The Danville Board of Education has approved a new universal anchor logo it wants used across the district, including by all clubs and athletic groups.

The new logo received rave reviews Monday night, in stark contrast to the numerous criticisms an earlier “squared anchor” logo received from board members and the public.

“I think it’s fantastic,” board member Steve Becker said. “I think it was a good collaboration and I think a lot of people will be happy — or happier.”

The board told a “branding committee” to go back to the drawing board in September, after seeing the results of a Google survey that showed many community members strongly disliked the original “squared anchor” graphic and didn’t want the logo to lose the rope that wraps around the anchor.

The newly approved logo maintains the rope from the old logo, as well as four stars — representing the district’s four schools — from the rejected squared anchor logo.

While 157 out of 296 survey respondents “extremely disliked” the squared anchor, only 60 “extremely disliked” the stars.

Superintendent Tammy Shelton said “each athletic group can use this anchor within their logo if they use an anchor in their logo — not this entire logo, but this anchor.”

The final, high-resolution version of the logo is still being developed, Shelton said. Staff are searching for the original design file for the district’s old circular logo so they can pull the anchor directly from it, she explained.

Becker moved “that we accept the anchor that has been presented with a lot of happiness;” the motion passed unanimously and the board thanked the committee for its hard work.