Sleepy Eye Schools announces new mascot

Sleepy Eye Schools introduced the new Storm mascot at their Board meeting this week.

This decision was made by the District 84 Board of Education, following a legislative mandate requiring schools with Native American mascots to change before September 1, 2025. The school board voted in favor of the change, with the new mascot replacing “Indians” as the team name. The city’s name, Sleepy Eye, will remain, but the school district is changing its mascot to respect Indigenous tribes and comply with state law. 

Representatives had met with several Lower Sioux Indian Community Tribal Council members, and requested to continue to use Chief Ish-Tak-Haba as our mascot. After both sides had the opportunity to express their position, the Lower Sioux Council informed Sleepy Eye Schools that they will not support the exemption to keep the “Indian” mascot.