duck school
BRANDING | ART DIRECTION | PASSION PROJECT
OVERVIEW
After a short 4-year retirement, Mechele Dorsey is reentering the world of teaching by opening a homeschooling pod for the children of La Grange, Texas. Many parents in the area have already turned to homeschooling their kids, due to the lack of success within the local school district but with the constant changing methods and curriculum, they often feel in over their heads. By opening a homeschool on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, Mrs. Dorsey is able to reignite her passion for teaching, a career she enjoyed for over 10 years, as well as continue to enjoy her retirement without the overbearing structure of a traditional classroom and it’s administration. This current structure could grow in the future, with more students coming to Duck School on the alternating days, keeping the integrity of a small classroom and the personalized attention that each student receives but broadening the reach.
Collaborating with my mom on her homeschool venture was a seamless process. Drawing from her extensive experience teaching kindergarten and 2nd grade, she provided valuable insights into classroom management. With her guidance, we developed branding, print materials, and a website to support the launch of Dorsey Ducks. While my mom offered input on the name and suggested a color palette, she granted me creative freedom to design something fun, youthful, and illustrative.
APPROACH
TRADEMARK | VISUAL IDENTITY | CLASSROOM MATERIALS | ANCHOR CHARTS | BROCHURE | WEBSITE | SOCIAL MEDIA | BUSINESS CARDS
DELIVERABLES
Join the flock
Incorporating a playful character into the trademark establishes a lively yet recognizable brand voice and iconography that can be utilized across various brand assets. The name "Duck School" originates from the Dorsey Ducks, the moniker my mom adopted during her years in public school. The interplay between the character and the typography creates a dynamic impression, with the duck seemingly wiggling its feet between the O's and flapping its wings.
TRADEMARK
illustration style
Given that children are visual learners, a highly illustrative brand creates a fun and energetic environment. Our main icon, Danny Duck, along with other illustrations in the same style, are incorporated across multiple aspects of our brand, enhancing engagement and sparking creativity.
type & COLOR PALETTE
fluffy duck
R: 255 G: 2218 B: 0
C: 2 M: 11 Y: 100 K: 0
webbed toes
R: 243 G: 152 B: 28
C:2 M: 46 Y: 100 K: 0
dorsey pond
R: 0 G: 150 B: 216
C: 77 M: 28 Y: 0 K: 0
BRAND VALUES
Children naturally learn through curiosity, making it essential to nurture this trait and foster an environment conducive to self-guided learning. By encouraging curiosity, we create a safe and stimulating environment where children can engage with learning materials without fear of discouragement.
curiosity
peRsonalized attention
With a small class size, we’re able to provide personalized attention to every student. Each child receives individualized support, guidance, and feedback tailored to their unique strengths, challenges, and interests.
We bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world application, ensuring education is meaningful, relevant, and impactful. Our curriculum integrates hands-on projects and practical tasks like counting with money and learning how to make a healthy lunch.
real world relevance
DELIVERABLES
Classroom materials + Decor
Although our classroom doesn't adhere to a traditional setup with assigned desks and spots, creating name tags on the first day serves as a valuable icebreaker activity to facilitate introductions among the children. Through customizing their own name tags and coloring the duck according to their preferences, they have the opportunity to showcase their personalities. These name tags are then taped to their take-home folders, providing a sense of ownership and identity within the classroom.
Name tag
To facilitate the transition between learning at home and in the pod, we provide each child with a take-home folder. This folder contains weekly progress reports outlining current skills being taught, areas for improvement, overall behavior, and highlights from the week. Additionally, a nightly reading log is included, with stickers provided for marking progress. Children can exchange completed logs for rewards, fostering excitement and motivation for reading.
take home folder
Educational posters serve as crucial reinforcements of previously taught skills within the classroom. While many teachers create handwritten ones, professionally printed and branded anchor charts enhance the learning experience, allowing children to absorb information more easily and contributing to a vibrant classroom ambiance.
aNCHOR CHARTS
bulletin board borders
When exploring patterns using the duck icon, I came across the perfect arrangement for border tape on bulletin boards, walls, whiteboards, and other classroom surfaces. Incorporating small print materials and decor throughout the classroom not only establishes a consistent brand but also cultivates a fun and inviting learning environment for children.
