Winton Woods High School’s football stadium. Photo by Drew Jackson.
By Drew Jackson
Winton Woods City Schools
Forest Park—For several years, Winton Woods City Schools has been intentional with the gradual retirement of the Native American chieftain mascot and paraphernalia from all marketing and communications publicity.
“The district began to discontinue use of this mascot over five years ago. This stemmed from our high regard for the Native American people and their rich history and contributions to our community and nation,” said Community Engagement Coordinator Corina Denny. “The design elements of our two new campuses gives us another opportunity to move in the right direction.”
Superintendent Anthony G. Smith added, “With a diverse student body and 31 spoken languages, it is a priority and imperative that we continue to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all of our students and families.”
During the process, the district thoroughly searched all schools and advertisements for the Native American chieftain mascot and paraphernalia, as it made its transition. In official action at its regular meeting on July 27, the Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the retirement of the chieftain mascot.