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Derby USD 260 hopes to utilize a modern logo in an attempt to update its image.

The school board had its first look at the proposed logo at its meeting this past week. Don Adkisson, director of finance, said a committee had worked to get away from things normally associated with schools, such as pencils, books, apples.

Many other districts also use those items, including Derby's current logo which utilizes an apple, children holding books and a graduate. It has a “dated” look, according to Diana Pearce Praeger, school board member who served on the committee and said other members, especially those younger.

“This gives us an opportunity to break out and do something different,” Adkisson said.

While working through the process since this past fall, the committee asked that Derby green be used in the logo and that it be modern, attractive and somewhat abstract.

The final design represents movement being taken by the district, Adkisson said.

“Our intent is to show the district is moving forward,” he said.

Jajo, a Wichita design agency owned by Steve Randa of Derby, developed the design using an arrow shape in Derby green. It is surrounded by a gray swirl, which can be used as a flat or metallic color, depending on the situation in which it is used.

The board's reaction was that the design looks as if it represents the “D” in Derby.

“We have no problem with that interpretation,” Adkisson said.

The committee also asked Jajo to create a design which could be used without words and to avoid using “USD 260,” a term with which they believed is difficult for residents to identify.

“People say 'USD 260, what is that?' It's just a number,” Pearce Praeger said.

She said when logos of other major entities are utilized, they are discernible and she believes the new school logo will be the same.

“I think that's something you will be able to recognize,” she said.

The district will look at using Jajo, which also designed the latest brochures used by the city of Derby, for help in implementing a marketing plan for the logo. Final discussion and approval or disapproval of the logo design is expected at the school board's Aug. 11 meeting.

The committee looked at four firms for the logo work and hired Jajo. The design company presented five ideas, which were narrowed to two. They were combined and the committee even defined the design further after that.

Most of the board's reaction at the unveiling was positive.

“I enjoy something moving forward from what we have now,” said Dr. Dan Smith, school board member. “We are trying to move forward.”

Reprinted with permission from The Derby Informer.

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