The graphic designer's work would be capped at $18,000, according to the request, which was submitted by Communications Director Kelli Price:
Joplin Schools has used graphic design services for the past several years to create professional materials for the district and schools that improve stakeholder communication and increase stakeholder engagement and support of the classroom.
Materials include website and social media graphics, JETHD television graphics, annual reports, student handbooks, program guides, school brochures, infographics, and communication campaigns for district and social events programs, and initiatives, such as staff recognition, kiudergarten registration, open houses, and school fairs.
Several upcoming projects would benefit from professional strategic design, including a campaign to increase stakeholder awareness regarding the strategic plan, a parent and teacher resource guide highlighting readiness indicators, building student handbook updates, a state-of-the-district mailer to parents and taxpayers, and infographics regarding budget, financial data, and achievement data.
Price is recommending that the board hire Christina Williams, who submitted the lower of two bids.
Williams is art director for Zeus Visuals.. The information in the board packet does not indicate the company has anything to do with this bid. Williams worked in the R-8 administration building until June at a salary of $37,681
22 comments:
Isn't there a high school class, or Franklin Tech. Class that teaches students graphic design? Surely, a talented, enriched student body such as the one at JHS, would contain at least one student who would love to make 50.00 an hour, and would be honored to produce high quality designs. Look within. I know of a student that could draw anything I requested, and did so with great detail, and enthusiasm, but dropped out of high school because he couldn't get there on time.
^ There is a difference in hiring a professional to put out a professional product like the school needs, or having a student do it. You can't even compare the quality. That's like telling the boss at your job, they are wasting their money hiring a graphic designer because surely someone's kid could do just as good of a job. A professional organization needs a professional product.
I thought Christina Williams already worked for the school? What happened did she leave and not want to come back as a freelancer?
I agree with 11:56. They should give a student the chance. Their minds are unencumbered by "stakeholders".
Zeus Visuals, a production company and marketing agency located in Joplin, MO, is owned and operated by Danny Craven and Nathan Ward
Kelli Price is a waste of taxpayer money.
This stakeholder would be very happy to receive a plain sheet of paper with an update telling me the school board has stopped wasting money--that would get my attention more than new graphics.
https://issuu.com/mcmlmatt/docs/final_december_wo_jostens
See page 8 for a profile of Zeus Visuals in SpyGlass
Waste, get rid of the district pr staff.
By using students for graphic design you show your support of the students and their abilities. Imagine their the boost In self esteem and morale knowing they helped create things their own district is proud to use.
How did Joplin ever make it through the 90's without this happy horseshit?
Questions, questions, questions ... Who needs to be so impressed? $50 an hour? Employed in the District until June? Zeus owned by District employee? Questionable?
Here's another question: if JHS students are so capable of doing "professional work", why does FTC (with its own tv production program) pay tens of thousands of dollars per year to Storm Stanley for marketing services?
A new R-8 logo would be the shiznit!
$50 an hour for a professional graphic designer is a steal, provided she knows her stuff. It's a talent, and a skill, and it deserves respect. I've seen so much bad graphic design that I appreciate people who do it well.
Is this the right person? I don't know. Are there valid questions about connections to the district? It seems so. But any decent creative talent working for $50/hour? Snap her up.
Maybe she could work with the students to come up with something. They present some ideas and do some of the early work. She whips it into polished shape. It's not an either/or.
FTC stopped offering a graphics design program. If the lady made $36,000 a year plus benefit and now they hire someone for less than half of that, isn't that a good thing? I agree the "former employee" that is now an employee of a current employee seems a little to close for comfort. If Kelly Price can't do this work maybe they can get rid of her and hire someone that can do it. They don't need a PR Director for $100,000 per year.
If Billy Long has a PR staff, why not Joplin High Schoolers?
Steve Holmes: $50 per hour translates to $104,000 per year. I don't know of any graphic designer who comes anywhere close to that kind of salary. The designer should earn no more than $30 per hour, based on the current market rates.
I do agree that you would not want a high schooler doing this kind of work for the district.
I wish the Joplin Globe would tackle the possible conflict of interest with Zeus Marketing.
>>>I wish the Joplin Globe would tackle the possible conflict of interest with Zeus Marketing.<<<
Does R-8 have a policy on employees contracting on the side with the district? If so, what is the policy?
If you'd read the action item (link in the first paragraph), you would see that she bid as an individual designer. Zeus Visuals did not submit a bid.
Zeus Visuals did not submit a bid.
Question was asked:
Does R-8 have a policy on employees contracting on the side with the district? If so, what is the policy?
1. Under whatever policy is in effect could Zeus Visuals bid for R-8 business?
2. Under whatever policy is in effect could someone bid for R-8 business who apparently has some sort of business relationship with current R-8 employees in a business (Zeus Visuals) which appears to be be performing the same types of work being bid out.
With all the financial issues facing the District, this seems more "might as well" than a necessity. Hope the BoE continues identifying the difference and asks all the questions outlined in this discussion.
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