School Brand Style Guide for K-12 Schools
Make every campus asset feel connected. Our K-12 brand-style guides define your logo system, WCAG-compliant colors, fonts, and tone—so every website banner, Canvas slide, and spirit-wear hoodie looks unmistakably yours. Get a sample or talk to our designers in a 15-minute call.
Why Every School Needs a Visual Identity in 2025
Enrollment marketing
Parents compare schools in seconds. A consistent visual identity keeps families on your website longer and increases the likelihood they’ll schedule a tour or open-house visit. A style guide ensures your logo, colors, and photos tell one clear story—on your website, app, and social feeds.
ADA & WCAG colour contrast
A stylish palette is useless if families can’t read it. Our guides include WCAG 2.2 AA-tested HEX & CMYK values plus do/don’t contrast charts. That means brochures, PDFs, and online forms stay accessible, reducing ADA lawsuit risk and boosting readability for every viewer.
7 Steps to Create a School Brand Style Guide
- Audit Existing Logos & Colors — Collect every logo, mascot, and hex value lurking on flyers or Google Slides. We rate them for resolution, contrast, and brand fit, then identify gaps.
- Choose a WCAG-Compliant Palette — Select 3–5 brand colors that pass AA contrast on text and UI elements. We provide light/dark mode pairs and usage ratios.
- Typography for Print & Web — Pick Google-fonts or licensed families with clear hierarchy: Display, Headline, Body, Caption. We verify licenses for Canva, Word, and your website CMS.
- Voice & Tone Rules — Define how your district “speaks” in newsletters, social posts, and AI prompts. We supply headline formulas, emoji rules, and example paragraphs for staff.
- Asset Library & File Naming — Organize logos, icons, and photos in a Google Drive folder with version control and naming conventions (e.g., Bronx-Bears_logo_primary_RGB.svg).
- Approval & Roll-Out Plan — Map who signs off (superintendent, comms lead) and schedule launch: email signatures, signage, swag, website theme update.
- Training Staff & Vendors — Deliver 30-min webinars + Loom videos so anyone—from PTO volunteer to print vendor—knows how to use the guide correctly.
Download: Free School Brand Style Guide Template
What’s inside?
- Cover page + mission statement sample
- Logo safe-area and misuse examples
- WCAG-approved color palette swatches
- Google-font pairing cheat-sheet
- Social-media post templates (Canva link)
- One-page rollout checklist
Examples of K-12 Brand Guidelines That Work
Public District – New York
Redesigned mascot + WCAG palette boosted homepage engagement +18 % and reduced print costs by standardizing colors.
Charter Network (TX)
Unified seven campuses under one brand system with Spanish/English voice guidelines, driving a 2× increase in referral enrollments.
Middle School (NY)
Student-led committee co-created icons and tone keywords, improving student pride scores +12 pts on the annual climate survey.
Book a 15-min Brand Audit
Not sure where to begin? Upload your current logo and colors during the call, and we’ll run a rapid WCAG contrast test
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my school need a custom letterhead?
A branded letterhead projects professionalism, builds trust with families and partners, and reinforces your school’s visual identity in every printed or PDF communication.
What information should appear on a school letterhead?
Typically: official logo, school or district name, street address, phone, website URL, and optional tagline or accreditation seal—all aligned to DOE/ADA layout guidelines.
How long does the letterhead design process take?
Most projects take 5-7 business days from kickoff to final approval; rush 48-hour service is available.
Do we receive editable templates?
Yes. We supply pre-formatted templates for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Canva so staff can create letters without breaking the design.
Which file formats are included?
Print-ready PDF/X-1a, high-resolution PNG, layered AI/EPS vectors, and DOCX/Google Docs templates—plus CMYK & RGB color profiles for accurate output.
Can you match our existing logo, colors, or fonts?
Absolutely. We pull directly from your brand style guide (or create one) so the letterhead matches your approved palette and typography.
Do you handle printing or just design?
Both. We can prep files for your preferred print vendor or manage printing and ship finished stationery to your campus.
Will the design comply with NYCDOE or ADA accessibility standards?
Yes—layout and color contrast meet WCAG 2.1 and NYCDOE branding rules, ensuring legibility for all users.
Can we order envelopes, business cards, or digital signatures at the same time?
Definitely. Ask about our School Stationery Bundle to get matching envelopes, e-signature graphics, and business cards.