Though Oak Harbor School District is still the state-recognized name, the district is now going by Oak Harbor Public Schools.

The district’s communications coordinator, Kellie Tormey, said the change “is part of a district-wide effort to be more approachable and public-friendly.”

“By emphasizing ‘schools’ in our name rather than ‘district,’ ” Tormey said, “it’s a stronger reminder of our daily core purpose of learning.”

This sort of change was made in nearby school districts, Everett Public Schools and Bellingham Public Schools, she said.

The process started a couple of years ago in Oak Harbor, but it wasn’t until the end of the 2013-14 school year that the district began the process of changing the name by placing the new name on its websites.

“We’ve been gradually phasing out old materials and forms, so there has been no need for cost output for new materials,” Tormey said.

The district will legally retain its old name for the time being, however.

Tormey said all school districts have official, numbered descriptors with the state Superintendent of Public Instruction but “aren’t obligated to use that externally.”

The old name “should be mostly limited to legal documents or state-provided forms,” Tormey said.

By the end of this school year, the full introduction of the new name and logo will be complete, Tormey said.