Olathe Public Schools has a new look!

We are thrilled to share that Olathe Public Schools has a brand new look! Over the past several months, Olathe Public Schools has embarked on a journey to reimagine our district brand and visual identity to better reflect our values, goals, and the community we serve. At the June 6, 2024 Board of Education meeting, the board voted to approve the district's new brand and logo concept. Our updated brand identity includes a new logo, color schemes and typography, as well as an enhanced vision statement to lead us into the future.

THE LOGO

Our new logo features an abstract apple with an 'O' in the middle, offering a modern twist on an iconic educational symbol, with an identifier that is truly unique to Olathe. In addition, the ‘O’ at the core of the design symbolizes the strong connection and unity that define Olathe Public Schools.

The two halves of the apple interlocking reflect our dedication to collaboration and partnership in providing the best educational experiences for our students, as well as our commitment to educating the whole child through both academic opportunities and social-emotional wellbeing.

THE VISION – Their Future is Our Future

Through partnership with our creative consultant, Mammoth Creative Co., we sought community input from our staff, students, families and business partners through an online survey, focus groups and artwork submissions to help us examine our organization’s values and what Olathe Public Schools means to YOU. In Olathe Public Schools, we have a common purpose – our students – and we recognize that Their Future is Our Future. This updated vision statement builds on our current statement, “Students Prepared for Their Future,” but widens the lens to place a greater emphasis on our collective responsibility as a community. It reminds us that when our students succeed, our community succeeds.

This new visual identity will be rolled out across all district communications and materials in the coming weeks, starting with our digital platforms. Beginning July 1, you’ll see the new logo on our website, social media, and printed materials moving forward.

For more information on the rebrand process and journey, check out the web page below!

Welcome to the Olathe Public Schools Rebrand Campaign

We're embarking on an exciting journey to revitalize our district's visual identity, aligning it more closely with the core values, aspirations, and spirit of our community.

At the heart of this initiative is what Olathe Public Schools represents — a commitment to educational excellence and a vibrant community. Our new logo and brand identity will be a combination of ideas, symbols, design elements, and other submissions that together tell the story of who we are and what we stand for. More than just aesthetic changes, this is about capturing the essence of Olathe's legacy and its future.

"Our district is more than just our neighborhood schools; it's a pillar in our community that requires an identity as modern and vibrant as the students and staff who represent it. Olathe is a community where people grow up attending our schools and return to live and raise their kids. As we partner with our community to envision a new Olathe Public Schools brand, our district remains dedicated to its vision of students prepared for their future and that will be reflected in the design.” - Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Check out this kickoff message from Superintendent Dr. Brent Yeager

Take our survey! This is an open invitation to our students, staff, families, and patrons to contribute their perspectives and ideas, shaping a visual identity that resonates with us all. Join us as we craft an identity that's as dynamic and forward-looking as the district we all love and are proud to be a part of.

SUBMIT YOUR IDEAS AND INPUT!

Why are we doing this?

This rebrand aligns with several components of our district’s Strategic Plan. Specifically, the district’s plan lists priority outcomes around streamlined communication and community engagement, as well as recruitment/retention of high-quality staff. As we look ahead to the new Open Enrollment requirements outlined by the state and the continued teacher shortage and competitive job market, intentional marketing of Olathe Public Schools has become more important than ever. Creating a strong, cohesive visual brand will serve as the foundation of these comprehensive marketing efforts as our district continues to compete with local and national school districts to hire the best educators for our classrooms and create an identifiable brand that truly reflects our Olathe community. We are a destination school district and we want our visual identity to reflect that.

How much will this project cost?

The total cost is $18,600, which will be paid over several months. These funds are not diverted from educational programs or resources impacting the classroom but are a part of our regular gifts and grants funds that aren’t used for budget items such as classroom supplies, salaries or curriculum. As far as implementation goes, we will slowly roll out the new branding over time, as we recognize it would not be financially prudent nor feasible to replace every branded material throughout the district in one fell swoop. We will only utilize the new logo in purchases made moving forward and not get rid of any unused items with the old branding.

What's wrong with what we have?

Our current logo has utilized the red apple globe since the unification of the school district in 1965. From the beginning, this logo was chosen without community input and has only been refreshed twice, maintaining the overall same colors and elements. It is important now more than ever that this process involve community input and that we ask the question of what the Olathe Public Schools means to our community. Feedback of our current logo strongly indicates that it does not reflect the district's focus on providing future-ready innovative educational programs, but reflects more of the past.

Olathe Public Schools is a destination school district and we want our visual identity to reflect that for recruitment efforts both with families and teachers amid the current landscape in education of open enrollment and teacher shortages. We want the overall visual identity of our school district to communicate who we are, what we stand for and where we are going. This short-term investment will yield long-term benefits for our community's pride and engagement, while still maintaining that Olathe Public Schools is a modern and innovative district. 

Who's working on this rebranding project?

This rebranding initiative is being led solely by the district's Communications division, not by any of our curricular or instructional leaders. One of the Communication division's responsibilities is to ensure streamlined communication to all members of our community, support recruitment and retention, as well as lead all of our efforts regarding newsletters, crisis messaging, social media, media relations, etc. A responsibility that has begun to rise to the top of the priority list is marketing, amid the educational landscape of open enrollment, difficult labor market and teacher shortages. To ensure that district human capital and resources are spent wisely, the Communications division is partnering with Mammoth Creative Co. The Creative Director of the project is Micah Smith, a 2001 graduate from Olathe South High School. If you have any questions about this project, please email communications@olatheschools.org. 

Do I have to participate in this survey/project?

Your participation is 100% optional. One of the goals of the rebrand is to align our visual identity with not only the rich history and legacy of our district but also to communicate our vision of preparing all students for their future to prospective families and educators. We believe this short-term investment will yield long-term benefits for our community's pride and engagement. This is why we are committed to an open and transparent process, asking our community to tell us what is important for them to see in the visual identity. 

Wait! I have more questions.

Email us! Communications@olatheschools.org 

Image Display: Your submissions may be displayed on the school district's official website and/or official school district media channels as part of the rebranding process. Submissions may also be shared with our creative consultant, Mammoth Creative Co.

Attribution: The school district may, but is not obligated to, provide attribution to the creators of submitted images and concepts when they are used.

Usage Rights: By submitting your images and ideas, you grant the school district a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display your submitted images and ideas for the purpose of the rebranding project.