Damakant Jayshi

The Wausau School District has narrowed down the names of potential mascots to 13 and added an additional popular selection after the result of the second survey on the decision, a statement from the district said.

The district received 2,500 responses in the survey.

“We will be reaching out to our focus groups so that they can come together to talk about your top ideas and identify which ones will move on to the next round,” the WSD statement said. “Warjacks will also go before the focus groups as a potential mascot for our newly merged junior and senior high schools.” 

Warjacks, the name of Wausau’s youth hockey league, has emerged as a popular choice. Initially, district officials had said the name was not being considered, but that changed after parents pushed for its inclusion.

Additional potential mascot names are Raptors, Gladiators, Wolverines, War Hawks, Wolves, Granite Crushers, Woodsmen, Wolfpack, Titans, Loggers, Mountaineers, Patriots, and Wildcats. Each of these choices had received more than 150 votes.

As part of high school rebranding, the district has been seeking feedback from the community for a single mascot when East and West combine to form a junior and senior high school in 2025. In July, the school board approved high school names and color schemes and but held off on the mascot choice. Board members then asked for community feedback on the matter.

The district plans to convene the two focus groups in October. The results of this second survey, along with the feedback from the focus groups, will be shared with the Wausau School Board for discussion and consideration in November. Thereafter, the district will conduct a third community-wide survey “to help inform the School Board.”

One focus group comprises parents, guardians and staff and has about 110 volunteered members, the district’s Communications Coordinator Diana White told Wausau Pilot & Review. “If more people reach out asking to be part of this group, we’ll gladly add them.”

The second group, involving students, is still being formed.

“We’re working on forming a student focus group with the help of our principals and activities directors,” White said.

White said they offered every parent or guardian and staff member within the Wausau School District an opportunity to be part of a mascot focus group and drew interest from more than 100 people.