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Case Studies

COVID–19 Crisis Communications
The COVID-19 pandemic was like no other period of crisis communication. Early on, we realized that with such complicated, evolving communications the best approach was a regional one. Because we are stronger together.
COVID–19 Crisis Communications
The COVID-19 pandemic was like no other period of crisis communication. Early on, we realized that with such complicated, evolving communications the best approach was a regional one. Because we are stronger together.

COVID–19 Crisis Communications
The COVID-19 pandemic was like no other period of crisis communication. Early on, we realized that with such complicated, evolving communications the best approach was a regional one. Because we are stronger together.
From Bond to Beautiful
Bond Planning and Educational Materials The community of White River School District is a mostly rural one spread out near the base of Mt. Rainier. They passed a bond back in 2001 to build a new high school, and in August, 2015 their elementary and middle schools were...
Stop the presses! Kelso reinvents its district newsletter
With a new superintendent and construction work beginning on a recently approved bond at the start of the 2018-19 school year, the Kelso School District wanted to increase communication with the Kelso community. They had been doing four printed, black and white...
How a focused campaign made the difference in a successful program launch
In 2014-15, the Willamette Educational Service District (WESD) launched a new program that partnered with local community colleges to help students earn low-cost college credits while in high school. The problem? WESD did not have a full-service communication...

Brand Implementation Series
So your organization has a new brand…what now? How do you ensure that your new brand is properly used by staff and contractors? In this five-part series, we share how to implement your organization’s brand for maximum consistency. We cover style guides, file sharing, logo file types, colors, and typography, touching on all the branding essentials.
Tips & Tricks
Brand Implementation Series
So your organization has a new brand…what now? How do you ensure that your new brand is properly used by staff and contractors? In this five-part series, we share how to implement your organization’s brand for maximum consistency. We cover style guides, file sharing, logo file types, colors, and typography, touching on all the branding essentials.
Tips & Tricks

Brand Implementation Series
So your organization has a new brand…what now? How do you ensure that your new brand is properly used by staff and contractors? In this five-part series, we share how to implement your organization’s brand for maximum consistency. We cover style guides, file sharing, logo file types, colors, and typography, touching on all the branding essentials.
Brand Implementation Series
So your organization has a new brand…what now? How do you ensure that your new brand is properly used by staff and contractors? In this five-part series, we share how to implement your organization’s brand for maximum consistency. We cover style guides, file sharing, logo file types, colors, and typography, touching on all the branding essentials.
Video for Social Media
Tips for Creating Effective Social Media VideosIf doing interviews, take time before the shoot to prepare the right questions for the soundbites you need. Get plenty of extra footage, with multiple cameras while on location. Cut interviews using both views so that you...
Ensuring your election communications are PDC compliant
The Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) is the Washington state body that regulates what districts are allowed to do when communicating about a school funding initiative. Their very lengthy guidelines can be found here. While they are absolutely the best source of...
Help! I just designed another flyer that should have been an email
Now don’t get me wrong: I love a good flyer. The flyer (or handout, poster, one-sheeter, take-away) is pretty much the mainstay of graphic design. In fact, it’s the bulk of what I designed at one of my first jobs working for my college bookstore. However, technology...
Shop Talk

Helping voters understand just how important levies are for learning
Funding for education in the state of Washington is complicated and can lead to confusion about how schools receive the money needed to operate. The state of Washington is required to supply school districts with state funding for “basic education,” which is based on what is referred to as a “prototypical model.” Unfortunately, in most cases, that model falls short in covering what communities expect from their schools. When that happens, districts rely on local levies to bridge the funding gap, and they often look to ESD 112 Communications to help communicate information about the proposed levy. We chatted with Monique Dugaw and Heidi Barnes about what levy communications look like and why levies are so important to student learning.
Helping voters understand just how important levies are for learning
Funding for education in the state of Washington is complicated and can lead to confusion about how schools receive the money needed to operate. The state of Washington is required to supply school districts with state funding for “basic education,” which is based on what is referred to as a “prototypical model.” Unfortunately, in most cases, that model falls short in covering what communities expect from their schools. When that happens, districts rely on local levies to bridge the funding gap, and they often look to ESD 112 Communications to help communicate information about the proposed levy. We chatted with Monique Dugaw and Heidi Barnes about what levy communications look like and why levies are so important to student learning.

Helping voters understand just how important levies are for learning
Funding for education in the state of Washington is complicated and can lead to confusion about how schools receive the money needed to operate. The state of Washington is required to supply school districts with state funding for “basic education,” which is based on what is referred to as a “prototypical model.” Unfortunately, in most cases, that model falls short in covering what communities expect from their schools. When that happens, districts rely on local levies to bridge the funding gap, and they often look to ESD 112 Communications to help communicate information about the proposed levy. We chatted with Monique Dugaw and Heidi Barnes about what levy communications look like and why levies are so important to student learning.
Crash course in drones for video
How long have you been flying drones and why did you get started? I started flying drones in 2015. I started for a couple of reasons. One is I’ve been flying and building model airplanes since I was a young boy, so it seemed like a natural progression. The second...
The ins and outs of district communication contracts
What exactly is a district communications contract? We offer a wide range of contracts with districts to provide communications, design, and/or website services based on what the district is requesting. Every request is different, so no two contracts are exactly the...
Building school pride with a new mascot: the Washington Lions brand process
You just completed a big branding project for Yakima School District. What was the project? One of Yakima's middle schools, Washington Middle School (WAMS), had recently voted to change their school mascot away from the "Colonials" because they felt it did not...

Interview with Heidi About Leading with Inspiration
Heidi will tell you that she finds inspiration in pretty much everything—an essential trait for any Creative Director. Curiosity and a preoccupation with problem-solving have kept her absorbed in her work at ESD 112 for 25 years.
Staff Interviews

Interview with Heidi About Leading with Inspiration
Heidi will tell you that she finds inspiration in pretty much everything—an essential trait for any Creative Director. Curiosity and a preoccupation with problem-solving have kept her absorbed in her work at ESD 112 for 25 years.
Interview with Heidi About Leading with Inspiration
Heidi will tell you that she finds inspiration in pretty much everything—an essential trait for any Creative Director. Curiosity and a preoccupation with problem-solving have kept her absorbed in her work at ESD 112 for 25 years.
Interview with Justine About Anthropology, Bees, and Communications
The first part of your career was very different from where you are today. What were the fun twists and turns of your professional journey? I went to Washington State University Vancouver for college, and earned a double Bachelors degree in Anthropology and Digital...
Interview with Xander About Video Production and What Makes Him Tick
How did you get started with video communications? I was interning at a recording studio in Boston, MA because I thought I wanted to be a recording engineer. I quickly realized I would have a lot of competition if I ever wanted to be a primary engineer at the studio...
Interview with Ari About the Importance of Bilingual Communications
How are you able to help school districts with bilingual communications? My intermediate level of Spanish, growing up in a mixed Latino household, and studying abroad/living in a Spanish-speaking country, enables me to achieve bilingual goals for many districts. I do...