Wheaton Academy
Brand Guidelines
The purpose of this page is to help you understand how to implement Wheaton Academy branding guidelines across all communications.
Introduction
The Wheaton Academy usage guide is created to help us communicate to our varied audiences with consistency and clarity. The more unified we are in our communication and presentation, the more we reinforce our brand and identity. The more we reinforce our brand, the more successful we will be at building the community of Wheaton Academy (students, faculty, donors, etc) . . . the more we will impact the lives of students.
Note to Faculty and Staff:
In order to use the following files and templates, you will need access to Sharepoint. If you are not sure how to login to your Sharepoint account, please contact Bob Vishanoff.
If you are working with a vendor, you will need to download the appropriate files for that vendor as vendors do not have access to files located on Sharepoint.
Note to Vendors:
If you have a question on a situation not covered in these guidelines, please contact Angela Webster. We’re here to help.
Brand Message
As you create written content for Wheaton Academy, your content should reflect our school’s mission and values. To help you, we’ve created a library of mission-oriented verbiage for you to draw from. The language in the videos and accompanying bullet points on our mission page is your resource for copywriting and storytelling about our school community.
Institutional Identity
The icon and word-marks have been combined into institutional lock-ups and are available in five configurations, vertical, stacked, horizontal, extreme horizontal A and extreme horizontal B. The lock-ups may appear on light or white backgrounds, maroon or dark backgrounds or gray backgrounds in the color rotations shown here. Before using our logo, please review our list of common misuses.
Which file type should I use? AI, EPS, or PNG?
If you are sending a logo directly to a vendor, ask them what file type they prefer.
- AI and EPS are interchangeable file types. Both can be opened using Adobe Illustrator. These are both vector files. That means they are made up of mathematical values rather than pixels. As a result, they are infinitely expandable and will not become blurry when enlarged.
- Similar to JPGs, PNG files are pixel-based, so if you expand the file beyond its original size, it will begin to become blurry.
- You may not be able to open AI and EPS files if you do not have Adobe Illustrator downloaded to your computer. However, if you drag and drop these files into a document, they should appear in the same way that a JPG would appear.
Common Misuses
Please avoid these misuses of our identity.
Never add elements to the logo—this includes taglines, titles, or club names underneath the logo or logotype.
Never use unapproved colors. The logo must always be in maroon or white.
Never add an outline
Never alter the type
Never alter the proportions of any logo
Never use retired logos
Never skew the logo
Never rotate the logo
Never add graphic embellishment (ex: drop-shadow)
Never overlap logos
Never add elements to the logo
Never dissect the logos
Never add genders to the sport specific athletic logos
School Colors
The color standards that apply to the Wheaton Academy visual identity are detailed here. Color specifications must never be altered under any circumstance.
Which color code should I use?
Different types of color codes are used for different mediums and purposes.
- CMYK is used for 4 color printing – use this color code if you are printing on our local printers or through Alpha.
- RGB and HEX values are both used to render color on a screen. If your piece will be viewed digitally, you should use one of these color codes.
- A Pantone color is used to specify a custom ink. For this reason it is typically an added cost. Custom inks can only be used when printing with specialty printers (ex: Yorke).
Maroon Values
Pantone 7421
CMYK: 18, 100, 45, 67
RGB: 90, 7, 34
HEX#: 5B012E
Nike: Dark Maroon
Gray Values
Pantone 427
CMYK: 7, 3, 5, 8
RGB: 208, 211, 212
HEX#: D0D3D4
White Values
CMYK: 0, 0, 0, 0
RGB: 255, 255, 255
HEX#: FFFFFF
School Fonts
The approved font famlies for all school materials are Rift and Montserrat. Secondarily, Verdana, Helvetica, and Times New Roman may also be used in the specific cases listed below.
Body Copy
Montserrat
Verdana - acceptable use: email
Helvetica - acceptable use: email
Times New Roman - acceptable use: letterhead
Headlines
Rift (Bold)
Montserrat (Bold)
PC Installation: Download the folders titled “Rift” and “Montserrat” from Sharepoint. These folders contain a list of .ttf and .otf font files. Open each file and click “Install.” If the fonts aren’t immediately accessible, you may need to restart the program you are using after you’ve installed the font files. For example, if you install fonts while editing a word document, you may need to restart Word in order to access the new fonts.
Apple Installation: Download the folders titled “Rift” and “Montserrat” from Sharepoint. These folders contain a list of .ttf and .otf font files. Inside each folder, select all of the .ttf and .otf files at once. Double click on all the selected files to install them simultaneously on your device. If the fonts aren’t immediately accessible, you may need to restart the program you are using after you’ve installed the font files. For example, if you install fonts while editing a word document, you may need to restart Word in order to access the new fonts.
Watch the video tutorial below for more detailed instructions. This tutorial will show you how to install our fonts, download templates from Sharepoint, and apply a powerpoint template to a pre-existing presentation.
Templates
Wheaton Academy has prepared templates that you may use for official school communications. We want these templates to be a helpful tool to assist you in proper use of our brand assets. All of these templates can be found in Sharepoint under WA Team Site > Documents > Marketing Materials > Templates.
Be sure to download these templates instead of editing them directly on Sharepoint.
Powerpoint Templates
To apply the template to an existing Powerpoint Presentation:
1) Download the “WA_Powerpoint_Template.potx” file from Sharepoint
2) Open your existing powerpoint and navigate to View > Master > Slide Master. This activates the Slide Master menu.
3) In the Slide Master Menu, click Themes and select Browse for Themes…
4) In the upload window, select the “WA_Powerpoint Template.potx” file that you downloaded from Sharepoint and click Apply.
For more detail, watch this video tutorial.
Print Templates
Programs
If you are creating a program for a school production or event, use the template in the application (Word or Indesign) with which you are most comfortable.
- 5.5×8.5 Folded Program (Word Template)
This template can be printed in house on 8.5×11″ paper. See print settings instructions here. - 5.5×8.5 Folded Program (Indesign Package)
This template can also be printed in-house on 8.5×11″ paper. Only download this package folder if you are familiar with InDesign.
Signage
If you need interior signage for your school event, use one of these templates:
- 8.5×11″ Sign Template (Word)
- 11×17″ Sign Template (Word)
These signs will fit in the standing sign holders that are kept in the marketing office closet. - 24×36″ Sandwich Board Template (InDesign)
If you need outdoor signage for your school event, consider contacting Signarama (see approved vendors) to print inserts for our sandwich board signs.
Note that the Wheaton Academy logo is located in the footer of the templates. So, depending on your Word settings, the logo may not be immediately visible when you open the document, but it is still there!
Email Signature
Email from a “wheatonacademy.org” address is considered official school correspondence. Personal quotes, logos or icons are not permitted in email signatures. Email signatures should not include images, such as JPG, PNG or SVG files.
How to add your Wheaton Academy Email signature:
- Copy the signature template from Sharepoint
- In Outlook, navigate to signature settings
Apple: Preferences > Signatures – if you manage multiple email accounts in Outlook, be sure that the correct account is selected in the edit window.
PC: Find step-by-step instructions here. - Paste the signature template and customize with your information.
T-Shirts
When designing a t-shirt, ask yourself these questions:
Does your T-shirt include the Wheaton Academy logo (both icon and wordmark)?
The Wheaton Academy logo should be included on every t-shirt.
If your t-shirt is unrelated to athletics, please use one of our institutional logos.
If your t-shirt is related to athletics, please use one of our athletics logos.
We encourage you to use the logo lockups (files where the WA icon and “Wheaton Academy” wordmark are combined) for t-shirt designs. If you choose to use the WA icon on its own, be sure that the “Wheaton Academy” wordmark also appears somewhere on your t-shirt.
The term “logo lockup” describes any of the logo files featuring a combined WA icon and “Wheaton Academy” wordmark.
If you use the WA icon on its own, you must also include the “Wheaton Academy” wordmark somewhere else on the shirt. For example, the WA icon may appear on the back of the t-shirt and the “Wheaton Academy wordmark may appear on the sleeve.
Is the logo printed in Maroon or White?
The logo must be printed in Maroon or White. The t-shirt itself may be any color of your choice.
Have you followed the guidelines for logo usage?
Review our guide to common misuses of the logo to ensure that you’ve used our logo properly. Be sure that you have not changed the proportions of the logo or added any elements to the logo.
What color is your garment?
If you are printing more than 100 garments, we recommend that you use maroon, white, or gray, as the color of the garment. If you would like to use a different color for quantities over 100, please check with the marketing department first. For t-shirts in smaller quantities, feel free to use any t-shirt color of your choice. Think twice before printing royal blue t-shirts for athletic events as royal blue is associated with other schools in our area.
If you answered yes to all three questions, your t-shirt is in alignment with Wheaton Academy’s brand guide. If you have further questions, reach out to Angela Webster.
Examples of Approved T-shirts:
Logo lockup (icon + wordmark combo) is printed in white on the back of this t-shirt.
The WA icon appears in white on the back of this t-shirt. “Wheaton Academy” wordmark appears in white on the sleeve.
This t-shirt is for athletic summer camps. The athletic “Wheaton Academy” wordmark is printed in maroon on the front of the t-shirt. The WA icon is printed in maroon on the sleeve.
Approved Vendors
We work with the below vendors regularly.
Alpha Graphics – St Charles
Contact: Joe Schuster
Email Joe
Ideal production turnaround window: 3-5 days
We recommend using Alpha for most printed flyers, posters, and stapled (saddle-stitched) booklets. They are often able to turn things around very quickly, but a minimum 3 day production window is preferred.
Lithoprint
Contact: Bob Gay
Email Bob
Ideal production turnaround window: 5-7 days
Use Lithoprint for perfect bound booklets like Ratio, the Arts Journal, or the Curriculum Guide.
Yorke Printe Shoppe
Contact: Brad Scull
Email Brad
Yorke is a great choice for printing high quality custom pieces in addition to mass mailings.
Embroidery/Clothing
BSN (for uniforms)
Email Brad Byrne for more information.
Environmental/Signage
Precise Digital Printing
Contact: Tony Vega
Email Tony
Production turnaround depends on the type of product that you are ordering. Contact tony directly for a timeline.
We typically use Precise for environmental installations (vinyl wall graphics, mounted photos), ADA interior signage, etc.
Signarama
Contact: John Catalano
Email John
Production turnaround depends on the type of product that you are ordering. Contact John directly for a timeline.
We typically use Signarama for PVC signs (ex: sandwich board signs), signs mounted on foam core, banners, etc.
Miscellaneous
StickerMule
https://www.stickermule.com/
Production turnaround: 7 days, overnight shipping available for a fee
Use StickerMule for any stickers, sticker sheets, decals, magnets, or pins.
Sending something to Print…
When you send a project to print, there are some details that you need to include for the vendor. Check this list to see if you’ve covered all your bases.
How many copies will you need?
What size is your project?
Include both the dimensions and the number of pages in the project.
Full color or black and white?
What type of paper would you like to print on?
When in doubt, as your printer to suggest an appropriate paper-type.
Do the graphics on your piece extend all the way to the edge of the page?
If so, you should specify that your piece is “full bleed” i.e. the artwork “bleeds” off the page. This option is typically slightly more costly because the printer will have to trim the paper.
If your project is a booklet, what type of binding will you need?
The most commonly used binding at Wheaton Academy is “saddle-stitched”—this term describes a booklet that is stapled together.
When do you need the project to be delivered?
To get started, feel free to copy the text below and modify it to fit your needs:
Hi, I would like to order 200 copies of the attached booklet. Here are the specs:
- 5.5×8.5″
- 16 pages
- Full color, full bleed
- Saddle-stitched
- For paper, could we use a mid-weight cover?
Would it be possible to have these delivered in the next week? Thanks!