By working closely with school administrators, teachers and other
educators, the Distribution segment employs a curation strategy, offering a solutions-based approach across multiple product categories. The Company helps schools with their purchasing decisions by offering a suite of value-added products and
services to fit within budget parameters, while also helping to manage supply chain issues, and
back-to-school
logistics to help school administrators save both time and
money. This segment also offers project management and design services through its Project by Design
®
team
(PbD), for both school refurbishment and new construction projects. As an
end-to-end
solution provider for schools, PbD is able to help schools outfit both
indoor and outdoor school facilities with
state-of-the-art
furniture and equipment, while also serving as a single source for
additional proprietary and/or third-party branded products.
Distribution products include both
proprietary branded products and other national brands. Among the segments well-known proprietary brands are
Childcraft
®
, Sax
®
Arts & Crafts,
Califone
®
, Premier Agendas
TM
, Classroom Select
®
, Sportime
®
, Abilitations
®
, Hammond & Stephens
TM
, SPARK
®
, Brodhead Garrett
®
, School
Smart
®
, Royal Seating
®
, Projects by Design
®
, CPO
Science
TM
, Frey Scientific
®
, Educators Publishing Service
®
, Academy of Reading
®
, Academy
of Math
®
, Wordly Wise 3000
®
, Explode the Code
®
,
ThinkMath!
TM
, SSI Guardian
, Making Connections
®
, S.P.I.R.E
®
, Buckle Down
®
,and Coach
®
. Distribution products accounted for approximately 90% of our revenues for fiscal 2017.
Curriculum Segment.
Our Curriculum segment is a publisher of proprietary core curriculum in the Science area of the
PreK-12
education market:
Products in our Curriculum segment are typically sold to curriculum specialists and other educators with direct
responsibility for advancing student outcomes.
The Curriculum segment develops standards-based curriculum science products.
Its offerings are tailored to address specific learning needs, drive improved student performance, engage learners and accelerate the learning process. A team of approximately 20 product development associates leverages long-standing relationships
with outside developers, authors,
co-publishing
strategic partners and consultants to develop educational products and solutions that meet curriculum standards and improve classroom teaching effectiveness.
Our product portfolio is guided by
PreK-12
curriculum standards, which can vary by
state. However, there is a consistency throughout the portfolio that allows for the creation of nationally marketed programs that can be customized to meet state-specific curriculum standards where needed. We believe our Curriculum segment provides
a broad collection of educational programs that effectively combines supplemental curriculum solutions, academic planning and organization, inquiry based
(hands-on)
learning, comprehensive learning kits,
extensive performance assessments, and
consultant-led
or
web-delivered
teacher training. New reading solutions, for example, combine research proven materials,
technology, and teaching methods to create dynamic, systematic, and individualized instruction. Additionally, when applicable these solutions are designed to address Common Core State Standards at various grade levels as well as Next Generation
Science Standards.
Our Curriculum segment product lines include Delta Education
®
and FOSS
®
. Our Curriculum products accounted for approximately 10% of our revenues in fiscal 2017.
School Specialty, Inc., founded in October 1959, was acquired by U.S. Office Products in May 1996. In June 1998, School Specialty was
spun-off
from U.S. Office
Products in a
tax-free
transaction. In August 2000, we reincorporated from Delaware to Wisconsin. In accordance with the 2013 Reorganization Plan (as disclosed in prior years), in June 2013, the Company was
reincorporated in Delaware. Our principal offices are located at W6316 Design Drive, Greenville, Wisconsin 54942, and our telephone number is (920)
734-5712.
Our general website address is
www.schoolspecialty.com
. You may obtain, free of charge, copies of this Annual Report on Form
10-K,
as well as our Quarterly Reports on Form
10-Q
and our Current
Reports on Form 8-K (and amendments to those reports) filed with, or furnished to, the Securities Exchange Commission as soon as reasonably practicable after we have filed or furnished such reports by accessing our website at
http://www.schoolspecialty.com
, selecting Investors and then selecting the SEC Filings link. Information contained in any of our websites is not deemed to be a part of this Annual Report.
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