Communications committee adopts transparency purpose, plans branding survey

The Germantown School District's ad hoc communications and marketing committee voted to define its purpose "to improve and promote transparency and trust between the board, the district, and the stakeholders in our community." The motion, made by a committee member and seconded, carried without recorded opposition.

Earlier in the meeting Justin Marion introduced a proposed brand perception baseline survey designed to gather community views on district branding, logo usage and color associations. Marion described the instrument as a 17'question form presented one item at a time to avoid leading respondents; he recommended launching "mid to late August, kind of right before the start of the school year," to catch families during open'house and meet'your'teacher events. "Anticipate mid to late August, kind of right before the start of the school year as families are on their last getaways and closing into the early part of the school year," Marion said.

Members suggested broad distribution strategies, including the village and chamber channels, PTA email lists and placing QR codes on easels at welcome events. Committee members also raised survey design concerns: how colors display across device screens, whether to include fill'in responses to capture spelling variations (for instance, how people write shorthand like "GTOWN"), and keeping the survey short so respondents complete it.

The committee agreed its adopted purpose (improving transparency and trust) will frame the rollout and subsequent goal'setting. Members assigned follow'up work to prepare the survey distribution plan and to return with recommended timing and channels before families are deeply into the school year.