Every year the Canadian Association of Communicators in Education recognizes exemplary school public relations, communications, marketing and engagement through their BRAVO! Awards.
For the 2020-2021 school year, the Ottawa Catholic School Board sent in six submissions for consideration. It was recognized with six awards, including the highest honour awarded to school board communications work, the BRAVO! Award of Excellence.
This is the only Canada-wide awards program specifically designed to recognize excellence in school board communications. The OCSB won two previous BRAVO! Awards of Distinction in 2018. Here is an overview of their award-winning work in the following categories:
Coup de Coeur
The Coup de Coeur category allows applicants to submit a single communication piece they are proud of and must achieve a score of over 80% to receive the award.
Project leader: Frank Asante
Team members: Caroline Bachynski, Jon Juane, Sharlene Hunter
COVID-19 Communications Award
The COVID-19 Communications Award is given to a project that helps an audience better understand or navigate the pandemic and achieves a score of over 80%.
Project leader: Nathalie Rodriguez
Award of Merit, Communications Piece
Awards in this category are presented to honour excellence in the strategic development of individual products that advance the goals and objectives of an overall public relations/communications program. Submissions must achieve a score of 75 to 79 points to receive the Award of Merit.
Project leader: Sandra Falcomer
Team members: Sharlene Hunter, Jon Juane, Nathalie Rodriguez, Frank Asante
Award of Distinction, Communications Piece
Awards in this category are presented to honour excellence in the strategic development of individual products that advance the goals and objectives of an overall public relations/communications program. Submissions must achieve a score of 80 to 89 points to receive the Award of Distinction.
Project leader: Nathalie Rodriguez
Team members: Mary Beth McGowan, Michelle Seguin
Kindergarten Advertising Campaign
Project leader: Sharlene Hunter
Team members: Jon Juane, Nathalie Rodriguez, Sandra Falcomer, Caroline Bachynksi, Frank Asante, Chantal MacDonald
Award of Excellence, Communications Program or Project
The Canadian Association of Communicators in Education’s (CACE) Award of Excellence for a Communications Project or Program is the highest recognition for education public relations programs and campaigns in Canada. This award is highly competitive because it recognizes overall communication programs in education. It involves demonstrating a combination of two or more products, events or activities. Winning entries have a comprehensive, strategic communications plan with clear evidence of objective project/program evaluation. Submissions must achieve a score of 90 points or higher to receive the Award of Excellence.
Pandemic-friendly Kindergarten Packages
Project leader: Jon Juane
Team members: Sharlene Hunter, Nathalie Rodriguez, Sandra Falcomer, Caroline Bachynksi, Frank Asante, Darlene Norlock
OCSB Communications Department Award Winners
Pictured from top left to bottom right: Sharlene Hunter (Manager of Communications), Jon Juane (Assistant Manager of Communications), Caroline Bachynski (Communications Officer), Nathalie Rodriguez (Social Media Content Creator), Frank Asante (Board Website Coordinator), Sandra Falcomer (Communications Administrator), Chantal MacDonald (Marketing Specialist), and Darlene Norlock (Mailroom Clerk).