GROVE CITY, Ohio (WCMH) — South Western City Schools rolled out a brand-new logo Tuesday, the first-ever major rebrand since the district was founded in 1956, nearly 70 years ago. 

The updated logo has five points representing South Western’s four feeder patterns and the South Western Career Center.

Evan Debo, the district’s executive director of communications, said it was time for a new look. 

“We’re neighborhood-driven schools, and I think there’s a way with some of the symbolism behind the logo as well, too, to really be prideful of that,” he said. “But again, be representative of something larger than just each individual pathway.” 

The process took about 18 months and Debo said a brand-steering committee met several times about the new logo. 

East Franklin Elementary Principal Dr. Dawn Lauridsen served on the committee and has been with South Western for more than 30 years and was a student before that. 

“I’ve been around so long, I only know what we had and it’s interesting to see people who don’t have the history, who have a truly outside look talking about our previous logo and then helping shape the new logo,” Lauridsen said. 

Debo and Lauridsen said marketing and recruiting were big drivers of the rebrand. They said the logo will help get the best-of-the-best for South Western students. 

“Recruiting and retention efforts, you know, that was very much a part of our process,” Debo said. “We want to stand out in the marketplace when we go to recruiting fairs and we’re working with the Bowling Greens and the OUs and the Ohio States.” 

“I think for the younger generation teachers coming in, they want new; they don’t want to look at the logo that’s 50, 60, 70 years old,” Lauridsen said. “That’s not a place they want to go. They’re not thinking fresh. This is going to help them see we are responsive to the needs of our children.” 

People in the district had not heard much about the rebrand as of Wednesday, but some were worried about the money that went into this project. Debo did not have an exact number but said the district did not spend a lot on the project, adding the goal was to be as fiscally responsible as possible. 

“From a financial stewardship standpoint, I mean, anything that we do, we understand is going to be, you know, it just got to be a part of the fabric of who we are and what we need to represent to be, you know, a financially responsible entity of taxpayer dollars now more than ever,” Debo said. 

South Western is already in the process of changing the logo on the website, social media, letterheads and fliers. As for the physical signs at the district central office and at schools, Debo said there are no immediate plans to change them. 

For more on the South Western City School District’s new logo, click here.