by Rachel Minske
Contributing Writer
Prairie View Elementary and Middle School – the upcoming E-8 building set to open for the 2017-2018 year in Otsego – has official school colors.
Royal blue and white were the colors selected by a building steering committee, Prairie View Principal Kari Sampson said in email to students’ parents and guardians April 5.
The colors were chosen because they align with other Rogers High School feeder schools, Sampson said.
“They see the Royals as their high school,” Sampson said. “We decided we would stick with the royal blue and white. We will accent it with the green color.”
Green also appears throughout the school, including the front of the building, in the gymnasium and in some tiling and will be incorporated into the mascot, which is expected to be finalized April 18.
There are two finalists for the mascot: hawks or coyotes. The choices were narrowed down following input from students, staff and community members, Sampson said. Those involved in the selection process wanted to choose a mascot that made sense – it had to be an animal that was native to the area and the name had to flow with Prairie View Elementary and Middle School, she said.
Students, parents and staff members are invited to vote for the mascot of their choice by April 17; after that, mascots and designs will be forwarded on to architects so the design can be incorporated throughout the school.
A district communication specialist is working on mock-ups for each mascot, Sampson said.
The name for the school, located near the intersection of MacIver Avenue Northeast and 80th Street Northeast in Otsego, was developed by a committee of parents and school officials. More than 30 people initially volunteered for the committee, but the group was whittled down to 12 parents, ensuring that each grade level was represented.
The Elk River Area School Board approved the Prairie View name during a special meeting March 27.
Unlike selecting the school colors, choosing a name required following School Board policy, Sampson said.
The principal, who noted she attends weekly construction meetings, said the new school is starting to take shape.
“We have hired almost all of our teachers and we’ve started to hire more of our support staff,” she said, adding ordering furniture and organizing curriculum have also filled her days.
“Everything is falling into place,” she said.