project descriptionwhy the project school

The third course in the Visual Communication program at Herron School of Art and Design offers an opportunity for students to independently integrate previously learned design skills with actual problems.

Instead of solely solving problems, as done in preceding courses, students are required to thoroughly research and analyze a local organization and define the chosen organization’s problems and opportunities, and then suggest working solutions. By focusing on the research and problem definition phase, students can better understand the business aspect of design, as well as receive a full learning experience that will allow for more flexibility in future design careers.

generatinggetting things started

implementinggetting things done

optimizingturning abstract ideas into solutions

conceptualizingputting ideas together

find problem

find facts

defineproblem

find ideas

evaluate & select

plan

accept/sell idea

act/produce

roles

In researching organizations in the Indianapolis area, I found that The Project School has something special that other schools do not; something rare that can only be found where engaged people are: community. The school and its community share a strong, mutual support system. The school builds the community as the community builds the school.Students of The Project School work daily to develop a voice, to find their individual passions, to challenge themselves and the world around them. The school’s vision and mission articulate a different kind of learning and expectation that I find truly inspiring.

painting the picture

what is the project school?mission + visionidentitycurriculumneighborhoodcompetition

what is the project school?mission + visionidentitycurriculumneighborhoodcompetition

The Project School is a mayor-sponsored charter school in Indianapolis, currently in its third year of operation (TPS). The school was founded by a group of nine individuals with backgrounds in education, each of whom brings a unique perspective to the school, from specialties in art and technology, to experience teaching in urban and poverty level school systems. These men and women are all teachers and administrators at one of the Project School institutions they helped build—either The Indianapolis Project School, or its sister school in Bloomington, Indiana.

The school’s mission is to “uncover, recover, and discover the unique gifts and talents that each child brings to school every day. The school works collaboratively with families, community members, and social service agencies to solve real problems, as well as create art for public spaces. Students graduate from The Indianapolis Project School as stewards of the environment with the will, skill, capacity, and knowledge to contribute to the greater good.”

The school’s vision is to “eliminate the predictive value of race, class, gender, and special capacities on student success in their school and in its communities by working together with families and community to ensure each child’s success.”

One year before The Project School opened, principal Tarrey Banks brought in an Indianapolis designer, Lars Lawson, to help bring the school to life (Lawson). The founding group shared the school’s mission and vision, as well as their objectives and how they wanted the school to work within and relate to the Indianapolis community.

An identity is vital to any organization. It holds meaning beneath the surface, and allows viewers to quickly recognize a brand. In The Project School’s case, Lars gives a thorough explanation of what the logo and logotype mean, and why it is so important to be consistent.

The Project School’s logo is called the “energy wheel.” It represents the organization that comes from bringing people together under one cause. When The Project School brings all these various people together, they create an active, turning, energetic structure—the energy wheel.

The Project School focuses on the whole child, developing positive habits of the heart, mind, and voice. This idea is incorporated into the curriculum and paired with the school’s focus on community and environment through problem, place, and project-based learning (TPS), to result in a curriculum entirely relevant to its students.

The founders believe that “the curriculum should come directly and authentically from the communities in which [the] students live.”

The community collaborates to create the school’s curriculum each year. Students, parents, teachers, and local and global community members attend a “curricular summit” to discuss and choose the topics that will guide that year’s educational direction.

By involving the students in this process, not only do they stay interested, but because the community’s problems affect them directly, they can better identify and understand the issues. The curriculum at develops each child on an individual level, as a group member, and as a highly capable member of his or her community.

positivesclose to downtown

built on a grid (walkability)

potential park development

invested residents

negatives1/3 homes abandoned

home of 1/5 Indy’s abandoned commercial sites

highest concentration of brownfields in the cty

largest dumping site

public health hazard

The Project School’s immediate community is located on the Northeast side of Indianapolis, in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood (O’Malley). Though once a thriving area, it is now a run-down part of town that has been unfortunately compared to the likes of Detroit.

Overall, the neighborhood is in serious distress, and the residents are asking for help.

Because of this residential investment, the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood is part of the Smart Growth Revitalization District. The plan for the ¾ mile area is to “identify specific, priority development areas where existing and planned community assets overlap, creating opportunities for higher density, mixed use, connected development.” The Project School is one of the first “planned community assets” to be built and integrated into the area. Already since the school opened, its members have undertaken several community projects.

The first project was the restoration of the school’s space: adaptable reuse (TPS). The school then secured a grant to clean up an area near the school and build an “edible schoolyard,” where there is now both a playground and an urban garden. The school received a grant to be used for a bicycling program at the school and within the community.

As a forerunner in the Smart Growth Revitalization District, the school holds the responsibility for teaching its students to incorporate sustainable habits into their lifestyles and to understand and act upon their social responsibility.

studentsparentsfaculty

community

MB neighborhood

mayor’s office

investors

volunteers

Indianapolis

Smarth GrowthRevitalization

Lars Lawson

HarvardUniversity

A context map shows where a subject falls into its surroundings. In this case, The Project School is at the center, with the information covered as of yet. The students, parents, and faculty make up the school itself, with the community following immedately behind. The mayor is the school’s sponsor, so he is kept close as well. The last circle holds elements of the school that are more loosely related to the school aspect of TPS.

internal communicationmeet the familycompetitionimpressions + expressionsswot analysisdefining problems

In communicating with these students, parents, and community members, The Project School is very successful. The teachers are all working in tandem, which is to be expected, since a number of them are founders (TPS).

Conferences happen four times each year with parents and students in order to assess each student’s progression. The school sends emails and letters home with students, and its website is updated frequently. They have a successful Facebook page, though it has been neglected recently. Families and the community are able to get involved online with each project, via the school’s website or Facebook. The community is also able to get involved in the aforementioned curricular summit that is held in the summers.

10 years oldlikes: basketball, skateboarding, music, pizza, the park

dislikes: vegetables, reading, homeworkfavorite class: recess

loves his mom, feels responsible for her

30 years oldlikes: reading, taking Ty to the parkdislikes: her boss, not having enough time for her sonjob: 60 hours per week at a local company, takes night classes at Martin University to earn her business degree

6 years old (almost 7)twin brotherslikes: coloring, riding their bikesdislikes: vegetables, girls

7 years oldlikes: reading, science

dislikes: strawberries, the dark

7 and a half years oldlikes: horses, Barbie, the slide

dislikes: boys, sports, her baby brother

first + second grade

Outside of The Project School’s immediate community is the city it calls “home”. The Project School is just one small school, surrounded by large public districts and established private schools, and the competition between these districts and schools is fierce. Several different types of schools are available to families to allow parents to feel confident that their child’s educational needs are being met; public, private, charter, and homeschools are the main four. It may not seem like they need to compete, but all schools are not created equal. The fundamental goal of any school is to serve its students to the best of its abilities. That being said, there are other factors at play, such as finances, academic prestige, and athletic reputation.

IPS is the largest school district in the state of Indiana and serves just over 32,000 students throughout the city, over 80% of whom are eligible for free/reduced lunch (Test Scores IPS). The schools have the lowest ISTEP scores of all Indianapolis public school districts, the highest dropout percentage, and the schools are being shut down at an alarming rate. One parent took her children out of the best IPS magnet school “because, well, it’s still IPS (Weaver).”

As of 2003, over one million students in the nation were being taught at home. Reasons for homeschooling differ from family to family, but often parents want their children to be taught with more flexibility, which is something that traditional public schools cannot offer.

MSD of Warren Township is located on the east side of Indianapolis, serving just over 11,000 students—a number that is almost equally split, racially (Test Scores Warren). Over half of the student body is eligible for the free/reduced lunch program. Still, the district’s ISTEP scores are considerably higher than those produced by IPS. The scores may not be ideal, but they upstage IPS in every grade. Warren Township does not offer magnet programs, but it does offer year-round schooling.

Park Tudor is a private school located just north of The Project School, serving 1,000 students, grades Pre-K through 12. The school has an elevated tuition rate, and puts a great focus on students’ ISTEP scores (ranking in the 90th percentile) and college preparatory courses. It has a standard of excellency that many public schools cannot reach due to the lack of funding and resources.

indiana public schools$11,000

indiana charter schools$6,400

The Project School is in competition with both IPS and MSD of Warren Township because their funding comes from the same place (Charter School). Both types of schools rely on a head count for government funding. Indiana public schools receive 42% more money per head than charter schools. In Indiana, traditional public schools receive $11,000 per student, while charters receive just $6,400-a gap that is difficult to fill. Though the principal of The Project School intends to keep the school small (350 students), every dollar counts (Banks).

traditional

east

original

global

futuristic

west

imitative

regional

time

space

authenticity

scale

ips

current project school

future project school

minimal

real

dynamic

quiet

ornamental

abstract

stactic

loud

complexity

representation

perceived movement

potency

The results of a survey of parents in Indianapolis with school-aged children show that most people are unsure of what exactly a charter school is, let alone what or whoThe Project School is. A few common misconceptions are that charters charge money for tuition, that they are very selective in the admission process, and that they teach “weird things.” Unfortunately for TPS, as well as charters around the country, the widespread confusion about this new type of school makes it very difficult to get people to see the truth. Even the most successful of charter schools is still misunderstood by the masses.

The element confusing people most about TPS is their identity. Though beautifully and thoroughly designed, it is not expressing clearly what the school wants it to express. A survey inquiring the public’s impression of the school’s name resulted in three main responses: first, that the school is located in the projects; second, it is an art school; third, that the school itself is an experiment. Each of these responses carry negative connotations (art school included, though less severe).

A similar inquiry about the school’s logo revealed that people do not think of a school when they see it. When the logo and name were shown together, viewers still did not understand the school’s identity. Certainly no one, including fellow design students, came close to suspecting the aspect of diversity.

Though the school's identity may be confusing, an even larger problem is that many families throughout Indianapolis have never heard of The Project School. A survey reaching all corners of the Indianapolis area shows that 73% of parents of school-aged children are not aware that the school exists. As shocking as this statistic may be, the school does not market itself beyond the two mile radius around the school. Unfortunately, this marketing technique makes it difficult to push beyond the Martindale-Brightwood community and into the city.

personalityenergeticopen mindedflexibleinnovative

culturediversitycollaborationcommunitydiscoveryrelevance

self-imagepride in self + communityself confidencevoice

physiqueeducation

learningsolutions

relationshipsmayor

park tudorneighborhood

reflectionsno one knows about it

internal exte

rnal

After analyzing this extensive amount of research, it is important to step back and lookat an overview of The Project School’s brand.

A SWOT analysis shows the strengths, weaknesses, threats, and opportunities of an organization. This analysis shows the main ideas for each category in relation to TPS. From this chart, three main problems can be discovered: funding, awareness, and communication.

moneylow ISTEP scoreslack of awarenesssmall parking lotsmall building sizelittle marketing

sustainabilitycommunity supportdevoted teachersinnovative curriculumracially diversecollaborative efforturban potential

diversityrole models

neighborhoodindy awareness

more involvement

moneyneighborhood

charter connotationsidentity confusionlack of awareness

Funding is a problem for most non-profit organizations, and The Project School is no exception. The wide financial gap between traditional public schools and charter schools is a harsh reality, and it is the main cause for failed charters (Landsberg). The responsibility of bridging that gap is great, but it leads to creative ways of functioning with fewer resources. Many charter schools can ask its families to help bridge that gap, but most Project School families cannot even afford to feed their children lunch (Corporation).

The Project School is doing everything possible to make ends meet. They have applied for and received several grants for projects and programs in the past three years (TPS). Money will always be a struggle within the school, but thus far they have handled it exceptionally well.

As illustrated in this section, awareness of The Project School is lacking throughout Indianapolis. 73% of parents in the city have never heard of the school.

Raising awareness for The Project School will result in better connections for both the school and its community. The student body will grow, which will increase government funding. Potential donors and investors will actually know about the school and be interested in getting involved with both the school and the restoration plan for the neighborhood. Raising awareness will increase volunteer numbers, which may allow for larger and more in-depth community projects in the future.

In general, raising awareness about the school will create more opportunities for the students, school, and community, all of which encompass the entirety of The Project School.

The aforementioned issues that The Project School is experiencing can be enveloped by one overarching problem: external communication. The school is having a difficult time communicating with Indianapolis in a way that promotes a better understanding of who they are and what they do. People are already confused by the notion of a charter school, and their impressions of the school’s identity only add to that confusion.

This is partly due to the novelty of the school, and partly due to what they are telling people. The Project School has been focused on announcing who they are, what their beliefs are, and what they hope to achieve. Without more concrete information, the school’s reality is left up to the public’s imagination. The school needs to revisit its target audiences and decide what those groups need to see.

Once the school begins a succussful converstation with Indianapolis, awareness will follow, as will opportunities for more funding.

show instead of tellre-evaluating target promotionsintroducing generation y

Because the school’s main focus is the students, a solution built around their needs and integrated with the needs of the school and community is key.

More successful communication with the city of Indianapolis will lead to a better understanding of TPS, clearing up the confusion surrounding its identity and its existence as a charter school. The public will begin to associate the energy wheel with the school, and the name of the school will no longer carry a negative connotation.

In comparison to the competition, The Project School is very low profile in Indianapolis. Of course, school districts are going to be well known in a city because of size and popularity, but even small independent schools like Park Tudor are just as well known. The Project School needs to have a louder voice in the city for two reasons: first, because part of its curriculum is teaching children to have a voice and to use that voice, and, second, to counteract the misunderstanding of the public.

competition

current TPS location

future TPS locationquietloud

large

small

Right now, the school is only communicating a message about who they are, hoping it will express what they want. Unfortunately, their initial success can only go so far. In order for people to really understand the school, they need to see what the school is doing.

The school’s current target audiences, potential investors and families, need to see measurable results. Why should this family choose The Project School over IPS or homeschooling? Why should this company invest in TPS? What sets the school apart; what makes them special?

Investors want to know that their money is beingput to good use; they care about the school’s beliefs, but they care more about their money and whether the school is really a worthwhile investment. Similarly, prospective parents want to know exactly what their children will be doing and learning every day after they leave home.

Though the school’s core beliefs and explanations of the curriculum are important, even more important is showing how they follow through on those beliefs.

Since the school’s budget is tight, they market to both target audiences at the same time, with the same materials. Unfortunately, this leaves their promotional items feeling generic and unfriendly (though very well designed). The school needs to create something more approachable and warm in order to really catch their audience’s attention.

To accomplish this, The Project School needs to give the school a face to recognize. Now that they have been open for three years, they know who their family is, and the kinds of activities in which they partake. Using that information to create a more personal marketing campaign will give TPS a more “school-like” look, as well as a feeling of community.

Keeping in mind the school’s environmentally-friendly foundation and that its location is in a low-income part of town, to raise awareness, The Project School needs to target Generation Y-specifically the college-aged section. Not only can this group fill roles in Project School students’ lives as mentors, role models, and tutors, but they are also motivated to get involved neighborhood and community projects.

This section of Generation Y is made up of individuals who would like to be more involved with larger world and community issues, but are unsure of how to do so (Douglass). They have grown up in a fast-paced environment built by technology and instant gratification. This group loves to learn, and is possibly the most education-oriented generation as of yet. They are self-driven and very committed to the things in which they believe. These individuals are very movement-oriented, and want to affect change. In doing so, they will not be quiet about it, which will be even more beneficial to The Project School.

In relation to the school, introducing TPS students to college students would be similar to a program like Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Children in low-income and low-parental advisory situations can benefit greatly from having strong role models in their lives. Not only does the college student’s community support reinforce the Project School student’s academic environment, but his or her young presence offers a mentor role in the way of an equal friendship, rather than another parent-child relationship. This “child-older child” connection reinforces the school’s focus on heart, mind, and, especially, voice.

On the community side of this solution, college students are excited to get involved with restoring their community. Many students are constantly looking for volunteer opportunities in order to fulfill scholarship requirements, and this is something in which they are interested. This age group is invested in the recently popular green movement. The Smart Growth Revitalization program not only gives them the chance to give back to their community, but allows it to happen with an “adding without taking away” attitude.

To engage with this demographic, TPS needs to have a strong online presence. College students interact with the Internet on a daily basis, and usually more than once, between email, social networking, and other forms of entertainment. With Internet now available on cell phones as well, the average college student is connected all day long. The most direct way of targeting this group would be through this mode of communication, but that does not nullify more traditional routes.

Finding a college or university to partner with would be ideal. A service-learning course that integrates TPS students and college students would be exciting. Project School students would get the benefit of working with Generation Y in both planning and executing projects, rather than just executing. The projects would have the potential to be larger and more in depth, benefitting not only TPS students, but college students and the community as well.

building brighter futures

Boost awareness about what the school is doing. Call to action for members of the Indianapolis community.

The college-aged section of Generation Y (18-29) is made up of individuals who would like to be more involved with bigger world and community issues, but are unsure of how to do so. They have grown up in a fastpaced environment built by technology and instant gratification. This group loves to learn, and is possibly the most education-oriented generation as of yet. They are self-driven and very committed to the things they believe in.

Instead of waiting for someone else to clean up your community, make the first move yourself.

TPS is a forerunner in the Martindale-Brightwood Smart Growth program. The school is teaching its students to incorporate greener habits into their lifestyles and to understand and act upon their social responsibility.

reason for communication

audience insight

usp

message support

creative tactics

communication appearances

mandatories

10.6.2010 j.closurdo

audience action

creative tactics

communication appearances

mandatories

Support the school’s mission to teach by doing.Be aware of the opportunities for community involvement.Get involved in community projects, both small and large.

Find a way to draw more people to the school (renting the space out, having fundraisers, inviting other schools to visit, initiating more collaborative projects with other schools). Specify what the school is doing to dissolve any confusion, and clarify how the projects are making a difference in the community. Think about targeting Generation Y online or through their colleges. Use the media to highlight community involvement.

Social networks, newspapers, television, radio, highlight online because of Gen Y’s daily interaction, and college campuses.

Logo used only in the way communicated in TPS style guide.Keep tight budget in mind.

the project school

creating a culture where all are important and valued by nurturing positive relationships with all members of the community.

Though college students generally will not have the money to donate to The Project School, their involvement will raise awareness to others who do, and by pairing with a college or university, the school will gain more support and connections. The more connections the school makes throughout the city, the more people will want to get involved. More involvement means more community projects (and a richer curriculum for students), which will lead to the recovery of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood, allowing the school to move its focus to the rest of Indianapolis with a city-wide support group and plenty of resources for its proactive student body.

Banks, Tarrence D. “Project School Principal.” Personal interview. 24 Sept. 2010.

Benfield, Kaid. “A Close-up Look at a Revitalization District (Indianapolis, Part 2: the Challenges).” Weblog post. Switchboard. 19 Nov. 2009. Web. 22 Sept. 2010. <http:// switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/can_indys_smart_growth_distric.html>.

“Charter School Funding.” Charter School Funding: State by State Comparison. The Center for Educational Reform, 2008. Web. 27 Sept. 2010.<http://www.edreform.com/charter_ schools/funding/chart.htm>.

“Corporation Snapshot, The Indianapolis Project School #9825.” Indiana Department of Education – Server. Web. 4 Sept. 2010. <http://mustang.doe.state.in.us/SEARCH/snapcorp cfm?corp=9825>.

“Departmental Footer.” City of Indianapolis/Marion County Geographic Information Systems. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. <http://imaps.indygov.org/schools/options.asp>.

Douglass, Erin. “Sparking Generation Y.” Web log post. Generation WHY, Inc., 2001. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. <http://www.generationwhy.com/articles-and-information/sparking-generation-y. html>.

“Home Schooling Grows.” News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World – USATODAY.com. Web. 1 Nov. 2010. <http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-01-04-homeschooling_N.htm>.

The Indiana Association of Home Educators. Web. 1 Nov. 2010. <http://www.inhomeeducators. org/laws/>.

Indiana Public Charter Schools Association. Web. 8 Sept. 2010. <http://www.incharters.org/ about.html>.

Landsberg, By Mitchell. “The Charter School Paradox.” Education News & Comment. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. <http://sacdac.org/Paradox.aspx>.

Lawson, Lars. “Project School Design.” E-mail interview. 14 Sept. 2010.

O’Malley, Chris. “A New Outlook for a Decrepit City Neighborhood.” IBJ News, 11 Sept. 2010. Web. 16 Sept. 2010. <http://www.ibj.com/a-new-outlook-for-a-decrepit-indianapolis- neighborhood/PARAMS/article/22155>.

Park Tudor. Park Tudor School. Web. 8 Sept. 2010. <http://www.parktudor.org/about/Pages/default.aspx>

The Project School - Indianapolis. Web. 2 Sept. 2010. <http://www.indianapolisprojectschool.org/>.

“Resources, Not Just Role Models.” Poverty in America. Change.org. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. <http://uspoverty.change.org/

blog/view/resources_not_just_role_models>.

“Test Scores for Indianapolis Public Schools | GreatSchools.” GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community. Web. 1 Oct. 2010. <http://www.greatschools.org/cgi-bin/in/district-profile/137>.

“Test Scores for School District Warren Township | GreatSchools.” GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community. Web. 1 Oct. 2010. <http://www.greatschools.org/cgi-bin/in/district-profile/313>.

Weaver, Janine. “IPS Parent.” E-mail interview. 20 Sept. 2010.

Vercillo, Kathryn. “Schooling: Homeschool vs. Public School vs. Private School.” HubPages. Web. 17 Sept. 2010. <http:// hubpages.com/hub/Homeschool-vs-Public-School-vs-Private-School>.