Sewanhaka mascot change due by June 2024

The Sewanhaka Central High School School District has hired a consulting firm to rebrand and create a new school mascot.

Recently the Josten’s company was hired for $3,000 by the board of education to perform the rebrand. The process is expected to finish by June 2024.

Josten’s is an American manufacturing company that makes class ringsand other school memorabilia. The company was brought in as a neutral party to facilitate discussion between community stakeholders to discover what mascot should represent Sewanhaka.

The company will organize forums, present possible outcomes and relay the decision to the board of education and the community.

“The district is fortunate to have an enterprise like Josten’s available to facilitate this process and ensure all voices are heard,” Thomas Dolan, Sewanhaka school district superintendent, said. “We are confident in its ability to build understanding and excitement over this mandated change.”

Following the New York Sate Education Department vote to end the use of indigenous mascots in schools in April, the school district board of education voted to get rid of Sewanhaka High School’s Indian mascot in May.

Eleven Long Island school districts were affected by the state regulation that went into effect at the beginning of May.