A committee tasked with selecting a new nickname and design for Chautauqua Lake Central School hopes to have two options for a student body vote next month.

Members of the Chautauqua Lake Design Committee have met twice this month as the district looks to move on from its Thunderbirds nickname.

As part of an update posted earlier this month, the committee said it will select a new nickname and logo “that truly captures the essence of our district’s values and aspirations — a symbol of pride for our community.” Feedback is being collected from students, educators, parents and other community members.

“We recognize that this process may evoke a range of emotions and opinions within our community, and we encourage open dialogue,” the committee said. “We are stronger when we listen to one another and work collaboratively to shape the future of our district.”

Committee members will select two nickname options and design options to be presented in early October. Students will then vote on the options before a final vote by the school board.

Updates on the process are being posted on the district’s website, clake.org.

The Design Committee, which includes almost 30 members representing parents, administration and staff, has been “working with members of our professional learning community to identify and bring to the board approval for a new ‘nickname’ and corresponding imagery.”

Another group, the Chautauqua Lake Campus Committee, was responsible for identifying all areas where the Thunderbirds nickname and imagery appear and the process in which they can be removed or modified.

In June, Chautauqua Lake said it was informed by the state that it could no longer use the Thunderbirds nickname “due to its Indigenous origins.” The thunderbird is part of Native American mythology, known as being a powerful spirit in the form of a bird.

The state Board of Regents in April voted to ban the use of Native American team names, mascots and logos at schools — further requiring that all references be retired by 2025 unless schools receive approval from a recognized Native American tribe.

Facing a similar situation, the Jamestown High School Nickname Committee recently announced it narrowed its options for the school’s next nickname to “Catamounts” and “Red & Green.” Students at Jamestown High School had a chance to weigh in on the school’s next nickname during the first few days of school.