Ongoing Communications: Evergreen Park D124
The challenge
When Dr. Jenna Woodland became superintendent of Evergreen Park School District 124, she inherited a district with a one-person communications department and no dedicated human resources team. As she worked to establish new systems, communications quickly became one of the biggest pressure points. When the district’s director of communications left for another opportunity, Dr. Woodland absorbed much of the work herself, juggling leadership responsibilities while trying to maintain consistent, meaningful messaging in order to launch a dedicated HR department. While there were bright spots, including the launch of the #BeEvergreen hashtag and the development of strong relationships in the community, the district’s communications were spotty and lacked strategy. The website fell behind, the district’s print newsletter paused production, and school-level communications were inconsistent. Teachers were doing great work in sharing stories, but the district lacked consistency, design support and a cohesive voice, especially in connecting with non-parents and the broader community.
Our approach
CESO Communications stepped in as Evergreen Park’s communications team, providing comprehensive, day-to-day support while building a long-term strategy. With strong trust and partnership from Dr. Woodland, CESO fully integrated into the district’s operations — collaborating with principals, department heads and staff to bring consistency, clarity and brand alignment to every message and channel.
CESO supported weekly social media and email newsletters, school-level communications, crisis messaging, graphic design and website management. Early on, most requests from the district began with “I’m not sure if you can do this or not,” and the answer was almost always “of course we can!” In 2025, the team launched a new district website that unified all schools under a single brand, eliminating separate school sites and strengthening the district’s identity with a modern look that feels like stepping into Evergreen Park.
Strategic storytelling became a central focus. CESO helped communicate the district’s strategic plan through branded guides, videos and ongoing content that tied everyday stories back to long-term goals. What began as reactive messaging evolved into intentional, planned communications aligned with district priorities and focused on student and staff stories that showed the world how to #BeEvergreen.
Our impact
We elevated Evergreen Park’s communications across every channel. The district’s revitalized print newsletter, once considered for elimination, became a community touchstone — so impactful that residents began bringing copies to board meetings to thank the district for sharing its story.
Principals now feel empowered to communicate with confidence, knowing they have a trusted partner for editing, consistency and tone. The district’s voice has become so clear that district leaders often ask CESO to proofread communications to ensure they reflect that voice authentically.
Through brand cohesion, strategic storytelling and consistent engagement, CESO partnered with the district team to build trust, pride and connection, proving that small districts can have big, professional communications without needing a full-time, in-house team.
I am beyond lucky to have such a great team of strategists on my side, and they have made all the difference in the Evergreen Park Community! CESO Communications helped increase transparency in communication, boost crisis communication and share our story with the community. In my years of education and working in a variety of different district leadership capacities, this team of communication specialists has made all the difference on the overall communications and connections in our district.
– Dr. Jenna Woodland, Superintendent
Services provided
2022-Present
Ongoing Communications Support
including content writing, website support, crisis communications, social media management