BEAUMONT — An exciting time for the Beaumont Independent School District began Wednesday as the district unveiled the official logo and crest of Beaumont United High School.
Beaumont United is the merger of Central and Ozen, and the students voted on the colors and school mascot, the Timberwolves.
But when will all the students feel like Timberwolves? Will Panther and Jaguar rivalries remain? Are kids going to miss out academically? And how does the district pull off a merger of more than 2,000 students as two schools become one?
By August 13, the 16 classroom addition on Ozen's campus needs to be ready.
"There's going to be some friction in the beginning if I'm being real. Turf wars of sorts" said Ty Fuselier, class president of West Brook high school.
"They're going to be segregated for a few weeks or months, and then they're going to come together because they're going to have to suck it up," Amaya Washington, Ozen class president said.
BISD expects challenges, though.
"Its high school, and students make poor choices. We are going to depend heavily on our student leaders." Dr. Shannon Allen, BISD associate supernatant, said.
Dr. Allen believes that friction will be very short-lived, but she says people have to give United a chance.
Central's student body president, Alexis Popillion candidly expects a brighter day.
"Now at our schools we're not as privileged per se so having a big school - it will be better," Popillion said.
New STEM classes, a new drone program and a new robotics classes will be offered at United, and West Brook students can move to United with open enrollment.
Dr. Allen challenges any notion of any one school being privileged. Forget the perceptions, Allen says, the reality is students will have the same opportunities at United or West Brook.
And when it looks like United has brand new athletic resources?
"Its logical that we have to order new uniforms. New helmets. However we are still investing in West Brook high school as well," Allen said.
BISD says it's committing to all the same offerings for United that were available at Central and Ozen. No courses eliminated and no teaching staff eliminated.
"I've researched a lot over the last several months to find the 'book' or roadmap to how you do this and I haven't been successful in finding that. That's why we've been working with several committees," Allen said.
For their part, the students sound impressed.
But when you talk with alums, can they pulled on board?
"I think the kids will be ok. It will be the parents that are, ya know, more concerned," Steven Coleman, Central high school class of 1996, said.
At the last meeting of the Central and Ozen basketball teams, the players came together after the game, no hostility - united. So parents, it's in your court.