Community team name information & ballot arriving in mailboxes

 

Community Update

June 25, 2021

As stated previously, South Bend School District is required to change the team name, "Indians" to a name that complies with SHB 1356.  The team name committee met in early June and selected five possible names.  These names include: Seawolves, Riverhawks, Tsunami, Storm, and Kings.  There is also an opportunity to provide a write-in name.

The naming committee would like to give South Bend community members an opportunity to provide input on which team name they support.  Further information and ballots will be mailed to South Bend community members on Friday, June 25, 2021.  The ballots will need to be post marked and mailed to PO Box 437, South Bend, Wa, 98586; or delivered to the South Bend Schools district office, located at 405 E. First Street, South Bend, by July 7, 2021.

Community results will be combined with the student\staff vote, and the top three choices will be presented to the school board of directors for a first reading on July 22, 2021.  The final selection will be made in August.

Committee working on required team name\mascot changes

 

Community Update

School Team Name\Mascot & Substitute House Bill 1356

During the recent session of the Washington State Legislature, SHB 1356 was passed and subsequently signed into law by Governor Inslee.  SHB 1356 goes into effect on July 25, 2021.  The bill prohibits Washington schools from using Native American names, symbols, and images as school mascots, logos, or team names, and requires all schools be in compliance by January, 2022.  Being the "Indians", South Bend High School is required to change its team name under this new law.

In compliance with the law, the South Bend School District Board of Directors has directed the formation of a committee to conduct a process for selecting a new school team name\mascot.  The committee has been formed and consists of school staff, community members, alumni, tribal members, and students.  At their first meeting held this week, the committee identified several possible team names with the additional option of a "write-in" choice.

South Bend students will now have the opportunity to give input before the school year ends and the South Bend community will have the opportunity to provide input in the coming weeks.  Once input from students and the community is collected, a recommendation from the committee will be made to the board of directors.  The goal is to select a new team name prior to the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.

Information on how the community can provide input will be forthcoming.