Parker Elementary Will Be Home to the ‘Wranglers’

Sherman ISD’s new elementary campus will embrace the culture and spirit of Texas through its new logo and mascot. 

Parker Elementary will be home to the “Wranglers.” Official school colors will be red and black, with brown, gray and white serving as accent colors. 

A Wrangler is a person who is in charge of and cares for horses and other livestock on a ranch. It is a clear tie-in to the Heritage Ranch development, which is the neighborhood where the new school is being built in northwest Sherman.

The main school logo includes two Wrangler characters wearing cowboy hats and bandanas. It evokes qualities deeply rooted in Texas culture and heritage, such as friendliness, hospitality, strength, hard work and a strong connection to the land and Western traditions.

The logo also incorporates several stars in a circle surrounding the Wrangler characters. The star serves as one of the most iconic and powerful symbols in Texas – representing pride, unity and the resilience of the Lone Star State. It is also used in the official branding of the Heritage Ranch development.

Future staff of Parker Elementary recently met with community partners, namesakes of the new school and others to discuss and finalize the mascot and logo. Top options for the school mascot and colors were developed by a committee of SISD staff and parents who met in the fall to brainstorm ideas and make branding suggestions.

“Our goal was to select a mascot with a western theme to reflect the unique character of the neighborhood in which our school is located,” said Parker Elementary Principal Ashley Woods. “Working in groups, our teachers and staff explored how each mascot option connected to our school community, embodied positive traits and could be creatively branded in a variety of ways. Each group shared thoughtful feedback before casting their vote.”

The team-building activity allowed the Parker staff to help shape the vision and values of the new school. A similar process was used when Sherman ISD opened Neblett and Sory elementary schools in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

“When all the votes were counted, Wranglers emerged as the clear winner – generating lots of excitement and enthusiasm!” Woods said. “Teachers especially appreciated how the Wrangler identity provides a great opportunity to teach students positive character traits such as responsibility, grit, courage, teamwork, respect and leadership.”

The Parker Elementary staff will continue to meet throughout the spring and summer to plan for the new school year and finalize other important aspects of the school’s culture, such as the school mission statement. They will have the opportunity to tour the new school building next week. 

“This process was a wonderful first step in coming together as a new school community,” Woods said. “It was inspiring to see everyone working collaboratively to choose a mascot that will help connect and energize us all. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and there’s a strong sense of excitement about the western theme and the many ways we can bring it to life to inspire our students.”