DEERFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Spark Behind a School Brand
A district’s brand should make it clear who it belongs to. For District 109 (D109), that clarity had started to fade. The district’s existing brand felt dated and was difficult to scale. The little red schoolhouse icon that had long represented the district wasn’t actually a school building. It belonged to the community’s historical society, which sometimes caused confusion about what the symbol represented. As initiatives like Stronger Together Deerfield and Redefine 109 helped outline the district’s next chapter, D109 had an opportunity to bring its visual identity along. The district needed a brand that felt more current, flexible, and distinctly its own.
The Deerfield Public Schools D109 new brand was awarded the 2026 Illinois School Public Relations Association Excellence Award in the Brand Materials category.
Developing a New Direction
Moving away from its red-dominant color palette and schoolhouse imagery, District 109 partnered with CEL to develop a more distinct and flexible visual system. To better align with the individual schools’ existing color stories, D109 adopted a mix of blues and greens while keeping a pop of red for continuity.
At the center of the new identity is a spark with radiating beams that represent curiosity, energy, and how learning grows over time. The overall shape also subtly forms the counter of the “D” in Deerfied. This core element became the foundation for the broader brand system, extending into patterns, school mascot applications, and other district materials.
OLD DISTRICT LOGO
NEW DISTRICT LOGOS
Sparking Inspiration Across the District
The new district brand created a visual direction, but each school still needed a distinct identity that fit within it. CEL used the new system, including fonts, colors, and stylization to create strong connections between the schools while preserving the mascots and core colors their communities already knew and loved. Stakeholder feedback consistently emphasized evolution instead of reinvention, helping inform how far each schools’ identity should change.
“CEL is an incredible design partner. From the start, what stood out was how deeply they absorbed feedback and how much they genuinely cared about getting the work right. We couldn't have asked for a better partner in creating something that will represent our schools and community for generations. CEL has an incredible ability to take a wide range of ideas, perspectives and aspirations and translate them into something that feels cohesive, distinctive and true to who we are. And, just as important on a high-stakes project like this, the CEL team is simply fun to work with!”
~CATHY KEDJIDJIAN, APR
D109 CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Evolving Each School Identity
Mascots can be defining characters for students and staff and each D109 school had differing levels of attachment—some wanted just a refinement while others were looking for more dramatic change. Elementary schools asked for friendly, playful expressions, while middle schools wanted slightly more maturity and pride.
Wilmot Elementary Wolves
The existing wolf had strong recognition, so CEL simplified the illustration, softened the expression, and gave the mascot a more polished look within the district’s updated color palette.
BEFORE
AFTER
Walden Elementary Wildcats
Walden’s Wildcat stayed rooted in its familiar red identity, but the mascot itself needed a more current look and that was more true to a “wildcat”. The redesign created a friendlier, more distinctive expression while maintaining similar design elements to the other mascots.
BEFORE
AFTER
Kipling Elementary Cougars
Kipling’s cougar received a more dramatic refresh, with a warmer expression, no fangs, and a cleaner overall look. The update showed how much a mascot could evolve without losing its familiar identity.
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AFTER
South Park Elementary Penguins
South Park needed to align with the district’s updated mascot style without losing the funkiness and fun that made its penguin distinct. CEL leaned into a new penguin with lively expressions and the school’s familiar color palette for a fresh look.
BEFORE
AFTER
Caruso Middle School Blue Jays
As one of the district’s few full-body mascots, the logo was reworked to better match the wider brand system. Caruso’s blue jay now looks polished while remaining rooted in the school’s strong sense of pride.
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AFTER
Shepard Middle School Spartans
Shepard was one of the schools to receive the most significant update. Its original mascot closely resembled that of a neighboring high school, creating a need for a clearer identity. Student feedback helped shape a new space Spartan that nods to astronaut Alan B. Shepard while keeping the school’s core colors and familiar Spartan pride.
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AFTER
District 109’s Early Learning Program
The program’s original logo held little significance for staff or families, giving CEL room to create something new. As early learning is about sparking curiosity and a love of learning, the mark evolved into a playful pinwheel rooted in the district’s refreshed brand.
BEFORE
AFTER
OLD D109 SCHOOL MASCOT LOGOS
NEW D109 SCHOOL MASCOT LOGOS
New Brand in Action
The new identity is showing up across the district in ways both big and small. From campus spaces to school materials, the system gives each school more room to use its mascot, colors, and personality in a way that aligns with the district as a whole.
