Sewanhaka Superintendent James Grossane said the district will soon create a committee to move forward with changing the high school’s “Indian” nickname and mascot at the Tuesday night board of trustees meeting.
Also at the meeting, Elmont community members called for the resignation of Michael Jaime, president of the board, citing district vacancies and using a bus to attend an Obama Democracy Foundation event in New York City.
New York’s Board of Regents unanimously voted to ban the use of Native American mascots, team names, logos and depictions on April 18.
The resolution means Sewanhaka and other affected districts, including Manhasset, are required to “identify a plan to eliminate all use of the prohibited name, work, or mascot within a reasonable time, which shall be by no later than the end of the 2024-25 school year,” according to officials.
“We have established the parameters for creating a committee to discuss the requirements from the New York State Education Department to change the mascot of Sewanhaka High School from its current name of the Indians to determine a new mascot and nickname,” Grossane said. “We will surely be contacting current students, parents and alumni to form the committee and move forward with the task.”
The superintendent added there are funds set aside in the current budget to help begin the transition, which does not need to be completely fulfilled until next year. Grossane gave a rough estimate that updating the uniforms for grades seven to 12 would be approximately $200,000 and that the scoreboard and turf would need to be changed.
More historical items, such as the nearly 90-year-old mural in the high school’s cafeteria, can remain unchanged, Grossane said.
Sheldon Meikle, a former trustee on the Elmont School District Board of Education, raised concerns with Jaime regarding current vacancies in the district and his previous use of an Elmont school bus to travel to the Javitz Center in New York City for the Obama Foundation’s Democracy Forum.
No district students were on the bus for the event that former President Obama spoke at last November. Last board of education meeting, Jaime himself made a $600 donation to the district’s general fund budget, which Grossane said will be used to cover the invoice.
“Under your leadership, we have recently lost two superintendents and a principal,” Meikle said. “Do you think it is time for you to join them?”
Meikle was referring to Grossane, who is retiring at the end of the school year and being replaced by Thomas Dolan on an interim basis, Elmont Superintendent Kenneth Rosner and Elmont Memorial High School principal Kevin Dougherty.
Dougherty, who returned early from an unexpected sabbatical for the year that was announced shortly before classes started last fall, will be leaving his current role at the end of the year.
Grossane said he has heard the concerns of the Elmont community and plans to involve their input in searching for a new principal, with interviews starting the week of May 8.
At least 19 residents have submitted applications to take part in the search, of which only eight to 10 people will be chosen, Grossane added.
Rachelle Lewis asked Grosssane about what involvement Jaime and Trustee Tameka Battle Burkett, the second Elmont liaison to the high school district board alongside Jaime, will have in upcoming interviews to replace the administrators.
“We do not want either of them making a decision for us because in the past, they have not made the best decision for us,” Lewis said. “And I will get the signatures to show that if necessary.”
Grossane said administration, students and some community members will take part in the search and the board then votes on a final candidate that he recommends.