Pine Ridge Rebranding Committee Meeting Notes, April 24, 2025

Pine Ridge Rebranding Committee Meeting Notes
Date: April 24, 2025
Time: 6:05 PM – 6:25 PM
Chairperson: Diijon DaCosta, Sr.
Meeting Type: Virtual

Good morning, Pine Rebranding Committee,

Thank you all for the time, energy, and commitment you gave throughout the Pine Ridge Elementary
School rebranding process.

Opening Remarks – Chairman DaCosta’s Talking Points

We began this journey on March 13, 2025, by launching a public awareness campaign to inform and
engage the community around the rebranding e ort. Outreach e orts included:

      Media Coverage:
       A public article was published by Decaturish on March 20, 2025, introducing the rebranding
       e ort and inviting community feedback.

      District Website:
       Information and access to the survey were posted on the o icial DeKalb County School
       District website.

      Social Media Promotion:
       Rebranding updates were shared across the district’s o icial platforms, including
       Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram.

      Text Messaging:
       Families received text alerts with direct links to the community survey and updates about
       the process.

      Community feedback played an important role in our decision-making process.

Of the 137 responses received (April 17):

      89 respondents (73.55%) supported renaming Pine Ridge Elementary to Stephenson
       Elementary, citing alignment, consistency, and school pride.

      32 respondents (26.45%) opposed the change, raising concerns about the school's legacy,
       cost, and cultural impact.

      16 respondents (13.2%) o ered mixed or neutral perspectives, often emphasizing other
       priorities such as equity, inclusion, and resourcing.

This feedback helped inform our discussions and led to a clear direction for the future of the
school.

We held three formal committee meetings following the public announcement:

   1. April 9, 2025 – Community Feedback Review
      Time: 6:05 PM to 6:30 PM
      Attendance: 10 members
   2. April 17, 2025 – Mascot and Visual Identity Discussion
      Time: 6:05 PM to 6:44 PM
      Attendance: 13 members

   3. April 24, 2025 – Final Committee Vote
      Time: 6:05 PM to 6:25 PM
      Attendance: 21 members

During the final meeting, the committee unanimously voted to rename Pine Ridge Elementary
to Stephenson Elementary. The Jaguar was selected as the new mascot with 73 percent of the
vote, o icially retiring the Panther. In addition to the name and mascot change, the school colors
will shift from red and black to royal blue and silver, aligning with the Stephenson Middle and High
School colors.

This rebranding aligns not just in name and imagery, but in values and direction. Stephenson
Elementary now completes a full academic pipeline alongside its middle and high school
counterparts, allowing scholars to walk a unified path from Pre-Kindergarten through graduation
with a shared sense of identity and Jaguar pride.

Next steps:

Principal Lindsay Scott and I will be working with the DeKalb Schools Communications Team to
finalize the updated mascot design, branding materials, and visual assets. The full rebranding
proposal will be presented for formal approval during the Board of Education meeting on May 12,
2025.

(Notes: Based on feedback from the committee, we are requesting that the current Jaguar mascot
be revised to include a visible pupil, making the design more approachable for elementary students.
Additionally, we’ve asked the Communications Team to provide four alternative mascot designs for
Stephenson Elementary to consider. These design options should be submitted no later than May 2,
2025.)

 This rebranding is not about letting go of the past, it’s about building on our foundation and
preparing for the future. The legacy of Pine Ridge will always be honored through the generations of
scholars and educators who helped shape it. What we've done together is establish a stronger
identity, a clearer vision, and a more united community.

Attendees:

Diijon DaCosta (Chair)
Marcus Jelks
Frederico Rowe
Jamila Rivers
Erick Hofstetter
Glenda Barner
Geo rey Powell
Chelsey Bruce
Kaliyah Mitchell
Joshua Sellers
LaDena A. Bolton
Tyherrona Gosse
Lindsay Scott
Deyanna Hartsfield
Lisa McGhee
Mutiat Wilson
Marcia Coward
Michelle Elias
Amber Dunn
Takeesha Morrison
Kalisha Sackey


Closing Motions:
With no objections, the meeting adjourned at 6:25 pm