Foxcroft Academy unveils new institutional logo and branding

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy has unveiled a new institutional identity in conjunction with the launch of a new website. The dynamic process led by alumni Michael Weymouth’s firm, Boston-based Weymouth Design, one of the top design firms in the country, has resulted in a new messaging platform and branding elements that reflect the bright future of FA while paying homage to the rich history and deeply-embedded tradition of excellence that has solidified the institution’s role as an educational pillar in the state of Maine since 1823.

    The rebranding effort was initiated and orchestrated by Head of School Arnold Shorey. According to Shorey, “FA has substantially evolved over the recent years and we knew that our materials needed to better-communicate this exciting growth. Given the wide range of audiences we serve at FA, including local, regional, boarding and international students, we knew it was important to engage top industry professionals that had the experience and expertise to lead us through a thoughtful and thorough process.”
    The re-branding effort kicked off with a series of discussions led by Maine native Raffi Der Simonian that were oriented toward engaging students, alumni, faculty, staff, families and leadership to help define the FA experience. Shorey noted, “We needed to build consensus around what it is that makes FA a distinctive learning environment.” The information collected during this phase was used to inspire and inform the design of a new logo, view book publication, video series, and website.
    “We quickly realized that many of the same core themes kept surfacing from each audience,” Shorey said. “This gave us the confidence to position these core themes as central to the FA experience.”
    Commonly emerging themes that resulted from this effort included Foxcroft Academy’s: Rich history & sense of tradition. Diversity of student body and exposure to different cultures. Depth of programming–academic, extracurricular, and athletic. Safe and supportive campus environment. Innovative integration of new technology. Quality of buildings, grounds, and facilities. Deeply-embedded culture of institutional pride and excellence. Access to outstanding music, arts, and creative programming. Tight-knit, family-like atmosphere. Location: access to unlimited recreational opportunities and natural beauty. Legacy of successful alumni and outcomes. Outstanding faculty.
    Shorey noted. “Being able to work with Michael Weymouth and his team at Weymouth Design, which also included fellow FA alum and videographer, Nicholas Briggs ’05, made the whole process that much more meaningful and rewarding for all of us here at FA.”
    A unique part of the process employed by Weymouth Design consisted of conducting an educational workshop for students to introduce them to fundamentals of branding, a process that high school students are rarely exposed to. FA student Selina Guo ‘14 participated in the workshop and spent time helping the Weymouth Design video team.
    According to Guo, “It was really interesting to learn about the art of visual branding and storytelling, especially from two graduates of FA. Participating in Mr. Weymouth’s workshop and then working closely with Mr. Briggs for a full day helped me understand how to set up and conduct a professional-caliber video interview.”
    Part of the workshop consisted of highlighting different career opportunities in the creative fields, including graphic design, branding, photography, videography, digital media, marketing, and communications. Guo said, “Weymouth Design’s visit to FA helped me build upon the skills I’ve developed through FA’s Applied Media Production class, which had already inspired my interest for filmmaking, marketing and design. My dream is to one day run my own dental practice. The creative skills I’ve learned at FA will help me effectively promote and market my own business.”
    After graduating from Foxcroft Academy in 1960, Weymouth went on to attend the New England School of Art in Boston, where he was recognized as one of Boston’s up-and-coming young artists. After graduating with an art degree in 1963, he worked as an illustrator/designer for ten years before starting Weymouth Design.
    Weymouth said, “I must confess that the Foxcroft Academy I discovered as part of this project was vastly superior to the one I left in 1960. It almost made me want to return to FA to take advantage of their commitment to both the fine and technical arts. In fact, in 1960, my direction in life was determined more by the school’s janitor, whose son had gone to art school, than it was by FA’s  guidance counselor. But that has all changed, and having sent my own kids to some of the country’s most prestigious private schools, I can say unequivocally that Foxcroft Academy today is the equal of any of them when it comes to creative arts programs.”
    Weymouth has published several books in his semi-retirement. “How Photography Can Make You a Better Painter” helps painters create more effective painting resource photos; “Maine: Island Time” is a book he co-authored with Belfast, Maine poet, Elizabeth Garber, and includes a collection of paintings and photos Weymouth has done in the Penobscot Bay area; and his latest book “The Gentle Whisper of Living Things” is a photo and poetry chronicle of his experiences at his wilderness camp near Borestone Mountain.
    Today, Weymouth Design is widely regarded as one of the top design firms in the country and has a presence in Boston and San Francisco. Although Weymouth is semi-retired, he still remains an active part of the firm. “What makes our firm unique is that we have so many services under one roof, which enables us to retain a high degree of visual continuity in all the various media our clients employ: websites, video, print, and photography,” he said.
    FA Director of Communications Mark Chevalier, who worked closely with Weymouth Design throughout the branding process, believes that the introduction of a new visual identity is an historic moment for FA. He said, “The purpose of developing a new brand standard that more effectively communicates the vibrant and dynamic pulse of our community is not only to cultivate community and a sense of school pride, but to reaffirm the common thread that holds us all together as a greater sense of whole. Weymouth Design did an outstanding job ushering in a new era for Foxcroft Academy, and it was a pleasure for me to work with such a dedicated team of true professionals.”