PETOSKEY — The Public Schools of Petoskey Board of Education may be voting on new imagery to represent the Northmen name during its July meeting.
Superintendent Jeff Leslie said the district has been working with Jostens to develop new imagery — and potentially a mascot — to bring to the district.
Until around 2020, the district used the side profile of a Native American man with two feathers atop his head as their main image. Since then, the district has exclusively used a block letter “P” as its logo. The Michigan State Board of Education released a recommendation that schools throughout the state move away from any Native American symbols or imagery in 2003.
Northmen Stadium was filled with friends and family for Petoskey High School’s graduation on Sunday, June 1, 2025.
More: Petoskey schools continue working to determine new Northmen mascot, logo
The district started working with Jostens earlier in the 2024-25 school year to try to find a character to represent the “Northmen” identity — a name the district is planning to keep.
“We’ll always be the Petoskey Northmen, but this will be the logo of the Northmen,” Leslie said.
After a community survey, the district and Jostens were able to use public feedback to try to find the right fit. Leslie said when the original survey went out, more than 400 people responded.
“It became a bigger thing than what I was thinking,” Leslie said. “They don’t want to just do a logo, they want it to be a part of the fabric of the school and the community.”
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Jostens worked up two separate designs of a Yeti-like character. One design would be used for athletics and older age levels as the primary logo, with a more cartoonish character design for elementary students.
The primary logos designed by Jostens for the Public Schools of Petoskey.
The elementary school logo designed by Jostens for the Public Schools of Petoskey.
The district considered multiple Northern Michigan-focused characters, but the district opted for something unique that wouldn’t be similar to any neighboring district’s imagery.
Leslie said there will be a board work session — which is open to the public — at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 7, with plans to talk about the logos and see if the district is ready to adopt them at their July 15 board meeting.
The district has also reached out to a Canadian company to see if a physical mascot costume could be made. It’s the same company that designed the Thunder the Timberwolf mascot for North Central Michigan College. The custom-made mascot would be somewhere between $8,000-$10,000, Leslie said.
If they move forward with the logo and mascot, the district may host a naming contest for the character.
If approved, the district will also be able to start creating new spirit wear clothing with the logo and promoting the character in athletics venues.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Public Schools of Petoskey to review final designs for new Northmen character, logo