The following string demonstrates the time, efforts and thoughtfulness behind the student-driven project of changing the Okemos mascot/branding from Chieftains/Chiefs to Okemos Wolves.  April 2022

 

** March 14, 2022 UPDATE **

Introducing the new Okemos Wolves branding! (Please note this is trademarked branding, with all use to be approved by the Superintendent of OPS.)  This is the link for the March 14, 2022 Okemos School Board meeting, including the unveiling of the branding.  https://okemoschannel.viebit.com/player.php?hash=okCZDXS9bPZS

** March 11, 2022 UPDATE **

The new mascot logo will be introduced at the Okemos School Board Meeting on March 14, 2022. Here is information to attend the meeting, including the Zoom link.

https://www.okemosk12.net/Page/5

 

** March 5, 2022 UPDATE **

Here is the link to the minutes of the February 14, 2022 Okemos School Board meeting.

"MOVED by Katie Cavanaugh, SUPPORTED by Jayme Taylor that the board approve the recommendation for the new mascot and adopt Wolves as the new Okemos Public Schools mascot.
AYE: 6   NAY: 0   ABSENT: 1      MOTION CARRIED"

 

**January 28, 2022 UPDATE **

Here is the link to the video of the January 24, 2022 Board Meeting:

 https://okemoschannel.viebit.com/player.php?hash=UxfgzuSsfnX9

 

**January 20, 2022 UPDATE **

Okemos Community:

On Monday evening, January 24th, the district’s mascot committee will present a unanimous recommendation to the Board of Education for the official mascot of the Okemos Public Schools to be the wolves. 

This recommendation comes after two rounds of community survey input and a final round of student survey input. Wolves was amongst the top names in both community surveys and was the most supported name overall by our current students.  Representatives from the committee will present an overview of the process along with rationale to support the recommendation on Monday evening at 7 pm. We invite our community to attend. The Board of Education plans to take action on the recommendation on February 14th. If approved, the district will pursue a visual logo as the next step with the goal of concluding the process by April. 

We thank our community for their significant input throughout the process, and ask for support of our students as we move forward at this exciting time establishing our new district mascot. 

John J. Hood

Superintendent

HOW TO ATTEND (either in person or by Zoom):

https://www.okemosk12.net/Page/518

 

**JANUARY 4, 2022 UPDATE**

Received this today from Okemos Public Schools Superintendent John Hood. He also mentioned that almost half of the responses came from alumni - thank you for participating!

"December 17,2021

"Okemos Community:

"Thank you for the overwhelming response to our community mascot surveys. The district received over 8,500 responses reflecting the diverse aspects that make up our school community (parents, students, staff, alumni, community members). Our community response rate is a point of pride!

"Earlier this week, the student mascot committee met with the district mascot committee to share their process for reviewing community survey data and for narrowing the mascot names to four. We are pleased to share the names under consideration for the Okemos mascot are:

Eagles

Grizzlies

Owls

Wolves

"The next step in our process is to survey upper elementary through high school students to rank order the names under consideration. Our student committee will utilize this survey data to develop a mascot name recommendation for the district committee to take to the Board of Education on January 24, 2022. Once the mascot is approved by the Board of Education, we will begin the process for identifying and selecting a new logo to accompany our mascot, hopefully by spring break.

"Again, special thanks to our community for your considerable input, and to our student mascot committee for their thoughtful and thorough approach.

"John J. Hood, Superintendent"

 

From Okemos Public Schools Superintendent John Hood:

Okemos Community:

The Okemos Public Schools student mascot committee is seeking input from our community on potential names to be our new district mascot. If you are interested in submitting a name for consideration, please fill out the survey below. Each respondent is allowed to submit 3 names for consideration.  When thinking about your submissions, please note: the district's color scheme surrounding the mascot and logo will remain - with official primary colors of maroon and white, with a light blue (Carolina blue) as an accent.

The survey can be found here: Mascot - Initial Community Survey or  by scanning the survey QR Code below. 

 

 

 

Survey Window:   Wednesday, November 17th until Sunday, November 28th 

A student committee will meet to consider the submissions and will return in December with a follow up survey asking the community to weigh in on potential names shared in the initial survey.  (The follow up survey will be shared with our community in the same manner.)  If you would like additional background information on our mascot change a short video is here for you. Last spring, the Okemos Board of Education voted to support the superintendent's recommendation to discontinue use of our current mascot. 

John J. Hood. Superintendent

 

Former Okemos logos: