By Susan Dickson
Staff Writer
The last time the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City School district named a new school, the district’s naming committee heard from hundreds of parents and community members.
School officials don’t, however, expect nearly as much input and controversy while naming the new elementary school.
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education is set tonight (Thursday) to launch the process for the naming of the school, which will open in August 2008 and will be located at the corner of Eubanks and Dromoland roads in Carrboro.
According to Stephanie Knott, assistant superintendent with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, board members will consider using the same naming process the district used to name Carrboro High School. During that process, the naming committee collected input through the district’s website, handouts given to students and student suggestions. Knott said the committee was made up of parents, town officials, school board members and administrators.
Some parents wanted the school’s name to include Chapel Hill, while others maintained that since the school is located in Carrboro it should be named simply that.
“We heard from hundreds of people, literally†Knott said, adding that she doesn’t expect as much input in the naming of the new elementary school because the name will not appear on students’ college applications.
“Right now, the field is wide open,†Knott said. “Officially, nothing’s come forward.â€
The district has already received input from some members of the community who would like the school to be named for the all-black school that was once located on the future site of the new elementary school. Morris Grove Elementary School, which was named for the former slave who built the school, closed in the 1950s.
According to the board’s policy for naming school facilities, schools can be named in honor/memory of an educational leader or financial contributor, in recognition of the school’s geographic location or in honor/memory of an educational or community leader of prominence.
In addition, the name should not be similar to the name of another school and should include the school type – elementary, middle or high – in the official name.
“Basically, we’ll assemble the committee at the end of the month and they’ll outline some processes that they’ll use to collect input from the public,†Knott said.
Under the suggested naming process, the school board will make the final decision on the school’s name at a meeting on December 20.