Sale of surplus uniforms clears way for Knights to emerge

Mountain View Middle School has closed and students are moving into East Valley Middle School. But those former Lancers will not become Squires. In fact, the Squires will no longer be the Squires; all students in the district will now be Knights, proudly displaying their green and white.

But that change left the district with one question: What to do with the Lancers and Squires uniforms?

So Friday, from 2 to 6 p.m., the district will hold a giant clearance sale to move out the old softball, cross country, football, wrestling and other uniforms.

There will be items from both middle schools up for grabs including singlets, sweatshirts, track suits and baseball uniforms.

“Most of this stuff will be a buck an item,” said Joe Kostecka, assistant principal and athletic director of East Valley High School.

He said there are some newer items, such as a Lancer wrestling hoodie that might go for about $10. The funds will help offset the cost of new uniforms.

Kostecka said he expects there to be about 1,500 items for anyone who wishes to own a piece of memorabilia from their middle school days. He hopes to sell everything Friday on a first-come-first-served basis.

Along with the funds from the sale, all administrators in the district gave up three vacation days to help offset the costs of new green-and-white uniforms for the middle-level students. The uniforms will be used districtwide once all of the schools have moved to a prekindergarten through eighth-grade system.

The school board has already declared the Lancers and Squires uniforms surplus, and some were given to the Freeman School District, which will modify them slightly. Now that other school districts have had their chance to get what they need, the public gets a chance to see what’s for sale.

“Now it’s open season,” Kostecka said.