The Burnaby School District offers educational choice – called Programs of Choice – to allow students to explore their interests, support their strengths, or get exposed to a career. Most are for secondary students, but language programs are also for elementary. Many are managed by different departments, and some are created by the high schools, themselves; as such, marketing of the programs was organic but inconsistent and sometimes only done at a school or department level. I learned from staff and a folder of old emails that families had complained for years that finding options was like hunting for Easter eggs: difficult, with success dependent on ingenuity.
This was a significant opportunity to create infrastructure, try something new, and have an impact that aligns with the business needs of the organization: increasing registration to support the programs; showcasing the diverse educational choices to enhance the district’s reputation and partnerships; providing practical easy-to-find information for students and families; and helping staff who support students by providing a resource that contains all of the options at their fingertips.
Read the case study here.