Add Poynette to the list of school districts that will drop its "Indians" nickname this fall.

School district officials this week revealed the five finalists from which students in grades six through 12 will choose during voting the first week of school, Poynette principal Craig McCallum told the Portage Daily Register. Their top two selections will be put to a second vote with the winner -- with school board approval -- to be revealed Oct. 1 at a pep rally.

The five finalists are:

• Bison
• Mustangs
• Panthers
• Pride
• Pumas

A bill proposed -- but not passed -- earlier this year in the state Assembly would have put officials at the Department of Public Instruction in the role of investigator of complaints about race-based nicknames, mascots or logos.

Under the proposal, the state superintendent would have convened a hearing to "determine the appropriateness of the logo." However, the burden of proving the nickname, mascot or logo did not discriminate, harass or stereotype would hae fallen on the school districts, which faced fines of $100 to $1,000 each day it continued to use the logo if found to be in violation.

"It can be a really difficult issue when you have lots of people who don't want to give up Indians, so we tried to bring up enthusiasm to outweigh the negatives that parts of our school population and community feel about the change," McCallum told the Daily Register. "Some people continue to have strong feelings about it, but less now than 10 to 15 years ago. It's been discussed long enough, a cultural sensitivity about the problems associated with a Native American nickname."

An advisory survey for members of the public is being conducted on the school's Web site at www.poynette.k12.wi.us.

Earlier this year, the Wonewoc-Center School District used an online voting process to change its nickname from Indians to Wolves. The new nickname goes into effect this fall.