Crafting a Purposeful Brand for Charter Schools: Inspiring Leaders, Believers, and Doers

By Melia Lucero, Communications Manager, CLCS

"While good brands spark the idea of what’s possible, great brands bring those possibilities to life," shared Megan Prejzner, founder and CEO of Hackett Brand Consulting and keynote speaker at - Rocky Mountain DigiMarCon. I attended the conference in October 2024, hoping to gain insights into the latest marketing trends and research, but I walked away with something much more impactful: a renewed understanding of the human experience and its connection to the content we create in the charter school community.

Working for the League over the past two years has challenged me to craft content that’s both informative and clear for our specific member audience. However, much of this content also reaches a broader audience, a dichotomy that led me to adopt a robotic, structured style—far removed from the creative approach that once felt natural. Reflecting on Megan’s master class, I realized I’d lost touch with the human aspect of communication. Content shouldn’t always be mechanical, especially when there’s a real person on the other side of the screen. A one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t resonate.

Healthy Habits

The charter school community is filled with unique individuals—administrators, teachers, families, advocates, and students—all united by a shared purpose: to inspire, believe, and take action. Charter schools aren’t just institutions; they’re communities built to empower and transform lives. Our content should reflect this, making it human-centered, purposeful, and easy to understand. 

One helpful tool that we can use to ensure our messaging resonates with the audience is a “Reflection Checklist.” Before hitting publish, ask yourself a few key questions:

• Who is my audience for this content? 
• Does it align with our school’s mission and values? 
• Is the tone personal and engaging rather than robotic? 
• Will this content inspire, inform, or connect with our community?

Another effective practice is to read the content aloud to see if it sounds natural and conversational as if speaking directly to a parent, student, or teacher. Every writer also benefits from a second opinion. Entrusting a colleague to review your content provides a fresh perspective and ensures that it connects authentically. By taking a moment to use these tools, we charter school communicators can keep our focus on creating meaningful, human-centered content.

Purpose and Connection

In the fast-paced days of school communications, it’s easy to fall into the habit of simply conveying information. But to truly engage our school communities, we need to go beyond the basics and bring purpose and connection into every post, email, and message. Great content inspires, motivates, and creates a sense of belonging that goes beyond information-sharing.

As Megan Prejzner’s insight reminds us, “Great brands don’t just inspire possibility; they bring it to life.” In the context of charter schools, great school brands empower families, students, and educators by making possibility a reality. Let’s make it our goal to craft content that not only informs but also fosters a deeper connection with our schools’ values and mission. With the right approach, we can help each member of our communities see their role as a leader, believer, and doer.