A Style Guide
for communications and publications
Colorado Springs
School District 11
Contents
Quick Reference Guide ....................................................................................... 3
Use of Colorado Springs School District 11 Logo ...................................................................................... 3
Defining Colorado Springs School District 11............................................................................................ 3
Suggested Fonts ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Referencing the School District 11 Board of Education ............................................................................ 3
What is the Name of Your School? ........................................................................................................... 3
Business Cards, Letterheads, and Envelopes ............................................................................................ 4
Email Protocol ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Web Protocol ............................................................................................................................................ 4
District 11 Style Guide Introduction .................................................................... 5
Why develop a style guide? ...................................................................................................................... 5
Using the District 11 logo .......................................................................................................................... 5
Use of Vision, Mission, and Goals ............................................................................................................. 6
Defining Colorado Springs School District 11............................................................................................ 6
Fonts.......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Referencing the District 11 Board of Education ....................................................................................... 6
What is the name of your school? ............................................................................................................ 7
Business cards, Letterhead, and Envelopes .............................................................................................. 7
Communicating most effectively......................................................................... 8
Gender Neutral Writing .......................................................................................................................... 11
Abbreviations/Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ 13
Capitalization/Titles ................................................................................................................................ 13
Composition Titles .................................................................................................................................. 14
Punctuation ...................................................................................................... 15
Apostrophes/ Possessives ....................................................................................................................... 15
Colons...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Commas .................................................................................................................................................. 15
Dashes ..................................................................................................................................................... 16
Ellipses..................................................................................................................................................... 16
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Exclamation Marks .................................................................................................................................. 16
Hyphens .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Parentheses ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Periods .................................................................................................................................................... 17
Question Marks ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Quotations .............................................................................................................................................. 18
Semicolons .............................................................................................................................................. 18
Slashes..................................................................................................................................................... 19
Grammar .......................................................................................................... 20
Collective Nouns ..................................................................................................................................... 20
Noun/Pronoun Agreement ..................................................................................................................... 20
Plurals...................................................................................................................................................... 20
Numbers.................................................................................................................................................. 21
Money ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Date and Years ........................................................................................................................................ 22
Time ........................................................................................................................................................ 22
School-Year Notations/Dates .................................................................................................................. 22
Mrs., Miss, Ms., or Mr. ............................................................................................................................ 22
Salutations .............................................................................................................................................. 23
Internal Communication Procedures................................................................. 24
Best Practices .......................................................................................................................................... 24
Responsibilities of Sender and Receiver ................................................................................................. 25
E-mail Guidelines .................................................................................................................................... 25
Web Standards ................................................................................................. 28
Required Elements .................................................................................................................................. 28
Colors Used on District 11 Webpages ..................................................................................................... 28
Fonts Used on District 11 Webpages ...................................................................................................... 28
Accessibility ............................................................................................................................................. 28
Best Practices .......................................................................................................................................... 29
2
Quick Reference Guide
Use of Colorado Springs School District 11 Logo
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The logo may not be changed in any way, including its proportions, fonts, and colors.
The logo can be sized to fit the area in which it is placed but must be kept in proportion
(as a round object as opposed to an egg-shaped object).
To ensure high quality reproduction, please access the logo from the digital artwork
available from the Production Printing website http://cssd11intra/print/. The logo
should never be altered in any way; this includes changing its proportions.
When placed on a colored background, the logo should not be surrounded by a white
box, but rather have a transparent background. If you encounter a problem using a
transparent background on the logo, contact Production Printing so they may assist you.
Defining Colorado Springs School District 11
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On first reference to our school district, use Colorado Springs School District 11. Do not
use all caps with any word in this title, and do not put the # sign before 11. The number
11 remains numeric and is never spelled out.
For subsequent references, use District 11, School District 11, D11, or district. When
using district, always make the d lowercase unless proceeded by the word the, as in the
District.
Suggested Fonts
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Calibri, Times New Roman, Century Gothic
Suggested font size for most documents is 12 points.
Referencing the School District 11 Board of Education
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The elected School District 11 Board of Education is used for first reference. After that,
use board or board of education. When using board or board of education, always make
the b and e lowercase.
When referring to members of the board, use their full title on first reference. For
references after that, use board president or board member.
Examples:
Board of Education President Sally Smith
Board of Education Director Sally Smith
What is the Name of Your School?
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Schools must use their board-approved name on official documents (letterhead,
website).
Examples:
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School at Cimarron Hills, not
McAuliffe Elementary
Helen Hunt Elementary School, not Hunt Elementary
The District logo should be incorporated in all school communications. A school may
choose to use the district’s name and logo along with the school’s name and mascot on
the letterhead.
District departments are not to develop or use other logos.
3
Business Cards, Letterheads, and Envelopes
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A standard look should appear on business cards, letterheads, and envelopes. Each work
location’s lead administrator determines the eligibility of staff members for business
cards. Cards may be ordered through the district print shop.
Click on the link to the printing home page at: http://www.d11.org/printing/, then scroll
down to “D11 Logo Stationery.” Customers may select from any available layout and
enter their imprint information in the space provided within the order form.
Email Protocol
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All email messages or data composed, stored, sent, or received using the D11 email
system are and remain the private property of D11. They are not the property of the
employee.
By law, D11 keeps an archive of all email sent or received.
The confidentiality of any message or data should not be assumed.
Send group mail only when it is useful to all recipients.
Do not embed graphics or animated graphics in your signature file, unless it is the
District 11 logo or the icons which link to the District’s Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube
accounts.
Web Protocol
Department/school pages designed in SharePoint will have a consistent look and feel. On all
department/school pages the following required elements will be part of the fixed templates:
 The Colorado Springs School District 11 logo, which shall remain unaltered;
 The words, “Colorado Springs School District 11;”
 The District 11 tagline (The world is changing. Meet the future.);
 The District’s NTouch logo, customized for each school;
 A link back to the District’s homepage (usually the District’s logo);
 Limit animated graphics to one per page. Please use only graphics that support the
content of the page.
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District 11 Style Guide Introduction
The correct use of English grammar, style, and design is important to the overall branding of
Colorado Springs School District 11. This guide addresses areas that tend to be problematic to
writers, editors, and content providers, and provides preferred solutions. This is important for
large organizations, such as District 11, that have numerous individuals and groups producing
written documents and maintaining or adding content to the website. Having a guide to
enforce common elements and font usage will help ensure a consistent brand.
This guide follows the Associated Press guidelines. During the SharePoint implementation
phases, this guide will be revised as necessary. We want the Colorado Springs School District 11
Style Guide to be current. Please contact the Communications and Community Relations office
at 520-2162 with your comments. We look forward to your comments and plan to update the
guide periodically.
Why develop a style guide?
The Office of Communications and Community Relations developed this guide to establish and
maintain the consistent use of the Colorado Springs School District 11 logo, and to help district
employees communicate clearly, accurately, and with consistency. As an educational
institution, we must transmit information that is clearly written and mechanically correct.
The entries in this stylebook provide answers to the most frequently asked questions, as well as
current usage and practical suggestions.
Using the District 11 logo
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Colorado Springs School District 11’s logo is available for use on any district publication
by downloading it from the district website. The logo may not be changed in any way,
including its proportions, fonts, and colors. The logo may be
sized to fit the area in which it is placed, but must be kept in
proportion (as a round object as opposed to an egg-shaped
object). The logos are available in various sizes; if a larger size
than those available is needed, contact Production Printing to
request the larger logo. Adherence to the graphic standards is
critical in communicating a cohesive message. No logo may be
used in place of the official logo.
To ensure high quality reproduction, please access the logo
from the digital artwork available on the Production Printing
website http://cssd11intra/print/. The logo should never be altered in any way; this
includes changing its proportions.
When placed on a colored background, the logo should not be surrounded by a white
box, but rather have a transparent background. If you encounter a problem using a
transparent background on the logo, contact Production Printing so they may assist you.
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Don’t develop or use other logos for the District.
Don’t use the logo as part of a drawing or cartoon.
Don’t change the colors in the logo.
Use of Vision, Mission, and Goals
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Colorado Springs School District 11 has one mission and vision. Use of independent
statements regarding department mission, vision, and goals is not permitted. A
department or school's objectives or concepts may be included if they reflect the overall
vision, mission, and goals of School District 11.
Examples of how a department objective or concept can reflect the District’s mission
and vision include:
The purpose of Community Relations is to support the school district in attaining
its vision and mission to communicate and engage frequently with our
customers.
<Insert department name> supports the district's mission, vision, and goals by
<insert department vision, mission, or goals>.
Defining Colorado Springs School District 11
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On first reference to our school district, use Colorado Springs School District 11. Do not
use all caps with any word in this title, and do not put the # sign before 11. The number
11 remains numeric and is never spelled out.
For subsequent references, use District 11, School District 11, D11, or district. When
using district, always make the d lowercase unless proceeded by the word the, as in the
District.
Use District 11 as an adjective and capitalize.
Example:
District 11 students
Fonts
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It is suggested that documents be typed in Calibri, Times New Roman, or Century Gothic
font, as these fonts use the least amount of ink. All documents should have a footer
containing the date, name of document, the department, and the initials of the
document creator.
The suggested point size for most documents is 12-points. This is a best practice, and it
is understood that cover sheets, headers, footers, and other graphical examples within
the document may be a different point size.
Referencing the District 11 Board of Education
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The elected School District 11 Board of Education is used for first reference. After that,
use board or board of education. When using board or board of education, always make
the b and e lowercase.
When referring to members of the board, use their full title on first reference. For
references after that, use board president or board member.
Examples:
Board of Education President Sally Smith
Board of Education Director Sally Smith
6
What is the name of your school?
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Branding is essential to the goal of promoting the excellent, distinctive educational
experiences provided by District 11. Our district logo is one way to visually reinforce the
school system’s presence and impact.
Schools must use their board-approved name on official documents (letterhead,
website).
Examples:
Christa McAuliffe Elementary School at Cimarron Hills, not
McAuliffe Elementary
Helen Hunt Elementary School, not Hunt Elementary
It is understood that because District 11 has varied services, departments, and
programs, schools must also have individuality to help build school and community
spirit. School identifiers such as mascots, nicknames, emblems, slogans, and colors are
allowed, especially when communicating with parents and promoting school pride.
The district logo should be incorporated in all school communications. A school may
choose to use the district’s name and logo along with the school’s name and mascot on
the letterhead.
District departments are not to develop or use other logos.
Business cards, Letterhead, and Envelopes
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A standard look should appear on business cards. Each work location’s lead
administrator determines the eligibility of staff members for business cards. Cards may
be ordered through the district print shop.
Examples:
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A standard look should also appear on letterhead and envelopes. An order page is
available on the Production Printing website. Customers can request the standard
layout for letterhead, envelopes, and note pads. Simply click on the link to the printing
home page at: http://www.d11.org/printing/, then scroll down to “D11 Logo
Stationery.” Customers may select from any available layout and enter their imprint
information in the space provided within the order form.
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Communicating Most Effectively
Parents, students, staff, and community members face countless events and issues that
compete for their time. That’s why timely, clear, and concise communication is a must.
 Don’t use words or expressions known only to educators; save the “educationese” for
other educators, professional journals, and dissertations. Terms like interdisciplinary,
cognitive, criterion, and psychomotor sound like a foreign language to most parents.
Write to be read, not to be deciphered.
 Avoid passive verbs: A simple way to put action in your writing is to place the subject of
a sentence at the beginning and follow it with a strong verb.
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Sentences with passive verbs use more words than those with active verbs, making copy
more difficult to read. Passive verbs include any form of the verb “to be” plus a verb’s
past participle. While passive verbs can add emphasis and variety to communications,
they’re often overused in educational writing.
o Passive: The Boettcher Scholarship was earned by John Smith.
o Active: John Smith earned the Boettcher Scholarship.
Use short, strong, and conversational verbs. Short, strong, and conversational verbs
promote a sense of movement for readers, holding their interest.
o Not conversational: The Superintendent will designate a representative to serve
on the committee.
o Conversational: John Smith will serve on the committee.
Weak verbs
Strong verbs
inform
tell
reduce
cut
attempt
try
modify
change
indicate
show
Speak with a positive tone. Positive statements help build trust when conveying
information.
o Negative: We can’t release your child from school until you sign this form.
o Positive: We’ll release your child from school as soon as you sign this form.
o Negative: The school closes May 31.
o Positive: The school is open until May 31.
Delete unneeded who, which, that, and there is clauses.
o Before: There are 50 students who earned academic letters.
o After: Fifty students earned academic letters.
Avoid redundancies. They take up valuable space and add nothing to your copy. Here
are some common redundancies. The word in bold is the one to eliminate.
o final outcome (if it’s final, it’s the outcome)
o unexpected surprise (if it was unexpected, it was a surprise)
o current trend (trend means it’s current)
o basic fundamentals (fundamentals are basic)
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o first began (if something just began, it’s a first)
Use simple, everyday words instead of long, fancy ones. Why write “communicated”
when you mean “said,” or “facilitate” when you mean “help.”
Use fewer words. Some people think the longer a message is, the more important it
seems. But it usually works the other way. Short sentences are easier to understand and
long paragraphs intimidate readers. A 14-word sentence is the average for an eighthgrade reading ability. To avoid monotony, vary the length of your sentences and
paragraphs. Don’t use two or more words when one will do as well.
Example:
despite the fact (although), if that is the case (if so), at an early
date (soon), in all probability (probably), this is the subject that
(this subject), in the event that (if), of the opinion that (believe),
exhibits a tendency (tends)
Common errors to avoid:
o A, an: Correct choice of a and an depends on the initial sound, not the initial
letter of the word that follows. A should be used before all words beginning with
a consonant sound, except silent h (an honor), and before words beginning with
vowels that represent combined consonant and vowel sounds (university, unit).
An should be used before all vowel sounds.
o Affect, effect: Affect is always a verb (except for use as a noun in psychology). It
means to influence, to cause a response.
Example:
This article will affect my thinking.
Affect also means to assume, to be given to, or to pretend.
Example:
She affected a silly manner of speaking.
As a noun, effect means result, accomplishment.
Example:
What was the effect of this appeal for money?
As a verb, effect means to cause, to bring about.
Example:
The new principal will effect major changes in teaching
methods.
In plural form, effects can mean goods/property.
Example:
The student’s effects were removed from the desk.
o Assure, ensure, insure: Assure means to convince, to guarantee.
Example:
I assure you of my good intentions.
Assure refers only to people.
Ensure means to guarantee, to make certain.
Example:
The district ensures quality education.
Use insure for references to insurance. Insure is applied to both people and
property.
o That or which
 That should be used to introduce essential (restrictive) clauses that refer
to inanimate objects, places, ideas, or animals without names.
Example:
The house that is painted green just sold.
 Use which to introduce a nonessential (nonrestrictive) clause. (Which
may also be used to avoid repetition of that in a sentence.)
9
Example:
The house, which is painted green, just sold.
o Who or Whom
 When an essential or nonessential clause refers to people or to animals
with names, it should be introduced with who and whom.
Example:
Students who do not attend school regularly should not
expect to pass.
 Both who and whom are pronouns. However, who is used as the subject
of a sentence or phrase, to denote who is doing something (like he or
she). On the other hand, whom is used as the object of a verb, to denote
who has something done to it (like him or her). Ask yourself if the answer
to the question would be he/she or him/her. If you can answer the
question with him/her, then use whom. If you can answer the question
with he/she, then use who.
Example:
To whom did the prize go? (The prize went to him.)
Who went to class today? (She went to class today.)
o Your or You’re
 Your is the possessive form of you. You’re is the contraction for you are.
Example:
Your news release information arrived too late to be
included in today’s releases. If you’re interested in having
the information released tomorrow, please let me know.
o Me, myself, and I
 Myself is a reflexive pronoun. A good way to remember this is to think
about looking into a mirror and seeing your reflection. You would say, “I
see myself in the mirror.” You see your reflection, and myself is a
reflexive pronoun. Reflexive pronouns “reflect” back to a noun
mentioned earlier in the same sentence. A reflexive pronoun is always
the object of a sentence; it can never be the subject. A subject is the one
doing something in a sentence, and the object is the one having
something done to it. (Other reflexive pronouns include himself, herself,
yourself, itself, and themselves.)
Example:
Incorrect: Please contact Mary, Jane, or myself with any
questions.
Correct: Please contact Mary, Jane, or me with any
questions. (Think of how you would say the sentence
without Mary or Jane. You would not say, “Please contact
myself with any questions.” You would say: “Please
contact me with any questions.”)
 A case where it is correct to use myself is when you are both the subject
and the object of a sentence.
Example:
I see myself reading a book.
I'm going to treat myself to a trip to the book store.
In both of these cases you are the object of your own action, so myself is
the right word to use.
10
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Many people make the mistake of using myself when I is the subject
pronoun that should be used to refer to yourself.
Example:
Incorrect: If you have any questions, Jake, Susan, and
myself will be happy to speak with you.
Correct: If you have any questions, Jake, Susan, and I will
be happy to speak with you. (Again, think of how you
would say the sentence without Jake or Susan. You would
not say, “If you have any questions, myself will be happy
to speak with you.”)
o Regardless or irregardless
 Irregardless is an unacceptable version of regardless; it is an erroneous
word that means the exact opposite of what it is used to express. Do not
use irregardless in either speech or writing.
Gender Neutral Writing
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Avoid using he to cover both he and she, and the possessive his for both his and hers.
Try rewriting the sentence so that the plural pronoun they (theirs) may be used or the
pronoun is eliminated.
Example:
Each student has received his own school handbook.
Instead: All students have received their own school handbooks.
OR
Instead: Each student has received a school handbook.
The average student is worried about his grades.
Instead: The average student is worried about grades.
Avoid the he/she double pronoun construction. It is cumbersome and becomes
awkward if read aloud. Again, try to rewrite the sentence in the plural or eliminate the
pronoun. Be careful, however, not to use a plural pronoun to refer to a singular
antecedent. If you cannot avoid using it, he alone is more acceptable.
Example:
A student who was satisfied with his/her performance on the test
advanced to the next component.
Instead: Students who were satisfied with their performance on
the test advanced to the next component.
Everyone should bring their District Plan to the meeting.
Instead: Everyone should bring a copy of the District Plan to the
meeting.
Instead of using man, try substituting other words such as person, individual, someone,
anyone, no one, human being, one, etc.
Example:
Ours is a government of laws and not of men.
Instead: Ours is a government of laws and not of people.
To each his own.
Instead: To each one’s own.
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Instead of using man or manned to mean “to take assigned places in, on, or at work for
defense,” as in “to man the information booth,” use work, staff, run, operate, serve at,
etc.
According to several current stylebooks, chairperson and spokesperson should not be
used in regular text unless the gender of the individual is not known. Use chairman or
spokesman when referring to a man or the office in general; chairwoman or
spokeswoman if referring to a woman.
Try to find alternatives to make words gender neutral. Here are some examples:
Examples
Alternatives
businessmen
business people
cafeteria ladies
school lunchroom assistants
cameraman
camera operator
clergymen
clergy, members of the clergy
congressmen
congressional representatives,
members of Congress, Congress
people
craftsmen
craftspeople, craft workers,
crafters, artisans
deliveryman
deliverer, courier, delivery clerk
draftsman
drafter
fireman
firefighter
forefathers
ancestors
foreman
supervisor
housewife
homemaker
mailman
mail carrier, letter carrier, postal
worker
mankind
humanity, humankind, humans,
human beings, society, people
manmade
handmade; manufactured,
constructed, machine-made
manpower
personnel, work force, staff,
human resources
newsman
newsperson, journalist
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Examples
policeman, policewoman
Alternatives
police officer
repairman
repairer
salesman, saleswoman
sales agent, salesperson, sales
associate
stewardess, steward
flight attendant
waiter, waitress
server
weatherman, weather girl
weathercaster, weather reporter,
forecaster
workman
worker
Abbreviations/Acronyms
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Use universally accepted abbreviations when appropriate, but do not use abbreviations
or acronyms that readers would not quickly recognize. Always spell out the word or
words on first reference, and use the appropriate abbreviation or acronym on
subsequent mentions; do not assume the reader will know the acronym to which you
are referring.
Example:
Unified District Improvement Plan (UDIP)
Individual Career Academic Plan (ICAP)
Abbreviate the following titles when used before a full name outside direct quotations:
Dr., Gov., Lt. Gov., Mr., Mrs., Rep., the Rev. and Sen.
Spell out all except Dr., Mr., Mrs., and Ms. when they are used before a name in direct
quotations.
Abbreviate junior or senior after an individual’s name, but don’t precede it with a
comma.
Abbreviate company, corporation, incorporated, and limited when used after a
corporation name, but don’t set off the term with commas.
Example:
Ford Motor Co., Microsoft Corp.
In some cases, an academic degree may be abbreviated after an individual’s name.
Capitalization/Titles
Basic rule: when in doubt, don’t capitalize.
 Titles preceding a name are capitalized.
Example:
Superintendent Dr. Nicholas Gledich
 Capitalize titles of high organization officials when the titles take the place of the
official’s name.
Example:
We spoke with the Superintendent about the incident.
 Titles following a name are not capitalized.
Example:
Dr. Nicholas Gledich, superintendent
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The first letter of common nouns, those nouns that are general or generic, are not
capitalized.
Example:
my supervisor, an attorney
Job descriptions are not capitalized.
Example:
Suzy Smith, member, School District 11 Board of Education
(Member describes the job.)
Other examples: resource teacher, parent coordinator, assistant secretary
Capitalize the names of the district’s divisions, departments, units, and offices.
Do not capitalize government, national, state, federal, district, county, board of
education.
Capitalize the word if it is used as part of a proper name.
Example:
School District 11 Board of Education
Capitalization rules for academic programs, schools, centers, degrees, and awards:
o Do not capitalize sports (boys’ soccer, girls’ softball).
o Do not capitalize activities (band, choir, art, yearbook).
o Do not capitalize grades or levels (fourth grade, advanced geometry).
o Do not capitalize subjects unless it is a language (history, English). When talking
about a specific course, capitalize the subject, regardless of whether or not the
course has a number (American Literature, Level 3; World History).
o Capitalize formal names of academic programs (International Baccalaureate
Program; Title I).
o Capitalize a specific degree/subject area (Master of Education, Master of Arts).
Do not capitalize a generic reference (a master’s degree, a bachelor’s degree).
o Capitalize the formal names of awards/contests (Boettcher Scholar, National
Merit Scholar).
Composition Titles
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Use these guidelines for book titles, movie titles, song titles, television program titles,
play titles, poem titles, and the titles of lectures, speeches, and works of art:
o Capitalize the principal words. This includes prepositions and conjunctions of
four or more letters.
o Capitalize a, an, the, or words of fewer than four letters if they are the first or
last word in a title.
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Punctuation
Apostrophes/ Possessives
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Use apostrophes to show possession. When the possessive word already ends with an s,
the apostrophe follows the s.
Example:
the suppliers’ requests; the states’ environmental offices
The possessive form of the pronoun it is its, not it’s. It’s is the contraction of it is or it
has. In addition, the possessive form of who is whose, not who’s. Who’s is a contraction
for who is or who has.
Use apostrophes to show the passage of time in certain stock phrases
Example:
a month’s pay; an hour’s time
Colons
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Use a colon before a series of complex items. Capitalize the first word after a colon only
if it is a proper noun or the beginning of a complete sentence.
Example: This session’s topics are as follows: accountability, school leadership, and
technology.
To take the SAT, students are required to bring:
1. admission slip
2. photo identification
3. No. 2 pencils
Use a colon to introduce a long quotation. Colons are placed outside quotation marks
unless they are part of the quotation.
Example: The Gazette article stated: “The District 11 Board of Education will be
working on the budget at the next work session.”
Use colons for ratios; time of day; to denote a particular periodical, or legal reference;
and after the salutation in a business letter.
Example:
a 2:3 ratio, Statutes Title XVI: 238-243, the 8:05 bell
Commas
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Commas separate complete thoughts joined by these simple conjunctions: and, but, or,
for, nor, so, yet.
Commas separate items in a series consisting of three or more words, phrases, or even
whole clauses. Note: A comma separates the last two items in a series even though
these items are linked by a conjunction. Leaving the comma out can cause confusion
and misinterpretation.
Commas separate long introductory phrases and clauses from the main body of the
sentence.
Example:
Prior to the beginning of the school year, …
Thanks to the support of Mary Smith and Sue Jones in accounting,
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Commas separate two or more adjectives that equally modify the same noun. However,
if two or more adjectives precede a noun and one adjective modifies another adjective
and together they modify the noun, you must use a hyphen.
Example:
The bright, out-going child …
Commas, like periods, always go inside closing quotation marks. Commas go outside
parentheses or brackets.
Commas separate titles and degrees from names. When the degree or title appears in
the middle of a sentence, commas must appear before and after it.
Example:
John Smith, PhD, will speak …
Jane Doe, third grade teacher, won …
Dashes


Use a dash sparingly. It may be used to signify a sudden break in thought for emphasis,
definitions, or explanation.
When using a computer to type a dash, put a space before and after the dash.
Example:
Reliability and trust – that is what we have to offer.
Ellipses



Use an ellipsis, which is constructed with three periods and a space on either side, to
indicate the omission of words, phrases or sentences. It also may be used to indicate a
pause or a thought the writer does not complete.
If an ellipsis falls at the end of a sentence, place the punctuation at the end of the last
word before the ellipsis. Follow it with a space and an ellipsis.
If material is omitted at the end of one paragraph and at the beginning of the next one,
place an ellipsis in both locations.
Example:
Welcome to the District’s Education Summit. …
… Let me share with you, the business community, some of our
district’s successes and challenges.
Exclamation Marks


Use exclamation marks sparingly. The mark should be used to express a strong feeling or
emotion, or a high degree of surprise. When the mark is used, one is sufficient to get the
point across.
Example:
Wow! We won the championship.
Place the exclamation mark inside quotation marks when it is part of the quote and do
not use a comma or a period after the mark.
Example:
“Don’t do that!” he shouted.
Hyphens

Hyphenate two or more words that act together to modify another word
Example:
third-grade students, well-documented program, data-driven
instruction; two-way communication
Do not hyphenate connected words that function as adjectives if they occur after the
word they modify.
16
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


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Example:
students in third grade, program is well documented
Hyphenate two or more words that act together to create a new meaning.
Example:
to double-check the tests
Hyphenate compound numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine and compound
adjectives with a numerical first part
Example:
fifty-five, ninety-three, 12-inch ruler, 5-year audit
Use a hyphen when the prefix precedes a capitalized word.
Example:
un-American, mid-August
Avoid using hyphens with post prefixes.
Example:
midpoint, nonperson
Designate dual heritage with a hyphen.
Example:
Italian-American, Mexican-American
Use a hyphen to avoid confusion.
Example:
re-treat (to treat again) versus retreat
Avoid hyphenating words at the end of a line. Instead move the entire word down to the
next line.
Parentheses
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

Use parentheses sparingly to separate nonessential words or phrases or for clarity.
Example:
Four teachers (all from Trailblazer) were involved in the Response
to Intervention conference.
The figures listed (see Attachment A) support your conclusion.
Use parentheses to enclose citations within text.
Example:
Almost 65 percent said parents support the teachers (Colorado
Climate Survey, 2009).
Use parentheses to enclose numbers in an enumerated list within a paragraph.
Example:
The factors for the reorganization were: (1) improved quality of
services, (2) growth, (3) new mandates, (4) increasing costs, and
(5) philosophical interests.
The final mark of punctuation for the sentence is placed outside the parenthesis unless
the words inside the parentheses form a complete sentence.
Example:
You may request a copy of the Guide for Enrollment (free of
charge) by calling Communications and Community Relations
(719-520-2005).
You may order a school shirt from the PTA. (Send a check for
$2.15 payable to El Paso County PTA.)
Periods
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

Use a period after most abbreviations.
Example:
B.A., i.e., p.m., M.A., U.S., Ph.D.
Do not put periods after the two-letter state abbreviations that are used with ZIP Codes.
Do not use a period after initials or abbreviations that name well-known organizations,
persons or things.
Example:
PTA, IBM, JFK, YMCA, FBI
17
Question Marks


In business correspondence, the period is substituted for the question mark when
action is requested. Otherwise, the question mark is used.
Example:
May I have three printouts by July 1.
Did he give you the printouts?
Place question marks inside quotation marks, parentheses, or brackets only when they
are part of the quoted parenthetical material.
Example:
Who wrote, “Preparing a Parent-Pleasing Annual Report”?
He asked, “When can we expect an answer on the budget?”
Quotations





Always place periods and commas inside of closing quotation marks.
Example:
That is why Holmes uses this period to hold its gifted class, called
“Discovery.”
“We are looking for substitutes who will serve our teachers and
students well,” he said.
Always place semicolons and colons outside of closing quotation marks.
Example:
Include the following under “Policies and Procedures”:
a. attendance statement …
Place dashes, exclamation marks, and question marks inside of quotation marks if they
are part of the quotation; otherwise, place them outside of quotation marks.
Example:
The students yelled, “Go team!”
What did she mean by “cafeteria compensation plan”?
Put quotations around titles of short stories, essays, poems, and songs. Titles of books,
magazines, newspapers, plays, movies, televisions programs, and works of art should
appear in italics.
Example:
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” The Cat in the Hat, The Gazette
Do not place in quotations marks themes of programs, names of programs, or titles of
institutes or conferences.
Example:
Advanced Placement Program, Summer Institute, Grandparents
Conference
Semicolons



Use semicolons to link complete thoughts that could otherwise stand alone as separate
sentences.
Example:
The math books arrived today; the science books are on order.
Use semicolons to separate items in a series when one or more of the items has a
comma.
Example:
The student was offered scholarships to universities in Boulder,
CO; Lubbock, TX; New Haven, CT; and Troy, NY.
Use a semicolon to join independent clauses containing conjunctive adverbs such as
however, therefore, otherwise, consequently, nevertheless, otherwise, moreover, etc.
When these words do not connect independent clauses, use commas.
18
Example:
He took the test yesterday; however, test results are not expected
for two or more weeks.
Test results are not expected, however, for two more weeks.
Slashes



Use a slash to replace per. ($30/year)
A slash means or.
Example:
A principal/assistant principal should represent each school. (A principal
or an assistant principal, not principal and assistant principal should
represent each school.)
Slashes can be used as substitutes for hyphens in month-day-year dates. Slashes also are
used in fractions.
19
Grammar
Collective Nouns


Use singular verbs and pronouns with nouns that note a unit: class, committee, crowd,
family, group, herd, jury, orchestra, staff, team.
Example:
The committee is meeting to set its agenda.
The staff is going to select its representative for Teacher of the
Year.
Some words that are plural in form become collective nouns and take singular verbs
when the group or quantity is regarded as a unit.
Example:
A thousand bushels is a good yield. (a unit)
A thousand bushels were collected. (individual items)
The data is sound. (a unit)
The data have been carefully collected. (individual items)
Noun/Pronoun Agreement

When using a singular noun, make sure the corresponding pronoun also is singular.
Incorrect:
A student may enter the class if they meet all of the prerequisites.
Correct:
A student may enter the class if he or she meets all of the
prerequisites.
Students may enter the class if they meet all of the prerequisites.
Plurals

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

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

To form the plural for most words, add s.
Example:
boys, girls, books
For words ending in ch, s, sh, ss, x, and z, add es.
Example:
torches, lenses, parishes, glasses, boxes, buzzes
For words ending in F, in most cases, change f to v and add es. (Roof, roofs is an
exception.)
Example:
leaves, selves
For words ending in IS, change is to es.
Example:
oases, parentheses, theses
For most words ending in o, add es.
Example:
tomatoes, echoes, heroes
For words ending in Y, if y is preceded by a consonant or qu, change y to i and add es.
Example:
countries, armies, cities, soliloquies
Otherwise add s:
odysseys, chimneys
For most proper names ending in ES, S, or Z, add es.
Example:
Charleses, Joneses, Gonzalezes
For proper names ending in Y, adds s, even if preceded by a consonant.
Example:
the Duffys, the Kennedys, the two Kansas Citys
20

Capital letters and abbreviations ending with capital letters are pluralized by adding s
alone.
Example:
three Rs, four VIPs, five APs, CSAPs, Ph.D.s
Note: Some authorities still sanction the use of an apostrophe before the s, however,
the apostrophe is functionally unnecessary except where confusion might otherwise
result.
Example:
three A’s, too many I’s, two U’s on his report card
Numbers

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Spell out numbers one through nine (single digits). Use figures for 10 or more.
Example:
The school board is composed of seven members elected to serve
staggered four-year terms.
There are currently 25 students in the class.
Spell out numbers at the beginning of a sentence unless the number identifies
a calendar year. If necessary, rewrite the sentence.
Incorrect: 253 new students enrolled in our school last year.
Instead: Last year 253 new students enrolled in our school.
When indicating sequence in time or location, spell out first through ninth. Use figures
starting with 10th.
Example:
She was first in line to receive a free book.
He was the 11th person chosen for the team.
To indicate grade levels, follow the rule for indicating sequence; spell out first through
ninth and use figures for 10th through 12th.
Example:
They are in the 10th grade.
Several high schools have ninth grade academies.
Exception: Use numerals when the word grade(s) precedes the grade level.
Example:
Students in grades 9 through 12 attend high school.
In grade 3, standardized testing was discontinued.
In a series, spell out numbers less than 10.
Example:
The kindergarten students take care of four rabbits, 12 hamsters,
six birds, and 23 tropical fish.
Use numbers for ratios and measurements.
Example:
The ratio of boys to girls is 3 to 2.
Express percentages in figures, unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.
Example:
More than 58 percent of the District 11 residents who responded
to the survey stated that District 11 maintains clear, two-way
communications with the community.
Always spell out percent in a narrative. The % sign may be used in charts and graphs.
Money

Amounts of money should be written with numbers and a dollar sign in all except casual
references. For amounts under $1, use the word cents. For amounts more than $1,000,
use commas but no decimals.
Example:
The books cost $4 each.
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
The district has a $694 million general fund.
The team needs to raise $5,000 for the trip.
We will be able to purchase the books if each person donates
$25.50.
Always use figures for ages.
Example:
To enter kindergarten for the 2011-12 school year, a child must be
5 years of age by October 1, 2011.
Use figures and capitalize room when used with a figure.
Example:
Please report to Room 205.
Date and Years



Always capitalize the names of months.
Do not use a comma between the month and year.
Example:
January 2008
When a date refers to a month, day, and year, use a comma after the day.
Example:
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Time



Zeroes are not needed to express minutes for times on the hour. When the activity
occurs in the same time frame, you need only use the a.m. or p.m. once.
Example:
The reception will take place Friday, August 18, 1-3 p.m.
Use small a.m. and p.m. with periods after each letter.
Avoid redundancies like 11 a.m. this morning or 10 p.m. tonight. Instead use 11 a.m.
today or 10 p.m. Friday.
Use noon, not 12 noon, and use midnight, not 12 midnight.
School-Year Notations/Dates


Use 2012-2013 school year, not ’12-’13.
When working with dates, use Arabic figures, without st, nd, rd, or th.
Example:
May 22, not May 22nd
Correspondence
Mrs., Miss, Ms., or Mr.



Since many first names are used for both men and women, it’s sometimes difficult to know the
gender of the addressee. If that’s the case, do not include a social title. It’s better to leave it off
than to offend the individual.
Use Ms. if the woman’s social title preference or marital status is not known. If referring to two
or more women, and their marital status is not known, the plural of Ms. is Mses. (preferred) or
Mss.
If the individual has a professional or academic title, it should be used in place of a social title.
Example:
Dear Dr. Smith:
Dear Sen. Jones:
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Salutations



When addressing a person not known, Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam and Sir is
permissible.
Gentlemen, which is the common plural for Dear Sir, can be balanced with Dear
Gentleman and Ladies. For a completely gender-neutral variation, To Whom It May
Concern may be used.
Another solution when writing to an unknown person or group of people is to use the
title of the job, group, or company.
Example:
Dear Registrar:
Dear Commissioners:
Dear Xerox:
23
Internal Communication Procedures
This section of the District Style Guide was developed to avoid problems that hinder good
internal communication. The common problems are:
 Information is received too late to allow a thoughtful response or to get input from
people who will be impacted by a plan or decision.
 People who are impacted by a plan or decision may not have an opportunity to learn
about it or provide input before it is announced.
 Memos and announcements aren’t sent to all of the people or work locations that will
be impacted.
 Information received by one person in a department or school isn’t always shared with
others at that work location.
In addition to using the information in this section, these problems can be addressed by
reaching consensus within your department/school about expectations for internal
communication; communicating those expectations clearly to all employees at your work
location; providing training for employees at your work location; modeling excellent
communication practices; establishing effective methods of following up on important pieces of
communication; reinforcing expectations regularly; including communication practices in jobperformance assessments; and encouraging and recognizing good communication practices.
Best Practices
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

One of the most common descriptions of the “information age” is that things happen so
much more quickly now than they ever have before. This places more responsibility on
each of us to avoid delays in sharing information. An essential best practice related to
communication is to keep information moving, rather than letting it sit on your desk or
in your mailbox.
It’s important to get input from key people when making a decision or putting together
a plan of action for a project.
Another best practice is to determine who should be consulted before a decision is
made or a plan is developed. The following questions can help you make that
determination.
o Who will be impacted by this decision/plan?
o Who will implement this decision/plan?
o Who has information that could impact this decision/plan?
o How could input from this person or group impact the success of the
decision/plan?
o Will failure to get input cause this person or group to be unsupportive?
o How much time will I need to get input from this person or group?
A vital part of ensuring that a change is implemented and supported is communicating
with all the people who deal with the subject of that change.
24
Make sure those who will be either directly or indirectly involved in implementing a
change have the information they need. These questions can help you identify those
people:
o Who will be directly involved in implementing this change?
o Who supervises the people who will implement the change?
o Who provides related support to the ones who will implement this change?
o Who monitors or supports activities in the area(s) affected by this change?
Responsibilities of Sender and Receiver
When a communication is sent by voice mail, e-mail, or paper, the sender and receiver have
distinct responsibilities.
The sender should
Clearly state any requests and the
deadlines for receiving a response,
repeating them at the end of the memo or
message.
Copy the memo to anyone who is named
or referred to in the memo.
Send copies to the appropriate
departments for their department copy
files.
Make a note to check on responses at
reasonable time intervals.
The receiver should
Determine if a response is requested, check
for a deadline, and highlight or otherwise
note that date.
Share the information quickly with anyone
in the department who will be impacted by
or interested in the message.
Check to see that a copy was sent to the
department copy file.
If a request is delegated to someone by the
receiver, the receiver should make a note to
check on the response at reasonable time
intervals.
E-mail Guidelines
Below is a list of guidelines to keep in mind when using e-mail:
 All email messages or data composed, stored, sent, or received using the D11 email
system are and remain the private property of D11. They are not the property of the
employee.
 D11 email may not be used to solicit or proselytize for commercial ventures, religious or
political causes, outside organizations, or other non-job-related solicitations.
 By law, D11 keeps an archive of all email sent or received.
 The confidentiality of any message or data should not be assumed. Even when a
message is erased, it is still possible to retrieve and read that message. The use of
passwords for security does not guarantee confidentiality, or that the District will not
retrieve it.
 Unsecure emailing of any student recognizable data outside of the district is prohibited.
 All mass email and using listservs are for educational purposes only. Non-school related
mass emailing is not allowed without the prior approval of a supervisor or director.
25
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
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
D11 email should not be used for personal communications unless of an educational
nature.
Notwithstanding D11’s right to retrieve and monitor any email messages, such messages
should be treated as confidential by other employees and accessed only by the intended
recipient. Employees are not authorized to retrieve or read any email that is not sent to
them. Any exception to this policy must receive prior approval of an executive cabinet
representative and the Chief Information Officer.
E-mail is the primary means of communication. E-mail is preferred to fax, courier, or
voice mail.
Send group mail only when it is useful to all recipients. Avoid mass e-mails to large
groups in order to reach smaller ones. Create personal distribution lists where possible.
Whenever possible, send correspondence directly to the intended recipient, rather than
asking the principal to disseminate messages. When you are unsure who the recipient
should be, indicate in the subject field who should receive the message so that it does
not have to be opened in order to be acted upon.
Example:
Make the intent of your message clear by being specific in the “Subject” area of the
message. If your department sends a volume of messages, standardize the content of
the subject fields to allow end users to quickly and reliably filter mail.
Maintain a professional image by keeping it simple. Fancy backgrounds make replying
difficult for many users without reformatting or changing to plain text. Remember, our
communications should be clear.
Learn to use alerts and priority flags to assist recipients in determining which are the
most critical.
Do not embed graphics or animated graphics in your signature file. It distracts from the
content and may be received by others as an attachment, which could be deleted as a
possible virus. You may however use the District 11 logo as long as it conforms to the
logo standards stated at the beginning of this guide.
Do not send imbedded graphics to large distribution lists. If a message cannot be
contained in the body of the e-mail, send it as an electronic document such as Word or
Excel. If possible, convert flyers to PDF format prior to attaching and sending.
Use the “Reply to All” and “Cc” buttons sparingly.
Every message sent from an employee or consultant is the equivalent of sending a letter
on District 11 letterhead. Be mindful of what is being sent that could have a negative
effect on your own position, as well as the district's image.
Keep senders informed when you are away by using the “out of office” feature of your
e-mail, in addition to your voice mail.
Do not use your inbox or deleted items folder as an archive for e-mail. Create folders
and move mail that you wish to keep into them. After receiving an e-mail attachment
26
that you wish to keep, save it to your hard drive. This avoids clogging the mail server
with little-used documents and files.
Best Practices






Keep your messages simple and brief.
Check your e-mail regularly.
Clearly state any request and the deadline for receiving a response, allowing ample time
for the response.
When possible, send a message that is only a subject line. This way, it does not have to
be opened. End the subject line with <EOM>, the acronym for End of Message.
Your mailbox size is limited, so clean your mailbox regularly. Delete all items in the “Sent
Items” folder, and empty your “Deleted Items” folder.
Learn to use the archive feature to back up old files.
27
Web Standards
Every District 11 web page contributes to the user’s perception of the District. When users visit
our website, they are left with an impression of District 11 and our schools. To ensure a
consistent and professional web presence, District 11’s web pages should appear to be visually
related to help promote usability and reinforce our district brand identity. SharePoint aids in
the consistent look and feel of the website through templates offered to page designers.
Several options are given within the templates for the use of fonts, colors, and graphics.
Required Elements
Department/school pages designed in SharePoint will have a consistent look and feel. On all
department/school pages the following required elements will be part of the fixed templates:
 The Colorado Springs School District 11 logo, which shall remain unaltered
 The words, “Colorado Springs School District 11”
 The District 11 tagline, “The world is changing. Meet the future.”
 The District’s NTouch logo, customized for each school
 A link back to the District’s homepage (usually the District’s logo)
Colors Used on District 11 Webpages
When creating a department/school webpage, SharePoint templates will allow a palate of
acceptable colors. Using these colors will ensure the consistent look and continuity of the
entire district website, while also giving individual departments/schools options to make their
sites somewhat distinct. Using colors outside of the template palates will not be acceptable,
and the creator will be asked to re-design the page if the style is not consistent with this guide.
Fonts Used on District 11 Webpages
The SharePoint standard font is Verdana, and the size is 12 points. Within the templates used
to design a page on the District’s site, there are several options of fonts that may be used. It is
suggested, to remain consistent with other printed styles listed in this guide, that Calibri, Times
New Roman, and Century Gothic fonts may also be used. Please use only the fonts listed in the
SharePoint templates or one of the fonts listed in this paragraph.
Accessibility
District 11’s website is frequented by a diverse group of people. Some of our users have visual
or motor skill impairments and use assistive technologies, such as screen readers and text-only
browsers. Other users may view our pages using slow connection speeds. It is important that
those designing department/school sites be aware of these limitations and make an effort to
make pages accessible to the greatest number of people possible.
More information on web accessibility is available at:
• World Wide Web Consortium (WC3) Web Accessibility Initiative: http://www.w3.org/WAI/
• Web AIM (Accessibility In Mind) Introduction to Web Accessibility:
28
•
•
•
•
http://www.webaim.org/intro/
WC3 Resources: http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources/
WC3: http://www.w3.org
Web Standards Project: http://www.webstandards.org/
W3 Schools: http://www.w3schools.com/quality/quality_accessibility.asp
Best Practices
The purpose of the web style guide is to ensure our webpage users have a satisfying experience
when visiting our site. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when developing your page:
 Keep navigation consistent. Users should be able to return easily to your homepage and
to other major navigation points on the site, including the District 11 homepage.
 Divide your information into clearly defined sections.
 Nothing on the webpage should be underlined, unless it is a hyperlink.
 Limit animated graphics to one per page. Please use only graphics that support the
content of the page.
 When using the District 11 logo, do not alter in any way.
 When using a video on your district page, it is suggested to use a Windows Media file
(.wmv), 256kbps, 320x240, either 4:3 or 16:9, with audio specifications of 48kbps,
44.100khz, constant bit rate. This ensures reduced load time for viewers.
This guide is a fluid document that will change over time, especially with the further
implementation of SharePoint. At least two requests from separate parties to change an item
in this document must be received by the Communications and Community Relations office.
The request for a change then moves to the Communications Committee for review. The
Communications Committee has the final say on what may change and what will remain the
same.
29