Staff Report
KYLE – The issue dominated Hays CISD-related social media and many school board discussions over the summer is on the back burner for now.
It’s now official that the Rebel is out as the mascot at Hays High School but, according to a district spokesman, the process to replace it is now “on hold.”
That’s in order to focus on getting school back open, explained Tim Savoy.
“Last week was our first in-person week,” Savoy told the Hays Free Press/News Dispatch on Oct. 9. “Now that school is up and running with the COVID protocols in place, we will turn our attention to designing a process and timeline to select a new mascot.”
Saying he expects that process to begin in either in December before the winter break, or in January when classes resume, and that it will occur in stages.
“Phase one will entail a nomination, review, and selection process but the specifics haven’t been determined. Once the mascot depiction is determined, we’d need to order uniforms, etc. We hope to have phases 1 and 2 before we go on spring break.”
The cost hasn’t been determined but depend on the cost of uniforms and that’s won’t be known until bids are obtained.
“Students will be involved in the nomination and voting process,” he said, and will likely also be a part of the graphics design process.”
He noted that the city of Kyle is responsible for renaming that portion of FM 150 that was previously called Rebel Drive.
“I’ll let them comment on where they are with that process and whether they plan to name the road after the new mascot. We’d be supportive of their decision either way.
