The Canandaigua City School District is seeking input from staff, students, families, community members, and alumni through a series of surveys to determine a new school name, mascot, and symbol. The first survey was released on Friday at 3 p.m., in response to a New York State Education Department (NYSED) directive requiring schools with Native American mascots to find replacements by the end of the 2022-23 school year. The directive applies to mascots, team names, and logos.
The Canandaigua City School District must pass a resolution by the Board of Education committing to changing the school’s name and symbol by the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Afterward, the district will meet with the Stakeholder Committee to review the changes, discuss survey results, and determine their final course of action.
Since the NYSED announcement in November, the Canandaigua City School District has taken steps to address the directive, such as reaching out to the Senior Deputy Commissioner of Education, holding community forums, and participating in Stakeholder committee meetings. Additionally, the district has collaborated with other superintendents of schools with similar logos throughout the state. The New York State Board of Regents approved new rules in April banning the use of Native American culture by schools.
The survey can be reached on the Canandaigua City School District’s website.
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