By Nicole Thomas
The Starkville School District took home first place honors during the Mississippi School Public Relations Association’s 2015 Awards of Excellence program in Jackson.
SSD was awarded first place for its development of marketing materials provided to prospective parents and others which highlight the achievements and honors of our students and teachers.
“When parents visit our schools, they are welcomed with a tour that allows them to visit classrooms, and they leave with a lot of great information that really provides them with a sense of the excellence that exists in the SSD for their children,” said SSD’s Public Information Officer Nicole Thomas.
The materials, which tell SSD’s story of success, are part of The Starkville Spark campaign launched in 2013.
“A group of committed SSD stakeholders identified a bold campaign to proactively market SSD’s strengths as a key component of SSD’s strategic plan, and that is where this campaign began,” said Thomas. “This award really belongs to them and their belief in SSD.”
The District partnered with Haley Montgomery, owner of Small Pond Graphics, to develop the comprehensive campaign.
“Haley’s creative vision helped SSD define our message,” said Thomas. “She really brought our brand to life.”
“It’s been very exciting to see how the SSD family as well as the community as a whole have embraced The Starkville Spark campaign,” said Montgomery. “It’s been an honor to be a part of telling the story of the district where my children are experiencing such great learning opportunities.”
The marketing materials are also available for download on the District’s website at www.starkvillesd.com.
The MSPRA awards program recognizes outstanding school public relations efforts in Mississippi. SSD has been honored seven times for its work since 2007.