The Ventura Unified School District has announced its new brand and a district promise to maintain excellent schools and learning environments where all children can explore, grow, and thrive as students in a modern world and be well prepared for the future ahead of them.
“’For the future of every student’ is our promise emphasizing our belief that every child has a brilliant future ahead of them,” said Superintendent David Creswell. “Our role is to help them find it, explore it, and prepare for it in safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments across the district. It also signifies a culture that embraces every child, meeting them where they are at, and promotes their growth academically, social-emotionally, and as citizens of the world.”
At the direction of the board, VUSD hired Zeste, a company with extensive experience working on school district brands, to conduct dozens of deep interviews with VUSD stakeholders about what defines the district.
“It was time for the district to re-examine who we are, what our mission is, and who our customers were. Public education is not the only education option for parents today. We want to be the preferred option, not by default but by choice. Branding is part of getting that message out,” said John Walker, president of VUSD Board of Trustees.
The pillars of the promise of the new brand are:
A safe, healthy, and positive learning environment in every school
Rigorous and relevant academics that challenge each student
Engaging settings that stimulate curiosity and empower students to have a voice in their learning
Real world experiences and connections in and out of the classroom to cultivate creativity, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the world in which we live
Consistent, enthusiastic and unwavering encouragement of each and every child—so they can discover who they want to become and be academically, personally, and socially
“When it comes to delivering an education that prepares students for a future in the world today, a one-size-fits-all approach no longer suffices. Students must be able to think critically, approach problem-solving with agility and creativity, be open to exploration, and adapt to new ideas and pathways they will invariably encounter throughout their lives,” said Creswell.
As part of the brand process, the district developed a new logo, the open wave, that was inspired by VUSD’s connection to the California coast and the possibilities that lie ahead for our students. The ocean, and all that it represents, is a fitting metaphor for the optimism and energy embodied by our people, schools, and district. The logo unifies our schools and programs with a bold, abstract signature that connotes an open, cresting wave. The clean lines that comprise the open wave signify the opportunities students are offered by our district through its variety of programs and schools. The color blue leads our bold and varied color palette since it stands for confidence, wisdom, and intelligence.
“This is so much more than a logo,” said Creswell. “It is a symbol of the new direction we are taking. We are grateful to the board for the freedom to create this direction and now it is up to our administration, our teachers, our staff and our students to live up to the promise.”
