THE U SCHOOL
SOCIAL MEDIA REBRAND
THE U SCHOOL
SOCIAL MEDIA REBRAND
THE U SCHOOL
SOCIAL MEDIA REBRAND
Execution
I developed three recurring carousel series, each designed to capture a different dimension of The U School's identity while maintaining consistency across the brand's social presence in a highly repeatable, yet engaging format.
Project Highlights was the deepest of the three series, showcasing recent classroom projects from The U School's teachers. The U School practices Project Inquiry-Based Learning, which is an approach where educators observe children's natural interests and build in-depth projects focused around those curiosities. Captions were written with the teachers themselves to, the actual experts, and paired with high-quality imagery to represent the seriousness of the work. This was the nerdy side of The U School, displaying the depth and intentionality behind each learning experience.
Five Recent Kid Quotes brought completely different energy. Staff record the hilarious, insightful, and sometimes whimsically arbitrary things kids say in an internal Slack channel. These turned into a carousel of five excerpts with playful graphics. Immeditaly shareable, wholesome in nature, and a way to show the school's personality.
Standalone Photo Carousels kept the page active between the more structured series—-snow play, fall, everyday moments tied together loosely by theme. Not trying to say something big. Simply showing the ongoing life of the school.
In addition to these series, special posts were created for events and seasonal happenings as they came up. Across all of it, the brand's visual identity was maintained through a cohesive system: The U School's pink and purple color palette, aligned typography that prioritized clarity, readability, and engagement. Using templates that felt clean, informative, and playful without falling into the typical, overly decorative preschool aesthetic. The look was intentional, a new school preschool that is unique, reflective of the brand, and entirely its own.
Context
The U School is a preschool in Ann Arbor, Michigan, built around a distinct and nuanced educational philosophy rooted in the Southern African humanist principle of Ubuntu, which shapes not only the curriculum but also the culture of the entire community. It's the kind of place where you feel the uniqueness throughout in the intentionality in how children are spoken to, the way staff move through the space, the care embedded in every project and interaction. The U School is not a typical preschool, and its culture and community reflect that at every level.
I joined The U School as a marketing intern tasked with building a consistent brand presence on social media. The accounts existed, but the posting was inconsistent, and the content that was there rarely drove engagement beyond passive likes. For a community this strong, the digital presence was not entirely reflective. My role was to change that; to build something on Instagram and Facebook that could carry the same energy, culture, and identity that made The U School so special in person.
Challenge
The core issue was that although The U School had an online presence, it was not completely reflective of the in-person feel. The community—staff, families, children—are deeply engaged and connected within the school itself, but that presence wasn't translating to social media in a meaningful way. There was not much consistency in posting, no clear visual identity across the accounts, and no content that gave someone encountering the brand digitally the same sense of culture that an in-person visit would.
The U School's strength came from two things: its philosophy and curriculum, and the people who brought it to life every day. Neither was showing up fully online. For the existing community—staff and families—there was not much on the social pages that holistically reflected the experience they were living. For potential new families discovering the brand for the first time, the accounts didn't communicate what made The U School different, and why that mattered. The administration wanted both: a presence that resonated with the people already in the community, and a foundation they felt confident putting in front of anyone encountering the brand from the outside.
Strategy
Initially, I thought big. I started mapping out elaborate video campaigns, in-depth staff features, written excerpts, and content that would tell the stories of the people and philosophy behind The U School in ambitious, produced ways. But as I spent more time in the space and understood the rhythms of the school, I realized that the approach had a fundamental problem: it would require more work for the staff. More time, more coordination, more energy taken away from the incredible work they were already doing. That was the last thing I should be adding to anyone's plate.
So I pivoted. Instead of building something on top of what the school was doing, I started paying closer attention to what was already happening in the projects, the interactions, the culture that was already there every day. The real question became: how do I take what makes this place so unique and highlight it outwardly, in a way that feels true to the community, without asking more of the people inside it? The answer was to meet the business where it was at. Build repeatable content formats that could surface the work, the people, and the personality of The U School that were drawn directly from what already existed.
Execution
I developed three recurring carousel series, each designed to capture a different dimension of The U School's identity while maintaining consistency across the brand's social presence in a highly repeatable, yet engaging format.
Project Highlights was the deepest of the three series, showcasing recent classroom projects from The U School's teachers. The U School practices Project Inquiry-Based Learning, which is an approach where educators observe children's natural interests and build in-depth projects focused around those curiosities. Captions were written with the teachers themselves to, the actual experts, and paired with high-quality imagery to represent the seriousness of the work. This was the nerdy side of The U School, displaying the depth and intentionality behind each learning experience.
Five Recent Kid Quotes brought completely different energy. Staff record the hilarious, insightful, and sometimes whimsically arbitrary things kids say in an internal Slack channel. These turned into a carousel of five excerpts with playful graphics. Immeditaly shareable, wholesome in nature, and a way to show the school's personality.
Standalone Photo Carousels kept the page active between the more structured series—-snow play, fall, everyday moments tied together loosely by theme. Not trying to say something big. Simply showing the ongoing life of the school.
In addition to these series, special posts were created for events and seasonal happenings as they came up. Across all of it, the brand's visual identity was maintained through a cohesive system: The U School's pink and purple color palette, aligned typography that prioritized clarity, readability, and engagement. Using templates that felt clean, informative, and playful without falling into the typical, overly decorative preschool aesthetic. The look was intentional, a new school preschool that is unique, reflective of the brand, and entirely its own.
Results
The U School now has a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook that the administration feels genuinely represents the business and a digital foundation that they are confident to share outwardly and are comfortable with anyone stumbling upon. Before the rebrand, the accounts existed alongside the school without carrying its true culture and identity. Now, the digital presence and the in-person experience speak to the same thing.
Engagement and visibility increased, and while the numbers were modest starting from essentially zero, the signals were real. The accounts consistently recorded shares and reposts, community members began engaging both online and in conversation at the school, and the content started doing what it was designed to do, which was to bring the feeling of The U School to people wherever they encountered the brand. One moment that stuck with me: a completed diorama from a Project Highlights post was on display in the school, and a parent walking by said, "Oh, I just read about this on Instagram!" That reaction—the digital and in-person experiences meeting each other—was the clearest sign that the content was landing where it was supposed to.
Strategic Reflection
The biggest thing this project taught me was to meet the business where it's at. My role is to have a high awareness of what already makes the culture and community unique and find ways to surface that outwardly. The last thing I should be doing is adding more to anyone's plate. The best content came from paying attention to what was already happening and building systems that could highlight it consistently, accessibly, and intentionally.
It takes deeper thinking and a real understanding of the people, values, and rhythms of a business to reflect them well on social media. The instinct to go big and produce elaborate content is natural, but the pivot to something sustainable and centered on what already existed turned out to be the stronger move. What I took away is that the work is almost always already there. The job is to see it clearly and present it in a way that lets the community feel it.
Context
The U School is a preschool in Ann Arbor, Michigan, built around a distinct and nuanced educational philosophy rooted in the Southern African humanist principle of Ubuntu, which shapes not only the curriculum but also the culture of the entire community. It's the kind of place where you feel the uniqueness throughout in the intentionality in how children are spoken to, the way staff move through the space, the care embedded in every project and interaction. The U School is not a typical preschool, and its culture and community reflect that at every level.
I joined The U School as a marketing intern tasked with building a consistent brand presence on social media. The accounts existed, but the posting was inconsistent, and the content that was there rarely drove engagement beyond passive likes. For a community this strong, the digital presence was not entirely reflective. My role was to change that; to build something on Instagram and Facebook that could carry the same energy, culture, and identity that made The U School so special in person.
Challenge
The core issue was that although The U School had an online presence, it was not completely reflective of the in-person feel. The community—staff, families, children—are deeply engaged and connected within the school itself, but that presence wasn't translating to social media in a meaningful way. There was not much consistency in posting, no clear visual identity across the accounts, and no content that gave someone encountering the brand digitally the same sense of culture that an in-person visit would.
The U School's strength came from two things: its philosophy and curriculum, and the people who brought it to life every day. Neither was showing up fully online. For the existing community—staff and families—there was not much on the social pages that holistically reflected the experience they were living. For potential new families discovering the brand for the first time, the accounts didn't communicate what made The U School different, and why that mattered. The administration wanted both: a presence that resonated with the people already in the community, and a foundation they felt confident putting in front of anyone encountering the brand from the outside.
Strategy
Initially, I thought big. I started mapping out elaborate video campaigns, in-depth staff features, written excerpts, and content that would tell the stories of the people and philosophy behind The U School in ambitious, produced ways. But as I spent more time in the space and understood the rhythms of the school, I realized that the approach had a fundamental problem: it would require more work for the staff. More time, more coordination, more energy taken away from the incredible work they were already doing. That was the last thing I should be adding to anyone's plate.
So I pivoted. Instead of building something on top of what the school was doing, I started paying closer attention to what was already happening in the projects, the interactions, the culture that was already there every day. The real question became: how do I take what makes this place so unique and highlight it outwardly, in a way that feels true to the community, without asking more of the people inside it? The answer was to meet the business where it was at. Build repeatable content formats that could surface the work, the people, and the personality of The U School that were drawn directly from what already existed.
Results
The U School now has a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook that the administration feels genuinely represents the business and a digital foundation that they are confident to share outwardly and are comfortable with anyone stumbling upon. Before the rebrand, the accounts existed alongside the school without carrying its true culture and identity. Now, the digital presence and the in-person experience speak to the same thing.
Engagement and visibility increased, and while the numbers were modest starting from essentially zero, the signals were real. The accounts consistently recorded shares and reposts, community members began engaging both online and in conversation at the school, and the content started doing what it was designed to do, which was to bring the feeling of The U School to people wherever they encountered the brand. One moment that stuck with me: a completed diorama from a Project Highlights post was on display in the school, and a parent walking by said, "Oh, I just read about this on Instagram!" That reaction—the digital and in-person experiences meeting each other—was the clearest sign that the content was landing where it was supposed to.
Strategic Reflection
The biggest thing this project taught me was to meet the business where it's at. My role is to have a high awareness of what already makes the culture and community unique and find ways to surface that outwardly. The last thing I should be doing is adding more to anyone's plate. The best content came from paying attention to what was already happening and building systems that could highlight it consistently, accessibly, and intentionally.
It takes deeper thinking and a real understanding of the people, values, and rhythms of a business to reflect them well on social media. The instinct to go big and produce elaborate content is natural, but the pivot to something sustainable and centered on what already existed turned out to be the stronger move. What I took away is that the work is almost always already there. The job is to see it clearly and present it in a way that lets the community feel it.
Context
The U School is a preschool in Ann Arbor, Michigan, built around a distinct and nuanced educational philosophy rooted in the Southern African humanist principle of Ubuntu, which shapes not only the curriculum but also the culture of the entire community. It's the kind of place where you feel the uniqueness throughout in the intentionality in how children are spoken to, the way staff move through the space, the care embedded in every project and interaction. The U School is not a typical preschool, and its culture and community reflect that at every level.
I joined The U School as a marketing intern tasked with building a consistent brand presence on social media. The accounts existed, but the posting was inconsistent, and the content that was there rarely drove engagement beyond passive likes. For a community this strong, the digital presence was not entirely reflective. My role was to change that; to build something on Instagram and Facebook that could carry the same energy, culture, and identity that made The U School so special in person.
Strategy
Initially, I thought big. I started mapping out elaborate video campaigns, in-depth staff features, written excerpts, and content that would tell the stories of the people and philosophy behind The U School in ambitious, produced ways. But as I spent more time in the space and understood the rhythms of the school, I realized that the approach had a fundamental problem: it would require more work for the staff. More time, more coordination, more energy taken away from the incredible work they were already doing. That was the last thing I should be adding to anyone's plate.
So I pivoted. Instead of building something on top of what the school was doing, I started paying closer attention to what was already happening in the projects, the interactions, the culture that was already there every day. The real question became: how do I take what makes this place so unique and highlight it outwardly, in a way that feels true to the community, without asking more of the people inside it? The answer was to meet the business where it was at. Build repeatable content formats that could surface the work, the people, and the personality of The U School that were drawn directly from what already existed.
Challenge
The core issue was that although The U School had an online presence, it was not completely reflective of the in-person feel. The community—staff, families, children—are deeply engaged and connected within the school itself, but that presence wasn't translating to social media in a meaningful way. There was not much consistency in posting, no clear visual identity across the accounts, and no content that gave someone encountering the brand digitally the same sense of culture that an in-person visit would.
The U School's strength came from two things: its philosophy and curriculum, and the people who brought it to life every day. Neither was showing up fully online. For the existing community—staff and families—there was not much on the social pages that holistically reflected the experience they were living. For potential new families discovering the brand for the first time, the accounts didn't communicate what made The U School different, and why that mattered. The administration wanted both: a presence that resonated with the people already in the community, and a foundation they felt confident putting in front of anyone encountering the brand from the outside.
Execution
I developed three recurring carousel series, each designed to capture a different dimension of The U School's identity while maintaining consistency across the brand's social presence in a highly repeatable, yet engaging format.
Project Highlights was the deepest of the three series, showcasing recent classroom projects from The U School's teachers. The U School practices Project Inquiry-Based Learning, which is an approach where educators observe children's natural interests and build in-depth projects focused around those curiosities. Captions were written with the teachers themselves to, the actual experts, and paired with high-quality imagery to represent the seriousness of the work. This was the nerdy side of The U School, displaying the depth and intentionality behind each learning experience.
Five Recent Kid Quotes brought completely different energy. Staff record the hilarious, insightful, and sometimes whimsically arbitrary things kids say in an internal Slack channel. These turned into a carousel of five excerpts with playful graphics. Immeditaly shareable, wholesome in nature, and a way to show the school's personality.
Standalone Photo Carousels kept the page active between the more structured series—-snow play, fall, everyday moments tied together loosely by theme. Not trying to say something big. Simply showing the ongoing life of the school.
In addition to these series, special posts were created for events and seasonal happenings as they came up. Across all of it, the brand's visual identity was maintained through a cohesive system: The U School's pink and purple color palette, aligned typography that prioritized clarity, readability, and engagement. Using templates that felt clean, informative, and playful without falling into the typical, overly decorative preschool aesthetic. The look was intentional, a new school preschool that is unique, reflective of the brand, and entirely its own.
Results
The U School now has a social media presence on Instagram and Facebook that the administration feels genuinely represents the business and a digital foundation that they are confident to share outwardly and are comfortable with anyone stumbling upon. Before the rebrand, the accounts existed alongside the school without carrying its true culture and identity. Now, the digital presence and the in-person experience speak to the same thing.
Engagement and visibility increased, and while the numbers were modest starting from essentially zero, the signals were real. The accounts consistently recorded shares and reposts, community members began engaging both online and in conversation at the school, and the content started doing what it was designed to do, which was to bring the feeling of The U School to people wherever they encountered the brand. One moment that stuck with me: a completed diorama from a Project Highlights post was on display in the school, and a parent walking by said, "Oh, I just read about this on Instagram!" That reaction—the digital and in-person experiences meeting each other—was the clearest sign that the content was landing where it was supposed to.
Strategic Reflection
The biggest thing this project taught me was to meet the business where it's at. My role is to have a high awareness of what already makes the culture and community unique and find ways to surface that outwardly. The last thing I should be doing is adding more to anyone's plate. The best content came from paying attention to what was already happening and building systems that could highlight it consistently, accessibly, and intentionally.
It takes deeper thinking and a real understanding of the people, values, and rhythms of a business to reflect them well on social media. The instinct to go big and produce elaborate content is natural, but the pivot to something sustainable and centered on what already existed turned out to be the stronger move. What I took away is that the work is almost always already there. The job is to see it clearly and present it in a way that lets the community feel it.
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