Case Study

THE SITUATION

During the 2020-21 school year, the Barnegat Township School District was implementing a controversial grade-banding shift at its six schools. For the two years leading up to the move, the local community was embroiled in a divisive public battle over the proposed reconfiguration. Administrators and teachers supported the move after strong population growth left the elementary schools with unbalanced enrollment and unequitable educational experiences. But many community members were upset about the elementary schools losing their beloved mascots to unify under the Barnegat Bengals.

THE STRATEGY

Laura Bishop Communications worked with the district to develop a “One Barnegat” campaign as the first step in bringing the community back together and embracing the new identity of the schools. The team created a black and orange logo with a symbolic number 1 flanking the B in Barnegat, sporting Bengal paw prints as the spaces in the B. The new logo has been used on t-shirts, lanyards, and signs.

The logo also was used on tablecloths showcased during a Board of Education meeting where each school presented data highlighting test score improvements – something credited, in-part, to the reconfiguration. The unifying logo is used on the website, social media pages and other district swag.