SITUATION
In 2007, Bright Moments was hired to manage community engagement and to develops broad support for the rebuilding of New Orleans Public Schools following Hurricane Katrina. Nearly 80% of the 439 buildings that comprised New Orleans Public School facilities suffered more than 25% damage. The storm displaced almost 63,000 students. When families and students began returning to New Orleans in the months following the storm, school officials were tasked with providing adequate school facilities. Headed up by State Superintendent of Education, Paul Pastorek, planning would begin a number of initiatives that would ultimately serve as the roadmap for the rebuilding process.
STRATEGY
Bright Moments served as a subcontractor for the RSD Joint Venture. The services included liaison with Councilmembers, media relations, outreach to key stakeholders, production of promotional materials for the Rebuilding efforts, and consult on implementation with the State Superintendent.
Bright Moments would produce hundreds of community meetings to address the initiatives that came out of the two-day sessions. During the first wave of meetings the community offered input on the plan to get bathrooms and lunch facilities together in select schools by the start of the school year.
RESULT
In 2007, when State Superintendent of Education, Paul Pastorek took over, his first move was to address the devastated Orleans Parish School facilities. His goal was to ultimately create a master plan to rebuild the entire system. He enlisted Bright Moments to manage community outreach. Between September of 2007 and October of the following year, Bright Moments planned and produced more than two hundred community meetings, attended by thousands of residents. That effort resulted in the adoption of a Master Plan to rebuild 62 new or renovated public schools in New Orleans.