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Logo Information

Logo Stakeholder Letter & Application

To:  Letchworth Community and Alumni

From:  Todd Campbell, LCS Superintendent

Tyler King, Athletic Director/Assistant Principal

Date: October 5, 2023

Letchworth CSD is beginning the process of determining a new logo/school emblem per NYSED guidelines.  We realize that this will be a challenging journey this year.  There are passionate memories and a respectful culture of being an “Indian” for many years at LCS, but under the current circumstances that is not a viable logo that can remain.

This link can provide the facts if you want to understand how we got to this place.   

Link for FAQ: https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/indigenous-education/indigenous-mascot-regulation-background-and-faq.pdf

The Letchworth Board of Education has tasked the District to develop a plan to gather ideas and encourage shared decision making from our community, alumni, faculty, staff and students with our new school logo/name.  We have been developing this plan over the past several months and are ready to get started. 

Our first step is to assemble a Stakeholder Group that can be the “think tank” behind this process.  Mr. Campbell and  Mr. King will co-facilitate this group and be a liaison between the School, BOE and community to keep everyone up to date on the progress. The members of the Stakeholder Group (SG) are intended to consist of students, faculty-staff, coaches, parents within the community, BOE members, alumni and local business owners.  A maximum of 15 members will be selected from applicants who have a sincere interest in working collaboratively toward a new school logo.

We encourage anyone who would like to commit to this process to fill out an application for consideration. 

Applications must be submitted no later than Monday, October 16, 2023.

Applications can be accessed on our website or hard copies in any school office.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Superintendent Campbell at tcampbell@letchworh.k12.ny.us or 585-493-5450.

Sincerely,

Todd Campbell and Tyler King

Commitments:

  • Be present at all monthly meetings, beginning in October 2023 (Time: TBD- 2x/month)

  • Be informed and a contributing member

Below you can see a Draft of the current timeline that will be updated as the Stakeholder Group (SG) will manage and adapt as the process develops.  Also included, are documents that may help answer your questions about the new logo requirement and name regulations from NYSED.

June of 2023- COMPLETED

  • Inform the public through ParentSquare and Summer newsletter the process the LCS BOE has been working on to preserve the current logo and next steps. (include the FAQ)

  • End of June, the formation of a resolution from the BOE to move forward with a new logo/emblem exploration.

September- October of 2023 - COMPLETED

  • Co-Chairs: Todd Campbell-Tyler King and a selected HS student

  • Distribute an application (Parentsquare/website) to ask for Stakeholder Group (SG) participation.- due October 16, 2023

  • Choose Stakeholder Group (limit of 15 members plus co-chairs)

  • First SG mtg to review timeline and protocols. - November 1, 2023

November- January of 2024 - COMPLETED

  • Distribute a logo survey to gather feedback and possible new logo ideas.

  • SG will develop a list of preferred logos from the survey to be submitted for a vetting process by January 31, 2024

February of 2024 - COMPLETED

  • Stakeholder group will present findings to Board of Education
  • Stakeholder group will send list out for a vote to narrow down a finalist list (Distributed on ParentSquare, Social Media and website).
  • SG will narrow the logo selection down to top choices.

March/April of 2024 - In Process

  • Vote held by the LCS student body, faculty/staff and community residents for the new logo/name (in person ballots) - starts April 12, 2024

  • Unveiling of the new logo and the retiring of Indians.

  • Unveiling name - click here

  • Remain the Indians until the end of the school year 2024

Summer of 2024 and September of 2024

  • Begin the process of changing school branding

  • Implementation of branding completed by September of 2025

Indigenous Mascot Regulation Background and FAQ Document (attachment)

  • The New York State Board of Regents adopted a new Part 123 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education relating to prohibiting the use of Indigenous team names, mascots, and logos by public schools on April 18, 2023.

  • The language in that regulation was clear: team names, mascots, and logos derived from, or that have connections to, Indigenous peoples, in the past or at present, which are being used without the express consent of such peoples are contrary to the requirements of the regulation and New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act and must change.

  • Most applicable districts across New York have already undertaken a community-based approach toward implementing this requirement.

  • To further facilitate this, NYSED has released a Background and Frequently Asked Question document (attached). This document is also posted on the NYSED website at https://www.p12.nysed.gov/natamer/mascot-guidance.html.

  • Questions regarding this can be sent to mascotadvisory@nysed.gov.

  • Link to the letter from Letchworth CSD requesting to maintain our current name and logo to the Seneca Nation.