ClickUp Implementation for Cedar Hill ISD Communications Team
Key Features:
Automation Workflows
Folders, Lists, Docs
Templates
Custom Fields
Inbox
Custom Field Manager
Forms
Company Name: Cedar Hill ISD (Independent School District)
Industry: Public Education
Location: Cedar Hill, TX
Employees: 6
Author: Rachelle Nichols
Client website: https://www.chisd.net/
Introduction:
Over eight weeks, the Cedar Hill ISD Communications Team completed a full ClickUp implementation to streamline project management, improve cross-departmental collaboration, and enhance workflow visibility. The project led to full team adoption, improved operational efficiency, and established a scalable system for future growth and succession planning.
The Communications Team supports a school district's internal and external messaging and works closely with departments such as Operations, Business Services, and the Education Foundation. They manage a high volume of ongoing projects, including:
Open Records Requests
Social Media Content Calendar
Communications Campaigns
Events Coordination
May 2024 Bond Project Tracking
Team Meeting Agendas and Notes
Monthly Administrative Tasks
Education Foundation Knowledge Transfer
Background
The Chief of Communications had previously managed projects using a mix of Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Sheets—tools that lacked the structure and visibility needed to manage large-scale, multi-departmental workflows. While the Business Office was using ClickUp’s free version, the Communications Team had not yet adopted it.
Challenges & Solutions
Problem 1: Inefficient Work Management
Challenge: Projects lacked centralized tracking, leading to missed tasks, duplicated communication, and inconsistent follow-up. There was no high-level view of deadlines, task owners, or bottlenecks.
Solution: We created ClickUp folders for each major workstream and built custom views (Calendar, Kanban, List) to match different team member preferences. Tasks were standardized with clear assignees, due dates, and status updates.
Problem 2: Broken Workflows (Design, Bond Projects, Event Planning)
Challenge: Workflows for graphic design approvals, bond project tracking, and event planning were fragmented across documents and inboxes.
Solution: We rebuilt workflows inside ClickUp using custom statuses and forms for content submissions and approvals. Event planning templates were translated into task lists with dependencies and automations.
Problem 3: Managing Communications vs. Foundation Work
Challenge: The team supported both Communications and the Education Foundation, but work wasn’t clearly separated or trackable by department.
Solution: We created two distinct Spaces—one for Communications and one for the Foundation—each with tailored dashboards, folders, and reporting views.
Problem 4: Succession Planning for Foundation Leadership
Challenge: The Executive Director of the Education Foundation plans to retire in 2026, and knowledge transfer was a concern.
Solution: We trained the ED on ClickUp and helped document current workflows inside the platform for easy handoff. Key projects were systematized for clarity and continuity.
Key Achievements
✅ Migrated 3 high-priority workflows (Public Records, Graphic Design, Foundation Projects)
✅ Achieved 100% team onboarding and participation
✅ Established centralized project visibility with custom dashboards
✅ Standardized processes for tasks, approvals, and collaboration
✅ Save time with automation built into workflows
Results & Impact
📈 Increased task visibility and ownership
🕒 Reduced coordination time and duplicated communication
🤝 Improved collaboration across Communications, Foundation, and Business departments
🧠 Prepared the team for future onboarding, turnover, and cross-functional scaling
Future Recommendations
Conduct quarterly workflow audits and workspace cleanups
Continue onboarding new team members with customized training
Expand automation for repetitive tasks
Integrate tools like Hootsuite or Buffer into ClickUp if needed
Explore cross-departmental adoption to improve organizational alignment
Want to adopt ClickUp for your education team? Schedule a free discovery call below!
“Rachelle helped my communications team integrate Click Up to improve our systems and outputs. She told me the brain is for ideas and not for storage! With her coaching and support we were able to stop tasks from falling through the cracks! I am able to utilize the dashboard to track task status, monitor workload of my team and delegate effectively. Rachelle was patient, encouraging effective and smart. Hire her! You will not be disappointed.”
