Peotone School District 207-U will rally under a new theme, “Go Big Blue,” for the 2025-26 school year in a comprehensive initiative aimed at unifying the district around common character goals and strengthening school culture.

Administrators unveiled the plan at the July 21 Board of Education committee meeting, explaining it builds upon the high school’s “Portrait of a Graduate” work. The “Go Big Blue” acronym outlines seven key traits for students and staff: Begin with goals, Inspire with empathy, Grow as a critical thinker, Build perseverance, Lead with integrity, Unite through respect, and Encourage effective communication.

“It’s not just the responsibility of the high school teachers to teach our students these skills… it is really a collective effort,” said an administrator leading the project.

The initiative will feature several district-wide components. Student and staff of the month recognitions will be tied to the monthly character traits and will include honorees from every building, as well as the transportation and maintenance departments. The district will also coordinate three spirit weeks throughout the year, aligning themes across all schools to simplify things for families.

A key component will be periodic “Big Blue Days,” modeled after previous “Be the Spark” days, to promote collaboration and celebrate district culture. These days will facilitate partnerships between older and younger students and foster a sense of shared identity.

To further promote unity, the district hopes to provide a “Go Big Blue” t-shirt to every student and staff member. The administration will be seeking community partners and sponsors to help fund the shirts, which would be worn on Big Blue Days.