Franklin Community School Corporation
Bylaws & Policies
 

7250 - NAMING SCHOOL FACILITIES

The School Corporation recognizes that individuals have made, and will continue to make extraordinary contributions to the success of the School Corporation and its stakeholders. The School Corporation may acknowledge these individuals for their service, efforts, and contributions above and beyond the normal expectations of the School Corporation and its students by naming a facility or part thereof after that individual. Recognizing an individual is an important matter that deserves thoughtful attention. Personal bias, favoritism, political pressure, or temporary popularity should not be an influence in choosing a name.

Considerable care must be used when naming a school facility, part of a facility, or an area after an individual. Recognizing that the ethnic and cultural composition of the local school community will change and that school/facility names are permanent, the name(s) selected should have broad acceptance in the community. Individuals receiving such honorable recognition will be those who have made outstanding contributions and demonstrated excellence in their endeavors over a long period of time. If a school facility is demolished, the name of that facility may be used again.

 A.Naming New Buildings
  Buildings, at any level, may be named for presidents, statesmen, heroes of national, state or local fame, local educators, community and civic leaders, events, groups, or places. Any individual person whose name is recommended shall be deceased or retired for at least five (5) years, in order to provide perspective regarding the contribution of the individual or individuals.

Citizens, Board members, and school personnel may submit names for consideration. In selecting names, special consideration will be given to those name that will have special meaning to students and citizens.

A new building will be named after its construction has become a financial reality, the site selected and the architect approved. No two (2) school facilities shall be given the same or similar name.

 

Process for Considering Nominations

 

When a school building is to be named, the Board will appoint a committee from the geographic area of that school. The committee will include the Superintendent of Schools (or his/her designee) as chairperson, the principal of a school serving the same level, and at least eight (8) other citizens in the community which shall include at least three (3) teachers.

 

The Superintendent will review the recommendation(s) and may submit it to the Board for approval, reject it and/or return the recommendation to the committee for further review or clarification.

 

The Board will make the final determination on which individuals will be recognized and how.

 B.Naming a Portion of a Building, Facility, or Area
  The Board will consider requests from school and community groups to name a portion of a building, facility, or area for a person provided the proposed name has special significance and/or the person has made an outstanding contribution to the school or school system. Any individual person whose name is recommended shall be deceased or retired for at least five (5) years.
  A portion of a building may be named to honor one (1) or more individuals, events, or places. Examples of such areas would include: gymnasium, stadium, playground, auditorium, library, pool, etc. The proposed name for a portion of the building must be approved by the Board in advance. Any plaque to recognize the naming of a portion of a building shall be no larger than 18" x 24". The plaque and location of the plaque shall be approved by the Board before it is prepared.

 

Process for Considering Nominations for a Portion of a Building, Facility, or Area

   
 

Upon receipt of a nomination, the Superintendent of Schools (or his/her designee) shall convene a committee to consider the request and shall notify the Board that such a committee has been convened. The committee shall review all information and forward a recommendation to the Superintendent who will review the recommendation(s) and may submit it to the Board for approval, reject it and/or return the recommendation to the committee for further review or clarification.

   
 

The Board will make the final determination on which individuals will be recognized and how.

 C.Renaming of Facilities
  Ordinarily a building will not be renamed unless the current name becomes obsolete or inappropriate because of the community it serves or the program it houses. Unless extraordinary circumstances exist, schools named for a person will retain that person's name as part of the building's name as long as the facility is used for instructional purposes by the Corporation. When the use of a school changes and it no longer houses a regular school program, the Board, upon the recommendation of the school administration or the community, may consider changing the name of the facility only if the proposed new name has special significance as outlined above.
  Process for Considering the Renaming of Facilities
  Upon receipt of a request to change the name of a facility the Superintendent of Schools (or his/her designee) shall convene a committee to consider the request and shall notify the Board that such a committee has been convened. The committee shall review all information and forward a recommendation to the Superintendent who will review the recommendation(s) and may submit it to the Board for approval, reject it and/or return the recommendation to the committee for further review or clarification.
  The Board will make the final determination on which individuals will be recognized and how.

 D.Private Contributions and the Naming of a Building, Facility, or Area
  In the event a contributor makes a donation to the Corporation which enables the Corporation to construct or remodel a building, facility, or area, the Board may waive any or all guidelines regarding the naming of a facility or portion of a facility. Specifically, if the naming of a facility or a portion of a facility is a condition of a gift to the School Corporation, and the Board believes the size of the gift warrants such action, the Board may approve the name designated by the donor. In addition, the Board may contractually agree to the naming of a facility or part thereof.

E. Public Discussion

If a name is advanced for recognition, the request will be placed on the public Board agenda as a discussion item with action deferred to a later meeting. In no case shall the Board act immediately on a recommendation to name a facility without giving the community the opportunity to provide input in a public Board meeting.

The Board of School Trustees may waive any procedural step referenced in this policy.

Adopted 10/05