Why should schools consider branding?
Parental Buy-In and External Engagement
When given options, parents will select the school best matched to their beliefs, their children's requirements and their expectations for the future. Without a clear operational brand, it's difficult for schools to communicate their beliefs, goals, principles, and outcomes with parents and guardians. In turn, without adequate information, parents will be less informed when making school choice decisions. Further, when potential homeowners are searching for home sites, the school’s brand is often the determining factor if a family chooses the neighborhood school or other alternatives. Lastly, when external partners are vetting candidates for funding sources a school’s reputation, i.e. brand, can be the governing factor in whether or not an endowment is awarded.
Competition among schools for students, teachers, and benefactors is intense
When it comes to student enrollment and teacher recruitment, an effective brand strategy can dramatically increase the number of people interested in an academic institution. For the first time, today’s public schools are competing for students whose families may not be able to send them to private institutions. The movement of this segment of students to other school choice venues causes a decrease in enrollment, which affects every aspect of school funding. Further, school choice has allowed teachers to negotiate entry salaries as they were before limited to the negotiated scale. These changes in the educational sector makes it increasingly necessary for schools to communicate their story in ways that detract from any negativity, and create a narrative and brand that makes their school the school of choice! Schools must have clear identities and cultures within the communities in which they are embedded. What the school represents and strives for should be well understood by its stakeholders. From the moment a prospective pupil, parent, educator or contributor walks through the front door, they should have a sense of the school’s beliefs and how they are promulgated. An excellent school brand conveys a clear message about the school’s core values, mission, vision, and the collective behavioral expectations of its members. It helps to share the school’s narrative by communicating that the school is a positive place for learning, where parents and children are welcome and students graduate “with a standard high school diploma , Industry valued credentials a clear pathway for success ;i.e.”College , Post-secondary Education and/or Career Ready”!
In summary, branding provides a sense of ownership and responsibility among all stakeholders that carries throughout the school community. If properly developed and implemented, branding becomes the tie that binds; that forever links the student, the teacher, the parent and the community stakeholder to a jointly developed dream of educational and personal excellence. *Quotes are derived from: https:// www1.american.edu/strategicplan/pdf/ docs/BrandEd.pdf
Dr. Wanda Brooks-Long is the Founder of Newark Institute of Culinary Education (A Newark Public Schools Shared Time Program for Students with Differentiated Learning Needs). She currently serves as both program director and principal. Dr. Wanda Brooks-Long served as a State Turnaround Coach for the New Jersey Department of Education's Regional Achievement Center 4. In her role as an STC, she worked directly with Priority School Principals and other district personnel to leverage the power of school leaders to manifest transformational change in schools. Prior to joining the RAC 4 Staff, Dr. Brooks-Long served in Newark Public Schools as a Special Assistant of Teacher Quality where she trained and coached administrators; and in the roles of Principal and Elementary School Teacher. She also served the Plainfield Public Schools in the role of Vice Principal and Middlesex County College as an adjunct Professor of English. She has served as a Mentor of new school leaders through the New Jersey Principal Supervisor Association Leader to Leader Program since 2008. Dr. Brooks-Long holds a Doctorate Degree in Urban Leadership a Master of Education in Administration and Supervision, a B.S. in Management Science and B.A. in English with a focus on British Literature. She attended Harvard and Princeton University’s’ Principal’s Institutes in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Princeton New Jersey. She has completed work on Effective Feedback and Coaching at Relay Graduate School and Executive Coaching at The Center for Creative Leadership.