BACKGROUND INFORMATION
At the September 28, 2016 Board meeting Trustees approved a contract with Album Agency dba Album Creative Studios Incorporated re: "Re-imagine Schools Branding Proposal". The contract amount is $24,900.00 (Stated Estimated Amount is $55,600.00 - Contract states no more than $80,000)
CUSD is hiring Album Agency dba Album Creative Studios Incorporated to "Provide various communications and marketing services, including Re-Imagined Schools, strategic sessions on campus, reviewing existing profiles, designing a bi-fold brochure improving existing School Loop websites and optional ongoing design for promotional materials".
The contract term is 7-1-16 to 6-30-2017. The effective date is August 18, 2016. The contract is coming up for Board approval on 9-28-16 (40 days after the start date of the contract).
Background:
On April 27, 2016 Principals from seven CUSD elementary schools made a presentation to the Board for a three year blue print to "re-image" their schools. As part of "Moving Capo Forward", these schools are going through an educational makeover designed to attract students to schools with declining enrollment and prevent the District from having to close schools by providing each school with a new educational focus.
The seven schools are:
- Del Obispo - College and Career Readiness/AVID
- Hidden Hills - Technology
- Kinoshita - College and Career Readiness/AVID
- Lobo Elementary - STEAM
- Marblehead - Environmental Studies
- R.H. Dana - Science and Technology
- Wood Canyon - Arts and Media
The presentation is Exhibit 19 on page 323
Board Audio at 1:14:19 http://cusd.capousd.org/cusdweb/audio2015-16.html at 1:09:54 Trustee John Alpay makes the comment that this is just "Marketing Gimic" - changing names to "Academy" without changing anything - just a con job. Money can be better spent elsewhere.
On May 11, 2016 the Board was asked to revise district policy regarding renaming the schools and potentially adding the word “academy” came back before the board on May 11. However, trustees determined that a new policy was unnecessary due to the board’s current ability to rename schools. The board voted 6-1 to table the item indefinitely.
The presentation is Exhibit 37 on page 401
Board Audio at 1:14:19 http://cusd.capousd.org/cusdweb/audio2015-16/CUSDBoardMeeting.April.27.2016.mp3 at 2:56:38 at 3:00:00 Trustee Amy Hannacek states that these schools are already re-branding and using these names so we need to come up with a policy that matches that.
at 3:07:00 the Board voted 6:1 to strike all the language and table this matter forever.
at 3:08:00 Superintendent Vital clarifies marketing vs branding a specific program not renaming schools.
As a taxpayer, it concerns me greatly that CUSD spend so much time and money on "marketing". This is $55,000 to come up with marketing materials that focus on buzz words such as STEM and STEAM to trick parents into thinking there is something unique, different or special about a school simply because the CUSD adds the word "academy" to the name of an existing school. This is a waste of taxpayer money and again- it has already been implemented without Board approval.
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