MONROE - Monroe High School's block "M" may gain a companion.
The logo has served the Cheesemakers for years, but Monroe's athletic director Dave Hirsbrunner is looking to add something more elaborate for the school to display.
"I love the block M," Hirsbrunner told the school board Monday. "I think Cheesemakers is the coolest nickname in the United States. There's no way I want to get rid of the nickname, we're just looking to maybe add something onto it."
That something is the image of a burly man - a cheesemaker - against the backdrop of a wheel of cheese. In stylized text, "Monroe Cheesemakers" runs along the bottom, under the cheesemaker's crossed arms. A larger shield shape frames the logo.
Hirsbrunner acquired the possible logo through a company called 99designs, which works by crowdsourcing graphic designs. Users of the 99designs website submit information on what they're looking for in a logo or other design, and the company puts that information on their marketplace for freelance graphic artists to come up with ideas.
Designers compete against each other and work with feedback from the user, who then chooses one favorite.
The process starts free but 99designs adds fees the further along the user goes, said MHS Principal Chris Medenwaldt. The possible Cheesemakers logo, to which the district owns the rights, cost $100.
District-wide faculty, MHS students and school board members voted on six possible designs during a survey last fall. The logo Hirsbrunner showed the board Monday won with 52 percent of the 524 total votes.
Hirsbrunner said he's been trying to get a new logo for Monroe for 20 years. He pointed out the logos of other schools in the conference as well as colleges, most of which have an image of a mascot in addition to letter logos.
"We feel like we need a logo to put on gym walls, to have to put on a shirt, to wear apparel across the conference and at home," he said. "And we feel that our district needs something that represents the title "Monroe Cheesemakers.'"
Monroe school board members were less enthusiastic than Hirsbrunner about the possible new logo.
"I have some personal reservations, but I'd rather wait for the rest of the board" before taking a vote, said member Mary Berger, referring to the four absent board members.
Member Dan Bartholf said he'd like to see some community feedback about the logo change, suggesting the new logo be posted on the MHS Facebook page in order for people to see and comment on it. Brian Keith suggested it be posted to the district website.
"My big concern, Dave, is what's this going to cost us," if the district plans to print new signs or put the logo elsewhere, Keith said.
He requested Hirsbrunner have estimates on costs to present at a June meeting, when the issue will be brought back to the board for a potential vote.
When asked why he felt the district needed the new logo, Hirsbrunner said, "I think it's nice to have something that represents our name.
"I don't want to do anything to hurt the tradition of Monroe, but at the same time, we don't want to get caught up in the past," he said.
The logo has served the Cheesemakers for years, but Monroe's athletic director Dave Hirsbrunner is looking to add something more elaborate for the school to display.
"I love the block M," Hirsbrunner told the school board Monday. "I think Cheesemakers is the coolest nickname in the United States. There's no way I want to get rid of the nickname, we're just looking to maybe add something onto it."
That something is the image of a burly man - a cheesemaker - against the backdrop of a wheel of cheese. In stylized text, "Monroe Cheesemakers" runs along the bottom, under the cheesemaker's crossed arms. A larger shield shape frames the logo.
Hirsbrunner acquired the possible logo through a company called 99designs, which works by crowdsourcing graphic designs. Users of the 99designs website submit information on what they're looking for in a logo or other design, and the company puts that information on their marketplace for freelance graphic artists to come up with ideas.
Designers compete against each other and work with feedback from the user, who then chooses one favorite.
The process starts free but 99designs adds fees the further along the user goes, said MHS Principal Chris Medenwaldt. The possible Cheesemakers logo, to which the district owns the rights, cost $100.
District-wide faculty, MHS students and school board members voted on six possible designs during a survey last fall. The logo Hirsbrunner showed the board Monday won with 52 percent of the 524 total votes.
Hirsbrunner said he's been trying to get a new logo for Monroe for 20 years. He pointed out the logos of other schools in the conference as well as colleges, most of which have an image of a mascot in addition to letter logos.
"We feel like we need a logo to put on gym walls, to have to put on a shirt, to wear apparel across the conference and at home," he said. "And we feel that our district needs something that represents the title "Monroe Cheesemakers.'"
Monroe school board members were less enthusiastic than Hirsbrunner about the possible new logo.
"I have some personal reservations, but I'd rather wait for the rest of the board" before taking a vote, said member Mary Berger, referring to the four absent board members.
Member Dan Bartholf said he'd like to see some community feedback about the logo change, suggesting the new logo be posted on the MHS Facebook page in order for people to see and comment on it. Brian Keith suggested it be posted to the district website.
"My big concern, Dave, is what's this going to cost us," if the district plans to print new signs or put the logo elsewhere, Keith said.
He requested Hirsbrunner have estimates on costs to present at a June meeting, when the issue will be brought back to the board for a potential vote.
When asked why he felt the district needed the new logo, Hirsbrunner said, "I think it's nice to have something that represents our name.
"I don't want to do anything to hurt the tradition of Monroe, but at the same time, we don't want to get caught up in the past," he said.