With a 54% majority vote, Cobras will be the new mascot replacing Chiefs for Canton High School. The runner-up was the Cardinals with 28% of the vote.
The decision was announced over the Canton High School overhead speakers on November 27, 2023, at the end of third hour.
During the week of Nov. 13, Canton students were encouraged to submit sketches of the top three mascots: the cobras, cardinals, or coyotes. In a district email on Nov. 17, P-CEP administration announced that the highest-voted sketches would be rendered by a professional marketing team for the new mascot.
All sketches and designs submitted by students will not be released to the public until they have been approved by the P-CCS Board of Education. A decision can be expected before Winter Break begins, said Canton High School Principal David Reed-Nordwall, as he shared his excitement over the new designs. “There are some really cool designs. I’m really excited about it.”
The Chiefs mascot will continue as the official mascot for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year as the logo will be seen around the school, on sports gear, and at the Canton Connection school store. Efforts have been made to cover up some of the signs around the school, and the Canton Connection school store has been discounting their products with the chief mascot.
The next steps for moving forward with the new mascot will be to finalize the art concept designs and then present the options to the P-CCS Board of Education for approval. If implemented, steps to amend the imagery such as the signs, digital media, and Canton Connection school store products will begin.
In regards to the accompanied costs that come with a mascot change, Reed-Nordwall said, “We’re trying to do it in a way that makes sense and [minimizes] costs.”
A more detailed explanation of the next steps for the mascot change can be found in the Embracing Change document sent out to P-CCS families on September 11, 2023.
“We’re just really excited. We know there’s been a lot of input,” said Reed-Nordwall. “There’s been a lot of people with a lot of different opinions to it, but [we’re] just really grateful overall and now [look to] move forward.”
The final three P-CCS Board of Education meetings before Winter Break will be held on Nov. 28 at 7:00 p.m., Nov. 29 at 5:30 p.m., and Dec. 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the E.J. McClendon Educational Center.
Steve • Jan 7, 2024 at 11:21 am
Your Principal used a bunch of words to say absolutely nothing. Our kids have a grim future with leaders like this. Its no surprise here that people didnt vote. They are disgusted with leadership leading from the rear. Word salads make no sense and surely must be acidic when leaving the mouth. Go Chiefs, Class of 83!!