Beginning fall of 2026, all schools in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose school district will have one mascot: the bison. This includes the elementary schools who previously featured their own unique mascots such as the Northwinds polar bears, Hanover hornets, and Parkside eagles. All non-bison mascots are set to be discontinued after the completion of the 2025-2026 school year.
While all school names will remain the same, logos that are not currently adhering to purple and black color palette will be altered. Parkside’s logo, however, will require a complete redesign as it currently features an eagle.
This change comes as a result of a year long debate among the districts Enrollment Task Force. The decision to rebrand the schools was deemed necessary in order to maintain the long-term culture of the district and help families feel a sense of belonging, from preschool through graduation.
“We want to encourage a consistent sense of community and Bison pride, but there is currently a disconnect. Preschool programs for Little Bison yield to a variety of elementary identities before students unite as Bison again in middle and high school,” stated an email from superintendent Scott Thielman that notified the district of the change.
The email also stated that feedback gathered from elementary principals, staff, school board members, and PTO members indicated general support for moving in this direction. However, multiple alumni of the elementary schools were surprised about the rebranding, with some even mourning the loss of their beloved mascot and school song.
“It makes me sad that they’re turning everyone into a bison,” said Addilyn Gerads ‘27. “It takes away from the individuality of the school and the culture my classmates and I grew up with. It was such a big part of my elementary experience. It’s been six years and I can still recite the entire Northwinds school song, ‘We are the Polar Bears’ from memory.”
“The mascots are all different but they represent the same values,” said Lynne Franzen ‘26, a Hanover elementary alumni. “Besides, everyone gets to be a Bison 6-12 grade, the elementary schools having a unique mascot is not that big of a deal.”
“As a graduate from Parkside elementary school who was on the original committee to come up with and vote on a new mascot 20 years ago, it breaks my heart knowing the eagles are no more,” said Eathan Soeffker ‘18.
While the transformation will begin this summer, in order to prevent unnecessary expenses, the color scheme of the elementary schools will gradually change over time as pre-existing materials are used. This will allow for a more gradual transition from old to new.
