The Sycamore School
Before The Sycamore School even had an address, founder Karyn Ewart came to Design TLC to help brainstorm everything from school names to domain names and logo concepts. A team from the beginning, The Sycamore School (TSS) is now a fast-growing, independent school in Northern Virginia.
We helped TSS acquire a domain name and set up a temporary “Coming Soon” website. First, we helped with their branding and created a style guide for its use across all media.
Next, we developed a user-friendly website that was easy for visitors to use and which communicated the TSS value proposition: its unique approach to education which cultivates intellectual curiosity, independent thought, and a love of learning. Since the school was not yet open, we worked with a photographer to create photography that demonstrated the school’s outdoor learning opportunities. A key to the website’s functionality was the ability for people to easily find information about how to visit the school, and to enable RSVPs so the administration could follow up with prospective students and know how many people to expect at each information session.
As the school has grown, we have added images of actual students and staff in the new school building. Since it opened 3 years ago, the school has more than doubles its enrollment and expanded to add high school classes.
Karyn recently told us she gets compliments all the time on the logo and website. We are proud to have been a part of this wonderful program since its inception!
Objective
- Support School Launch from the Ground Up: Assist The Sycamore School with everything from naming and branding to website development, starting before the school had a physical location.
- Establish a Strong Online Presence: Create a temporary website to begin engaging prospective families and build visibility before opening.
- Communicate Educational Value Clearly: Develop a main website that effectively conveys TSS’s unique educational approach and encourages interest and enrollment.
- Enable Event Management & Engagement: Provide tools for families to RSVP to info sessions, allowing the administration to plan and follow up with prospects.
- Adapt and Evolve as the School Grows: Update content, photos, and functionality to reflect the school’s growth, new programs, and evolving identity.
Approach
- Collaborated early with the founder to brainstorm school names, domain names, and logo concepts before the school officially launched.
- Helped acquire a domain and launched a temporary “Coming Soon” website to begin building interest and online presence.
- Created a comprehensive branding style guide for consistent use across all media and marketing channels.
- Designed and developed a user-friendly website to clearly communicate the school’s unique educational philosophy.
- Partnered with a photographer to create original imagery showcasing outdoor learning, reflecting the school’s experiential learning model.
- Built website functionality to support RSVPs for information sessions, making it easy for prospective families to connect and for the school to plan events.
- Continued to update the site with real photos of students and staff as the school grew and evolved.
- Provided ongoing website support and enhancements as the school expanded its programs and enrollment, including the addition of high school classes.
Outcome
- Successful Launch Support: The Sycamore School was able to launch with a strong digital presence and professional branding that positioned it for success.
- Clear Communication of Mission: The website effectively communicates TSS’s values, helping to attract mission-aligned families and build credibility.
- Seamless Event Coordination: The RSVP functionality improved school planning and prospective family engagement, helping fill early info sessions.
- Ongoing Visual Relevance: Updated photography reflects the real school community, increasing authenticity and connection.
- Sustained Growth & Recognition: Since launch, the school has more than doubled enrollment, added high school classes, and continues to receive compliments on its branding and website—a testament to the lasting impact of thoughtful strategy and design.
