15+ Ways to Brand Your Building

Develop a school motto or mantra that is easy to remember and say it often. We are the Royals. It reminds students to “Respect Others, Respect Yourself and Respect Learning. Ensure they hear that EVERYDAY. At the conclusion of morning announcements students chant, “Go Be a Royal!” When they leave the office or I see them in the hall they hear, “Go Be a Royal.” It’s a small gesture that embeds that culture and sense of community in their spirit.

 

Communicate your school mission and goals simply. A plan on a page details vision, values and beliefs and should be displayed in all rooms and areas. Live and breathe the goals and refer to them consistently.

Create a school hashtag and include it on school social media posts (I am assuming you already have social media accounts for your school… if not start now!) It can be simple, but ensure that you communicate it and encourage its use frequently. Leaders are story tellers of their schools and sharing activities and events builds social capacity, a sense of community, and engages parents and the community in the learning process! When making info-graphics to post, create them using school colors!

Create a logo and make sure it is EVERYWHERE: The walls, letterhead, newsletters, social media posts, awards, the front door, bathroom mirrors, stickers, school signage, cafeteria menus, EVERYTHING! We have them on our flower pots outside to our laptops and soap dispensers!

Make sure your school colors are prominent and embedded in all elements of the school environment. When you look down the hallways, consider the banners, paint color, and decor. Does it match your school’s colors and identity? Consider ways that you can incorporate your school colors in collaborative seating that is in the hallway and common areas. The fun metal table and chairs were purchased at Wayfair and provide common work spaces for students. We bought 2 table and chair sets in each of our school colors and mixed the chairs and tables!

 

Greet families and students when they walk in the door with a gallery display of students dressed in school colors and showcasing the important aspects of your school culture

Don’t forget the details. The clocks, walls, and art can reflect your mascot, school colors, or mission!

Ensure that your school goals are promoted through the common spaces. We have a passion to develop a culture of readers, so yellow and blue bookcases are found throughout the halls and a bathtub of books painted in school colors is displayed in the entry way!

Welcome new families and students with a book showcasing the various areas of the school and introducing them to staff. Have them ready for any new family that walks in the door and share it online! Go further and offer them a logo water bottle or t-shirt as a welcome gift! Smile when you see them wear it on their first day of school!

Know that the details matter and you can find unique ways to showcase your pride in your school. As a Royal, I am always on the look out for crowns and find them in unexpected places! Is your coffee mug as awesome as this?

Consider yourself as a mechanism for relaying your brand. Wear your school colors frequently and not just on spirit days.

Take your mascot and hide him around the school. Have the students find him and enjoy their squeals of excitement when they do.

Print off copies of your mascot and encourage students to take them on trips and adventures with them ala Flat Stanley. Make sure there’s a school hashtag to correspond with their posts.

Ensure that student awards and incentives correspond to your logo and brand and that colors are cohesive and consistent. That includes treats, stickers, certificates, plaques, and trophies!

When creating collaborative art projects, consider completing them using school colors.

 

Other ideas:

 

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