The State House of Representatives is expected to move on legislation in the next month to change the name of the South Butler County School District to the Knoch School District.
The school board approved the name change about a year ago.
“There’s lots of enthusiasm and excitement about it,” said Jennifer Webb, spokeswoman for the school district that covers Clinton, Jefferson, Penn, and Winfield townships, and Saxonburg.
The district’s high school, middle school and sports teams are named after Eva Knoch, who donated land to the school district in the 1950s.
The school board sought the name change because more people know the district as “Knoch,” Webb said.
“Many people in the state know us as Knoch because of our sports teams,” she said. “We are hopeful it goes through.”
One Butler County resident who knows the district as Knoch is Rep. Marci Mustello, R-Butler. The district approached Mustello for help to make the new name official. She is shepherding the name change legislation in the state House.
“The name change is really re-identifying who the school district is,” Mustello said.
The name change for a school district, as opposed to a name change of a single school building, needs full state legislative approval, according to state Department of Education rules, she said.
The district was legally prepared for the new name because of its school board approval.
District names changes are rare, Mustello said.
One of the more recent changes occurred when the Southwest Butler County School District was renamed the Seneca Valley School District in 1987.
Mustello has introduced legislation in the House that she hopes to pass within the next month.
If approved, the bill heads to Senate. When the House and Senate agree with the legislation, then it will go to Gov. Tom Wolf for approval.
Mustello hopes the Legislature and the governor approve the measure by spring.
“If and when the name change happens, there will be a big roll out and celebrations,” Webb said.
The district already has gone through a rebranding process, she added.
