Don’t Knoch it until you try it.

David Foley, superintendent of the South Butler School District, told the school board this week that he wants to initiate forward-thinking changes in the district in the years to come — starting with a name change for local schools.

Under the proposal, the district’s name would be changed from South Butler to the Knoch School District — or another name that includes the word Knoch — while every school in the district would also include Knoch in its name. In other words, the concept is to move forward by looking backward. The Knoch name hails from the property’s former owner — Eva Knoch — who donated her farm to the district decades ago.

We agree with Foley that the district needs to move forward in a positive manner. Morale was low last year following a contentious and vitriolic negotiation breakdown and teachers strike.

At that time, some district parents accused teachers of being “lazy and greedy,” while teachers pointed out that they had worked for years without a contract and hadn’t been given a raise in a long time.

Foley’s name change proposal is aimed at moving the district forward, rather than continuing to focus on negative issues that some have argued has created a toxic culture in the district. Although it’s debatable whether a name change for district schools alone will do the trick, we agree with the concept of moving forward.

Foley said that he expects to hear from persons in the district who believe that the expenses involved with a name change might not be worth it. It’s a valid and understandable concern. But he also noted that he is “desperately trying to change the culture of this district.”

That should be applauded. Most importantly, Foley said that the district’s highest priority should continue to be its academic programs. That’s a sentiment with which it’s difficult to argue.

While a name change uniting the district’s schools under a common banner is a “fresh coat of paint,” as Foley calls it, that could act as a symbol of moving forward, there are additional great ways for money to be put to good use in the district. It could go toward curriculum, increasing teachers’ pay or upgrades to facilities — for example, artificial turf has been proposed at the high school’s stadium.

Changing the district’s name to Knoch could be a good thing, but especially if it’s accompanied by some of these other improvements.