It’s possible you don’t think much about the team behind that email you got about your child’s school. But that team thinks about you and the students every day – making sure you are informed and engaged about your child’s education. The Washington School Public Relations Association recognized their hard work and recently awarded the ESD 113 Communications Team with eight state awards.
What is the Educational Service District Communications Team?
Education Service District (ESD) 113’s Communications Team is made up of five members – Kristen Jaudon, Kaitlyn Hall, Seley Nemish, Mishele Barnett and Kerri Tobin – who work with the 44 school districts, one tribal compact school and approved private schools in Grays, Thurston, Mason, Lewis and Pacific counties. “ESD 113’s award-winning communications team works with internal ESD 113 departments, local school districts, and regional and state education agencies to achieve goals through strategic communication,” shares Kristen Jaudon, executive director, strategy and engagement for ESD 113. “The team customizes services to match each client’s budget and needs.”
These communications include everything from social media and digital accessibility to marketing and videography. They work on the website designs, strategic messaging and ensuring there are Spanish translations.
Trickling down to the individual school districts and education programs, the ESD 113 Communications Team works with them to connect the schools to their communities. “This work strengthens trust between families and schools, increases engagement, and ensures people understand the services and programs available to them,” says Kristen. “The team also manages branding and community relations for ESD 113, helping people across Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties understand the agency’s services and how ESD 113 supports students and educators.”
Districts use the Communication Team when needed so they can contract with the team for a full year or just for single projects, Kristen adds.
ESD 113 Wins 8 State Awards
The Washington School Public Relations Association (WSPRA) Communications Awards Program judges Communication Teams throughout the state on their effectiveness in communication across different media with the following being some of the cri, including clarity of content; message targeting; writing quality; how graphics support the message; layout and presentation of materials; ease of access; quality of audio and video; consistent design and more.
“Across all categories, judges looked for work that showed distinctive voice, audience understanding, and strategic thinking,” adds Kristen.
This year, ESD 113 won the following awards:
Each award includes the category, the name of the project, and the program, district, or agency served.
Award of Excellence
• Communications, Public Relations, or Marketing Campaign, Behavior Supports in Schools Cooperative, ESD 113
• Print Newsletter/Mailer, Wildcat Roundup, McCleary School District
• Special Purpose Publication, Strategic Plan, Expedition Behavioral Education at ESD 113
Award of Merit
• Branding/Image Package, Ground Control Coffee, Gravity at ESD 113
• Video: Informational, Construction Trades – Tumwater School District Pathways, Tumwater School District
• Website, ESD 113
Honorable Mention
• Communications, Public Relations, or Marketing Campaign, Your Family Has Roots Here, ESD 113 Early Learning Program
• Communications, Public Relations, or Marketing Campaign, High School to Postsecondary Toolkit, Chehalis School District and ESD 113 Career-Connected Learning
“We are honored to be recognized for our work,” shares Kristen. “The fact that we earned awards across such a range of categories speaks to the team’s talent and their dedication to school communications work. What makes this recognition meaningful is that it reflects partnerships. Every award represents work we did alongside school districts and ESD 113 programs. We succeed when our clients succeed.”
“These eight awards represent very different types of communication – everything from branding a coffee shop to creating a strategic plan, from designing print newsletters to producing video series, from building accessible websites to developing marketing campaigns,” she continues. “Each project requires different skills and different approaches.
These are not the first awards for the ESD 113 Communications Team. They won several state awards last year at the state level, including an Award of Merit for the McCleary School District Strategic Plan (Special Purpose Publication).
In June 2025, they won 16 national awards from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) National School Communication Awards Program. For the national awards, they received one Golden Achievement award and 15 Digital Media and Publications awards across 12 categories.
“These awards recognize our team’s skills, but they also recognize the school districts and ESD 113 programs willing to invest in strategic communication,” Kristen adds. “When districts prioritize clear, accessible communication with families and communities, everyone benefits—especially students. We appreciate the opportunity to support that work and help districts share what makes their schools and programs valuable to the people they serve.”
