SKOWHEGAN, Maine — Classes resume from summer break over the next few weeks for Maine students, but one school will look different as students return. Skowhegan Area High School has yet to select a new mascot after the school board voted to remove the controversial "Indian" nickname this year.
"I think coming back it may be a little different to just be known as just Skowhegan, but I think the students know that is just temporary," said MSAD 54 school board member Derek Ellis.
MSAD 54 Superintendent Brent Colbry told the school board at its meeting Thursday he will propose a plan on how to approach choosing a new mascot at a meeting in late September to early October.
Over the summer, crews worked to remove all Native American imagery from schools in MSAD 54. The district includes Canaan, Cornville, Mercer, Norridgewock, Skowhegan and Smithfield.
The MSAD 54 school board met on Thursday for the final time before students return to school next week.
Ellis says although students may return to school without a nickname, he hopes the decision of what a new nickname will be involves input from them.
"I think the students also appreciate that they’re being included. And by them being included it means we wait. It means we wait until they get back to school," said Ellis.
For MSAD 54 school board member Jen Poirier, she think it's smart for the district to take it's time in selecting a new nickname.
"I don't think there's any rush to change any kind of name or mascot or what have you. We can be Skowhegan for a while, and that's just fine. Let the community settle down about the change in the first place. Let them digest what happened," said Poirier.
The school board had a one month recess from regularly scheduled meetings during the summer. Ellis expects a committee of students, faculty, school board members and community members will be chosen to create a plan to select a new mascot.
The Skowhegan Area High School sports teams have already been competing without the name "Indian" on its uniforms. Athletic Director Jon Christopher told NEWS CENTER Maine he doesn't expect there to be any major issue for athletes to play the season without having a nickname or mascot.