This time next school year, Marion County sports fans will be able to root for or against South Marion High School. A lucky group of students and community members around the Marion Oaks area had the chance to choose how their new school will be remembered.
After a survey, South Marion will be the home of the Bears, a spokesperson for the Marion County School Board confirmed to the Star-Banner. For football fans, the logo might remind you of the NFL’s Chicago Bears.
They’ll have a similar color scheme as the Bears, too. If you have old Bears gear or an Auburn Tigers jersey, you’ll fit right into the crowd as when the doors open in August 2026.
South Marion is set to become the first public school to open in Marion County since West Port made its debut in 2000.
Ocala’s newest school will be located at 1350 SW 165th Street. Dunnellon and Belleview will be the closest schools to Bear territory.
South Marion has not announced who will be its athletic director or who will fill out its coaching staffs for football and the school’s other sports. According to a spokesperson for the School Board, the school will host a career fair on March 6 at the Marion Oaks Community Center in hopes to fill open positions. The high school is projected to bring 130-140 new teaching positions to the area.
Reports indicate South Marion will have roughly 2,000 students in its first year of operation. It will join Belleview and West Port as the 5A schools in Marion County. Only Forest will compete in a larger classification than the Bears.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County’s new South Marion High School’s mascot, team colors are set
Reporting by Allen Pettigrew Jr., Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
