Assessments: Paradise Valley Unified School District
The challenge
Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVSchools) in Phoenix, AZ, needed to be more strategic in its communications efforts. The district had a comprehensive written Marketing and Communications Plan but lacked a clear brand identity and needed stronger evaluation measures to assess effectiveness and success. The strong marketing and communications (MarCom) team was responding to sudden projects without much strategic planning, overwhelming the team and diverting time from more effective and important work. PVSchools came to CESO Communications for a Baseline Communications Assessment (BCA), a review of their plans and materials and a Staffing Study Report.
Our approach
Alongside their superintendent and members of their MarCom team, CESO Communications began by conducting the BCA, identifying strengths and opportunities for growth while also prioritizing actions to make the district’s communications and marketing efforts more effective and strategically implemented. Prioritized actions included adding more evaluative measures to their marketing and communications plan, increasing the marketing focus of the district website, conducting additional brand research, auditing social media strategy, establishing an internal communications plan and more.
A plan for individual growth and success for the MarCom team needed to be considered, too. These issues were addressed in more depth in the Staffing Study Report. Through the Staffing Study Report, CESO Communications reviewed existing job descriptions, MarCom plans, budget, and salaries, and those of benchmark districts. We also conducted interviews with each MarCom team member.
For a comprehensive analysis, CESO also reviewed plans and materials, looking closely at the marketing and communications plan, the district website, brand and graphic identity guidelines and the district’s social media guide.
Our impact
Working with CESO offered us the ability to take an unbiased look at our practices and procedures, giving us confidence that the work we do is top-notch and at the industry standard. CESO’s detailed look at our communications program provided us with a trusted source for meaningful improvements and department celebrations.
Mat Droge
Director of Marketing and Communications