Board Policy 3500 - Naming of Schools District Facilities, Dedicating Areas of School District Facilities or Grounds and Erecting Monuments

I. Policy Statement

It is the responsibility of the Prince George's County Board of Education (Board) to select names of all schools and school district facilities, components of schools and school district facilities, and for erecting monuments. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Board shall carefully consider and respect community recommendations in the naming process and whether to erect a monument on Board property. It is the Board's belief that the names and monuments selected must provide recognition to individuals or organizations that have provided an educational, cultural or community influence anchored by excellence in equity, and have impacted Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) in its journey to becoming a culturally responsive district that develops distinguished learners, leaders, voices of social justice and advocates for humanity. 

II. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish an equitable process by which the Board can name or rename schools and other school district facilities, or the naming of components of schools and school district facilities or grounds or decide to erect monuments to honor individuals or organizations that make an exceptional contribution for the benefit of students and the school district.

III. Definitions

1. Components of schools or school district facilities - Areas within a school or facility, including classrooms, media centers, athletic fields, conference rooms, common areas and other components which are part of a building or site. 
2. Naming Commission - A commission made up of appointed members by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who reflect the diversity and demographics of the PGCPS student body who will determine the appropriateness of recommended names for schools, school facilities, and components of schools and school facilities or the erection of monuments to honor individuals or organizations.
3. School district facilities/grounds - Facilities that are owned by the Board but are not schools, such as: Oxon Hill Development Center, the Bonnie F. Johns Educational Media Center, etc. 

IV. Standards

1. Committee Membership
   1. The CEO shall ensure the appointment of a committee for the purpose of naming a new school, naming newly-consolidated schools, or renaming existing schools and school district facilities, and naming components of school district facilities and whether to erect a monument on school grounds.
      1. New Schools/Consolidated Schools/Existing Schools
         The committee membership shall consist of a minimum of two (2) citizens who live in the area in which the school is located, two (2) parents of students who attend or will be attending the school in question; two (2) students who attend or are likely to attend the school; two (2) staff members as designated by the CEO, and one (1) Parent Teacher Association Board Member or a parent leader identified by the Principal of the school if there is no established PTO/PTA/PTSA.
      2. School District Facilities and Grounds
         The committee membership shall consist of a minimum of three (3) citizens who live in the area in which the facility or grounds are located, and two (2) staff members as designated by the CEO.
      3. Components of Schools or Schools District Facilities and Monuments
         The committee membership shall consist of a minimum of two (2) citizens who live in the area in which the school is located, or the school where the monument would be erected, two (2) parents of students who attend or will be attending the school in question; two (2) students who attend or are likely to attend the school; two (2) staff members as designated by the CEO, and one (1) Parent Teacher Association Board Member. or a parent leader identified by the Principal of the school if there is no established PTO/PTA/PTSA. 
2. Naming Commission
   The CEO will establish a Naming Commission with appointed members that reflect the diversity and demographics of the student body. The CEO will determine the number of participants, eligibility of the membership, and terms of service.  
3. Naming/Renaming Process
   1. New Schools/Consolidated Schools/Existing Schools
      1. Schools shall be named after living or deceased individuals who have made significant contributions to students and the school district; the history and/or general location or geographical features of the area; or the stated goals of the school. Names of existing schools or combinations thereof shall not be re-used except in those cases where existing schools are being closed and/or merged or discontinued as public schools.
      2. The committee shall submit its three (3) proposed names to the school principal/designee who will submit the three (3) proposed names to the Naming Commission.
      3. The Naming Commission will evaluate the three (3) proposed names utilizing the evaluation methodology and scoring rubric developed by the Prince George's County Council Responsible Legacy Task Force (RLTF) and provide the results of the evaluation back to the committee and school principal. If any of the names do not meet the criteria established by the RLTF, the committee will be provided an opportunity to identify replacement names. These replacement names will be submitted to the Naming Commission to evaluate utilizing the RLTF. Ultimately, those names that meet the criteria, along with evaluation results, will be submitted by the school principal to the CEO. The CEO shall recommend the three (3) proposed names in order of preference to the Board for final selection and approval.
      4. A brief narrative and/or plaque explaining the naming or renaming of the facility should be exhibited in a prominent place within the facility. 2. School District Facilities/Grounds a.  School district facilities/grounds owned by the Board shall be named after the geographical location of the facility, its use for a new purpose, or for a prominent living or deceased person who made an exceptional contribution to students and the school district.  
   2. School District Facilities/Grounds
      1. School district facilities/grounds owned by the Board shall be named after the geographical location of the facility, its use for a new purpose, or for a prominent living or deceased person who made an exceptional contribution to students and the school district.
      2. The naming or renaming of school district facilities/grounds shall follow the same requirements as for naming new schools/consolidated schools and existing schools as stated above. except that the committee must submit the three (3) proposed names directly to the Naming Commission. The names that meet the criteria, along with the evaluation results, will be submitted by the committee to the CEO.
   3. Components of Schools or School District Facilities and Monuments
      1. Components of schools or school district facilities may be named in honor of a person, living or deceased. In addition, placement of monuments on school grounds to honor a person, living or deceased, may be considered. The name or monument must be for a prominent person who is making or who made an exceptional contribution to students and the school district
      2. The naming of a component of a school or school district facility or the placement of a monument on school grounds shall follow the same requirements as for naming new schools/consolidated schools and existing schools as stated above in section IV.B.1.b & c.
4. Limitations on Naming Schools, School District Facilities, Components of Schools or School District Facilities, and Erecting Monuments
   1. No school, school district facility or grounds, or component of a school or school district facility or grounds shall be named after an individual whose positions, opinions and/or reputation is inconsistent with the mission and vision of the Board and PGCPS. This same ethos applies to the erection of a monument.
   2. No school, school district facility or grounds, or component of a school or school district facility or grounds shall be named after an employee of PGCPS unless they have been separated from employment for at least three (3) years. This same ethos applies to the erection of a monument.
   3. The Board shall have discretionary authority to rescind a name at any time based on an action by a private individual or organization that is deemed by the Board to be inappropriate and/or in conflict with the current values of the Board and PGCPS.
5. Plaques for New School Buildings or School District Facilities New school buildings and/or facilities will be adorned with a permanent plaque in the front interior of the building with the names of the Board members and the CEO that were in office during the final approval process to build the new school and/or facility. 
6. Repository of Names The CEO shall maintain an updated master list of past names of schools with historically significant names that have been retired. Retired names shall be reserved for future consideration when school facilities are renamed or when new school facilities are opened. The pool of historic names will be populated with names of school facilities that have been closed or renamed since 2000. Committees should consider the list of past names in determining the recommended names for new schools or renaming schools.

V. Implementation and Responsibilities

1. The CEO is directed to develop administrative procedures to implement this policy.
2. The CEO is directed to appoint members to the Naming Commission that reflect the diversity and demographics of the student body. The CEO will determine the number of participants, eligibility of the membership, and terms of service of the members. 

VI. References

VII. History

Policy Adopted 4/12/60

Policy Amended 4/12/88

Policy Amended 1/12/89

Policy Amended 12/02/91

Policy Amended 4/24/03

Policy Amended 6/10/04

Policy Reviewed - No Revisions Required 10/22/04

Policy Reviewed - No Revisions Required 10/04/05

Policy Reviewed - No Revisions Required 11/28/06

Policy Amended 11/21/13

Policy Amended 03/23/23

Documents

• Board Policy 3500 - Naming of Schools District Facilities, Dedicating Areas of School District Facilities or Grounds and Erecting Monuments.pdf