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Student senate asks board for clarity on graduation cords policy and mascot process
Summary
Students urged the Shenendehowa Central School District board to clarify BOE Policy 7225 on graduation cords and explained concern that the district lacks an official mascot, asking how a replacement for the 'Plainsman' name will be chosen.
Student representatives told the Shenendehowa Central School District Board of Education that they want clearer rules for which student groups may have courts, cords and sashes at graduation and asked for a defined process to select a new mascot name.
At the board meeting, a student speaker said BOE Policy 7225 determines which clubs and honor societies can have cords and graduation courts and asked the board to provide a clearer explanation of the criteria used to approve those recognitions. The speaker cited UNICEF as an example of a club that provides academic and charitable work and asked whether such organizations could meet the criteria to have a court at graduation.
The student also raised the absence of an agreed district mascot since the school stopped using the Plainsman name. The speaker asked how the board planned to select a new mascot or animal to represent the high school and described confusion among opposing schools and attendees about what Shenendehowa “is” at athletic events.
Board leadership did not take formal action on the requests during the meeting but said they would “circle back” and review the items. The board president indicated the comments were noted and that the board would follow up at a later time.
Why it matters: Graduation regalia and school mascots are visible symbols that affect student recognition, school identity and community messaging. Students seeking clear criteria for cords and the mascot-selection process want transparency so clubs and student groups understand eligibility and how to request exceptions.
The board’s next steps: Board members asked for the matter to be revisited; no formal directive to staff or timeline was recorded at the meeting.
Community context: The remarks came during the student comment portion of a business meeting that covered multiple consent items and personnel announcements. The transcript records students reporting about open houses, homecoming attendance and activity planning before moving into the policy and mascot questions.
