Review Agenda Item
Meeting Date: 2/8/2018 - 7:00 PM
Category: New Business and Reports to the Board
Type: Info
Subject: New West End Elementary School Naming Recommendation
ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
Objective 2.3 Community Engagement
ACPS will actively engage families, students, staff, and community members regarding school programs and activities, volunteer opportunities, and events.
Policy: FFA - Non-Sponsored Naming and Renaming of School Division Facilities
Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)
File Attachment:
180208_Memo_Naming_Recommendations_for_New_West_End_School.pdf
180208_Presentation_West_End_School_Naming_Committee_Recommendation_FINAL.pdf
180208_Bios_Recommended_Names_West_End_Elementary.pdf
180208_Naming_Recommendations_for_West_End_Elementary_School_as_of_180201.pdf
180105_Naming_Recommendations_Received_as_of_1-05-18_FINAL.pdf
171129_West_End_Elementary_School_Projected_Student_Statistics_and_Attendance_Zone_2.pdf
171206_Updated_Outreach_West_End_school_naming.pdf
171108_ACPS_Methods_of_Communications_Final.pdf
171108_Policy_FF_Public_Dedication_of_Facilities.pdf
Agenda Item Summary: On October 26, 2017, in accordance with Policy FF: Public Dedication of Facilities, the School Board appointed an ad hoc Facilities Naming Committee to develop naming recommendations for the new West End Elementary School. The committee is chaired by the School Board Vice Chair, and is structured to include nine Alexandria residents selected by the Board and one resident selected by City Council. However, the City-appointed representative was unable to serve and was not replaced. The committee and its staff liaisons, the Clerk of the Board and the Director of Communications, were tasked with a robust community outreach effort to solicit and review naming recommendations for the new school, and to ultimately submit at least three names to the School Board for its consideration.

II. Naming Committee Recommendations*
The committee recommends that the School Board consider the four names below for the West End Elementary School. They are not ranked and are in no particular order.
(* For further details on each name, please see the attached biographies.)

Katherine Johnson Elementary School
Day-Ochoa Elementary School (for Ferdinand T. Day and Dr. Ellen Ochoa)
Sonia Sotomayor Elementary School
Barack and Michelle Obama Elementary School
Background: In 2017, the Alexandria City School Board purchased the properties located at 1701/1705 N. Beauregard Street to convert them for use as an elementary school, outdoor play space and parking garage. The new elementary school is projected to open in September 2018. Considered a “newly constructed school facility,” under Policy FF: Public Dedication of Facilities, the School Board appointed the West End Elementary School Naming Committee to develop recommendations for the Board. The final decision for naming the new elementary school is made by the Board. Following such a process not only adheres to Policy FF, but also to Policy BCF: Advisory Committees to the School Board, and Policy KC: Community Involvement in Decision Making.
Recommendation: The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review the West End Elementary School Naming Committee’s proposed names for the new school.
Approvals:
Recommended By:
Signed By:
Final-Clerk of the Board - Proxy