The following is a notice from Acton Boxborough Regional School District:

ABRSD Mascot Screening Subcommittee - Invitation to Participate
 
 October 15, 2021
 
 Members of the Acton and Boxborough Communities,
 
 In October, 2020, the School Committee engaged in a process that resulted in a vote to retire the District’s former mascot, the “Colonial.” Recognizing that this became a highly emotional decision within the community, we stepped back for a “pause” to reflect and regroup. I am happy to report that we are now ready to begin the process to identify and adopt a new mascot for our High School and Junior High School.
 
Consistent with their policy and procedure FF<https://link.edgepilot.com/s/c005bf66/7UwsIA8aCkqRMvSgbh4-tg?u=https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/actonset/acton/FF> and FF-R<https://link.edgepilot.com/s/4aa709ed/br0bcXasGkGrsgWwI1w7OQ?u=https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/actonset/acton/FF-R>, the School Committee voted last week “to establish a Mascot Screening Subcommittee to receive, review and recommend a mascot as proposed by the student bodies of the High school and Junior High School.” AB Athletic Director Steve Martin and I are charged with leading the Subcommittee through the screening process.
 
 We are seeking a diverse group of community members to serve on this subcommittee. Our membership includes:
 
 * 2 School Committee members
 * Superintendent of Schools
 * Athletic Director
 * Director of Performing Arts
 * 1 Staff member from the Junior High School or High School
 * 1 Coach from either Junior High School or High School Athletics
 * 2 Booster Club Representatives
 * 1 community member at large, with preference for alumni or other individuals closely connected to the school community
 * 3-4 student representatives from the High School.
 
 The role of the School Committee’s Mascot Screening Subcommittee will be to:
 
 * Receive a recommendation from the High School and Junior High School student bodies through the student representatives to the subcommittee.
 * Ensure that students, staff and community members had an appropriate opportunity to engage in the process
 * Ensure that the recommendation from the student body is aligned with the Mission, Vision and Values of the District
 * Return to the School Committee in Spring 2022 with a proposed mascot.
 
 In order to ensure that the process is driven by students, and provide students, staff and the community an opportunity to engage in the process of determining a new mascot, the staff and student representatives to this Screening Subcommittee will develop a working group that consists of students and staff at the High School and Junior High School. This working group will be composed of students that represent the diversity of the student body who are involved in a variety of student leadership positions, athletics, activities, and the performing arts. They will be responsible for:
 
 * Designing a process that allows students and staff at the High School and Junior High, as well as the broader community, to have appropriate levels of engagement to solicit, communicate, and narrow options for a new mascot.
 * Ensuring that the recommendation from the student body is aligned with the Mission, Vision and Values of the District
 * Making a final recommendation to the School Committee’s Screening Subcommittee.
 
 The working group will provide regular updates to the School Committee’s Screening Subcommittee. The Subcommittee, in turn, will be responsible for sharing regular updates about progress back to the full School Committee and community throughout the fall and winter. Additionally, the Administration will develop a proposed replacement plan for uniforms, names on school facilities and other assets, including a proposed budget for this plan as part of the District’s FY23 Budget Proposal.
 
We anticipate that the subcommittee will meet on a monthly basis. If you are interested in being considered for serving on the Mascot Screening Subcommittee, please submit your interest via this survey link<https://link.edgepilot.com/s/c40a0683/2K1LBCJAB0CRx6qTSnlrYg?u=https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K99HSYJ>. We will select members of the subcommittee based on the representation outlined above. Additionally, we are seeking a committee that represents the diverse set of opinions and cultures that make up our community, and will consult with school leadership for staff-level membership. Student membership on this subcommittee will be selected by the student working group at the school.
 
We look forward to partnering with our community in this exciting endeavor. Again, to apply to participate on this committee, please use this survey link<https://link.edgepilot.com/s/c40a0683/2K1LBCJAB0CRx6qTSnlrYg?u=https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/K99HSYJ>.
 
 The deadline to apply via the survey link is Sunday, October 24, 2021.
 Sincerely,
 
 Peter Light
 Superintendent of Schools