The Meaning Behind Our Visual Identity

At Cathedral School for Boys, our visual identity is not decoration. It is expression.
 
Our logos, symbols, colors, and typography reflect how we think about learning, growth, and the work of forming exemplary young men. Together, they tell a coherent story about who we are, what we value, and how we guide boys from Kindergarten through Grade 8, while honoring both our history and our future.
 

The Labyrinth: A Purposeful Journey

At the heart of Cathedral School for Boys’ contemporary visual identity is a labyrinth.
 
Unlike a maze, a labyrinth is not designed to confuse. There are no dead ends and no false starts. There is one path in and one path out. The journey is winding, deliberate, and reflective. It requires patience, attention, and trust.
 
That distinction matters.
 
The labyrinth is a powerful metaphor for a Cathedral School education. We do not rush boys through childhood. We walk with them. Step by step, grade by grade, we guide them through an intentional journey, one that invites curiosity, reflection, and growth along the way.
 
There is time to pause. Time to question. Time to try, to stumble, and to learn. What emerges from that journey is not simply academic achievement, but self-knowledge, resilience, and confidence in who one is becoming.
 
 

The School Shield: Strength, Tradition, and Stewardship

Alongside our contemporary marks, Cathedral School for Boys maintains a formal school shield.
 
The shield represents strength, stability, and stewardship. It reflects the school’s long history and the responsibility we carry as educators, leaders, and caretakers of a mission that spans generations.
 
While the shield has been thoughtfully refined over time, it remains a direct connection to Cathedral’s past. It is reserved for formal and ceremonial uses, such as correspondence from the Board of Trustees and official school documents, where tradition, authority, and continuity matter most.
 
 

A System of Symbols

Cathedral School for Boys uses a small family of official marks, each designed for a specific purpose. Together, they allow the school to communicate clearly across formal, institutional, and public-facing contexts, while remaining unified in meaning and intent.
 

The School Shield

 
The school shield is Cathedral School for Boys’ most formal mark. Rooted in tradition and stewardship, it serves as a visual link to the school’s history and enduring mission.
 
Reserved for ceremonial and governance contexts — such as correspondence from the Board of Trustees and official school documents — the shield signals authority, continuity, and institutional responsibility. Its use is intentionally limited to preserve its meaning and stature.
 
 

The Primary Logos (Everyday Identity)

Our primary logos — available in horizontal and vertical formats — are the most commonly used expressions of the Cathedral School for Boys brand.
 
They combine the school’s name with the contemporary labyrinth-and-shield symbol and are used across the majority of public-facing applications, including the website, admissions materials, publications, merchandise, and everyday communications.
 
These logos balance tradition with a confident, modern presence and serve as the school’s principal visual identifier.
 

The Avatar (Recognition Mark)

The avatar is a simplified, name-free mark designed for recognition and brand awareness.
 
Because it does not include the school’s full name, it is used in contexts where clarity at small sizes or repeated exposure matters most, such as social media, digital icons, apparel details, and secondary branding elements.
 
Though simplified, the avatar carries the same symbolism as the primary logos: a purposeful journey, guided growth, and formation grounded in care and intention.
 

Forbes the Hawk: Our Mascot

Forbes the Hawk is Cathedral School for Boys’ official mascot.
 
Distinct from the school shield, primary logos, and avatar, Forbes represents school spirit, athletics, and the energy of student life. He appears in contexts that celebrate competition, teamwork, pride, and community — on athletic uniforms, spirit wear, signage, and at school events.
 
While our formal brand marks express who we are institutionally, our mascot captures how it feels to belong.
 

Color and Typography: How Our Brand Feels

Our color palette and typography reinforce the meaning expressed in our symbols.
 
Rooted in tradition yet confidently contemporary, our colors convey trust, empathy, courage, and collaboration. They reflect both the school’s history and its forward-looking approach to educating boys.
 
Our typography balances clarity and warmth. Strong, modern letterforms communicate confidence and expertise, while more expressive type brings humanity and approachability to our voice. Together, these elements create a visual language that feels intellectual, engaging, purposeful, and spirited.
 

Red and Gold: More Than Colors

At Cathedral School for Boys, red and gold are more than elements of our visual identity. They are part of the school’s lived experience.
 
From the moment students arrive, these colors help shape identity and belonging. Each boy is assigned to either the Red Team or the Gold Team, a tradition that comes to life throughout the year and culminates in Field Day each spring. In the Upper School, Red and Gold student ambassadors represent leadership, service, and school pride.
 
The colors also carry our stories forward. Red&Gold, the school’s annual magazine, reflects the balance at the heart of Cathedral School: tradition and innovation, reflection and action, individuality and community.
 
Across classrooms, athletics, publications, and celebrations, red and gold connect generations of Cathedral School boys. They remind us that identity here is not only something we see, but something we participate in together.
 

A Visual Promise

Our visual identity is a promise.
 
It reflects how we educate boys, not as a race to the finish line, but as a thoughtful, guided journey. It signals our belief in slow growth, deliberate practice, and the quiet strength that comes from being well prepared.
 
Every time you see our school shield, our primary logos, our avatar, or Forbes the Hawk, it represents our commitment to walking with boys as they become the young men our world needs.
 
  • Why an All-Boys School? Why an All-Boys School?
    We understand boys. We know that there are many ways to be a boy, and we approach each boy individually. We appreciate that each boy learns differently and at his own pace.
  • Why an Episcopal Education? Why an Episcopal Education?
    The Episcopal approach provides experiences that offer students an understanding of religion and faith, in addition to a lens through which to view the world.
  • Why a Small School? Why a Small School?
    Cathedral School for Boys has intentionally remained a small school. With the intimacy of a small school of 264 boys, we are able to know each boy well
  • Why Uniforms? Why Uniforms?
    Everyone wears the same clothing, not out of nostalgia but out of the belief that our dress code demonstrates a sense of purpose, and diminishes displays of socioeconomic status that run counter to our philosophy.

Cathedral School for Boys

Located in San Francisco, California, Cathedral School for Boys is an independent elementary school for boys in Kindergarten – Grade 8. Our mission is to provide an excellent education through intellectual inquiry and rigor that is centered in the Episcopal tradition and is respectful of and welcoming to people of all religious traditions and beliefs.