SACO — Saco Middle School athletes could in the future wear maroon and gold, matching the uniform colors of Thornton Academy athletes.

The changing of Saco Middle School’s colors is up for discussion at tonight’s School Board meeting.

Saco Middle School Principal Laurie Wood said the school is in need of replacing many of its athletic uniforms, and a survey went out to parents to see if they wanted to change the school’s colors. Those colors have been blue and yellow as far as any staff can remember, said Wood.

More than 200 surveys were completed, and the majority of parents were in favor of moving away from blue and yellow and adopting maroon and gold, which are Thornton Academy’s colors. Thornton Academy is a private school which serves as the city’s high school.

“I want to be responsive to the community’s request,” said Wood.

Wood said with the recent breakup of Regional School Unit 23, many people are feeling a need to bring unity to the community as Saco rebuilds a single municipality school district, and this is one way to bring that unity.

She said parents were in favor of raising money to replace uniforms, instead of the School Board allocating money for a complete do-over, should the colors change.

Wood said there is a small amount of money already in the budget that can be used for some uniform replacement, and there will be a fundraising effort, should the school switch over to maroon and gold. She said should the school adopt the new colors, new uniforms will be phased in incrementally.

Regardless of what the school’s colors are, the school mascot will remain the Bobcat, said Wood.

Superintendent of Schools Michael Pulsifer said he wasn’t sure if it was technically necessary for the School Board to vote on the proposed color change, but he felt the board should be informed and be part of the decision-making process.

Pulsifer said in Biddeford, where the middle and high schools have the same colors, there is “a wave of orange and black in the stands” at athletic events.

Pulsifer said he is supportive of what the school community wants.

“It’s the kids, it’s their school,” he said.

A posting on the Saco Middle School Facebook about the proposed change has 55 comments, overwhelmingly in favor of switching to maroon and gold.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].