Agenda Item
a. Renaming of the Mascot at Cross Keys High School ~ Update 6.5.2024
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Whitney McGinniss, Board Member, District 2
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the renaming of the mascot at Cross Keys High School from the Indians to the Phoenix.
Why: The stakeholders of Cross Keys High School requested that the mascot be renamed to remove the current mascot the Indian. The current mascot is deemed offensive to the prominent demographic of the school and the community it serves.
Details: The committee, led by Board member Ms. Whitney McGinniss, was composed of the required Board members and District and School leaders. Additionally, teachers, parents, community members and a student were a part of the committee. There were a total of 15 members on the committee.
The committee met on the following dates:
January 30, 2024
March 6, 2024
April 10, 2024
May 13, 2024
*Public input meeting was March 6, 2024
Financial impact: Areas impacted by the mascot renaming included, but not limited to athletics, band uniforms, murals, and miscellaneous will be reflected in the modernization of Cross Keys High School. Items such as letterhead and stationery are estimated be a small cost that could be absorbed by the local school budget.
Contact: Ms. Whitney McGinniss, Board Member, District 2, 678-676-0722
Dr. Triscilla Weaver, Area Superintendent for Horizon Schools, Division of Schools & Leadership, 678-676-2845
Effective: Upon Board Approval, the Horizon Area will work with appropriate divisions for the renaming of the mascot.
Cross Keys Mascot Renaming Committee
Committee Member
Whitney McGinniss Board Member of the DeKalb County School
District (District 2) and Chair of the
Committee
Allyson Gevertz Board Member of the DeKalb County School
District (District 4)
Brittany Cummingham Principal of Cross Keys High School
Triscilla Weaver Area Superintendent for Horizon Schools
Frederico Rowe Executive Administrator for Horizon Schools
Juan Barrera - Parent Parent of students as Cross Keys, Path, and
Dresden
Catherine Castano- Coca – Staff Member Staff Member at Cross Keys High School
Janice Duncan - CK Alum/ Alumni of Cross Keys High School and
Lynwood Foundation community stakeholder
Ashley Garcia Senior Class President, FBLA Secretary, and
HOSA Historian at Cross Keys High School
Kim Gokce Founder and Director of the Cross Keys
Foundation, Inc.; Founding member of the
Cross Keys Sustainable Neighborhood
Initiative; Founding director of the
Brookhaven Community Connection
Yordi Narciso Pena Parent of students at Cross Keys High School
and Woodward Elementary; Member of the
PTO
Nelli Solano Parent of students at Cross Keys High School,
Sequoyah Middle School, and Woodward
Elementary School
Mayra Vital Cortez Parent of students at Woodward Elementary
School
Kathy Wells Cross Keys Alumni and member of the
Lynwood Foundation
Cynthia Lopez Parent of students at Montclair Elementary
School