On Thursday, April 11th, Michelle Gayle, Ph.D., Deputy Superintendent, Leon County Schools (LCS) sent an email to elected officials to provide details related to the new LCS logo and marketing campaign.
LCS has received some criticism related to the costs of the logo development. FloridaPolitics.com, a statewide news outlet, recently noted the controversy over the cost and the design, you ” can’t pay your teachers, but you can spend $100K for a logo designed in Microsoft Paint.”
In the email, Gayle writes, “In our efforts to assist and equip you in effectively communicating the mission, vision, budget, and deliverables for the rebranding project, we wanted to share an overview and scope of the marketing services.”
The overview – provided below – notes the contract was awarded in an open bidding process, includes a lists of deliverables under the contract, and the notes the “design fee for the logo creation was $9,500.”
Gayle concludes the email, “We hope this will be helpful for you in not only understanding the process even more, but aid you in answering any questions from staff or the community. Further, this communication should alleviate any confusion or concerns regarding the financial aspect of the rebranding project.”
JQ, whistle-blow to who? I tried a few years back and got shut down. No one interested in covering the colossal mismanagement at LCS and I worked directly for one of the district logo fools, so I had a ton of information. What can you expect in a town where all media outlets are democrat or die?
I’ve worked in several counties over the 24 years I’ve been in education and I thought the last one was the worst… however, they valued their employees. This superintendent and deputy superintendent are a joke and need to be removed! They only care about themselves! Spending a ridiculous amount of money on a horrible rebranding effort, yet they won’t give up some of their “perks” to help their teachers and staff! Just a few more years until I can retire and I assure you, the BOE and the media will absolutely hear from me! Gotta stay quiet for now to protect my job… but one day, one glorious day!!
The previous LCS logo was selected from student submissions (a contest in the late80s/early90s).
There should of have another contest for a $5,000 scholarship.
The $9,500 cost is just to design the new logo. Nothing is said about changing over all the LCS vehicles, signage, letterhead and school related items, plus the man hours spent to change everything over to the new logo. What a waste of tax dollars, the old logo is not the reason LCS is falling behind.
Only in Tallahassee could Rocky spend $99,200 with $150,000 in "free services" (can't help but notice those aren't specified...it's almost as if it's made up to increase perceived value) to redesign a logo for education that doesn't have anything to do with education and has to spend time educating people to understand the logo instead of keeping the previous logo that HAD A FRIGGIN' BOOK IN IT representing education quite well. There's no computer screen, no ruler, no compass, no math or scientific symbols, no books, not even an apple for one of the teacher's he's robbed.
These are the same people who wasted almost three quarters of a million dollars on a bus routing software system that completely failed to the point that they fired their own transportation director in shame and chaos. These are the same people who fought to keep our kids masked or home from school for no good reason when even the CDC states that the masks are ineffective and we know the damage that's been done by school closures to children's education and development. The same superintendent who was penalized for playing politics against his own teachers. The same people cutting 70 positions while spending lavishly on an unnecessary logo redesign that fails on every level. The same people giving under $600 a year in raises to teachers. Go ahead and divide that by 12 and see what an incredible impact that is making to teachers standing in line at food banks and buying school supplies for students because LCS won't. The same people responsible for a decline in high school graduation rates. The same superintendent funneling campaign donations through Las Vegas LLCs. The same superintendent who left special needs kids on the curb with no ride home. The list of failures and bias and questionable decisions goes on and on...
But, this town can be stupid after dumb as I witnessed a man driving a minivan this morning all by himself and wearing a mask. With the windows rolled up. All alone. A mask. I couldn't see if there was an LCS sticker in the rear window. Wouldn't have shocked me, I tell you what. But I betcha he votes and votes blue every single time like a good little robot.
Unless we all get our behinds in gear and vote out every single one of these jackanapes on the school board, we can be sure we'll see more of the same.
LOGOGATE:
Another FAILURE added to Skippy’s résumé
So, they only paid 10 grand for a logo done in microsoft paint...The other 90 grand was spent on all the bs it represents... I gotta tell ya, that doesn't make me feel any better.
A public school system does not need a marketing campaign, it needs competent administrators.
The wheels are falling off "Rocky's School Makeover Wagon." Now he's backtracking on the cost of the logo. What's next?
When even Peter Schorsch says Skip Foster’s logo was a mistake, it’s pretty bad
Tp be clear: The contract that was awarded totaled $99,200. The logo "design" portion of the $99,200 was $9500.
And according to the email, the two companies took in $99,200, but spent over $150,000 to get it.
Oh yeah, that makes sense. They must have studied Economics with AOC.
A glitzy marketing campaign is not what's needed for our county schools to compete with charter schools.
School district management needs to carefully research the areas the district fails to effectively compete with charters and fix them.
Improve the product or fail!
Reading that list, it looks like it is all part of the "Design Process" of the Logo. I would have liked to of seen some High School Students that is into Design and Marketing get together and Design it. You have 100's of Students that already KNOW the type of Career they want and you have a chance to use them, to help them showcase their Talent, so HELP THEM.
Everything about this ...smells. Please,please-is there not one whistle blower that will come forward?
This still doesn’t justify that a re-branding of LCS/Logo is more important than school supplies for students or higher pay for teachers. It proves that the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent do not have their priorities straight. Waste of money.