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Meeting Date:
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Category:
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Old Business and Action Items |
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Type:
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Subject:
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Request to Rename Matthew Maury Elementary School--15 mins. |
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ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:
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Goal 1: Systemic Alignment ACPS will build a culture of continuous improvement and design equitable systems for school and instructional improvement. Goal 4: Strategic Resource Allocation ACPS will strategically provide differentiated resources and supports to schools and departments. Goal 5: Family and Community Engagement ACPS will ensure that all families and community members feel welcomed, respected, and valued.
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Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable):
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File Attachment:
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Agenda Item Summary:
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On August 6, 2020, the School Board received a request to rename Matthew Maury Elementary School that was accompanied by at least 100 signatures of Alexandria residents as required by Regulation FF-R. The newly proposed name is “The Parker-Gray Rosemont School.”
The rationale for the request is:
“Matthew Fontaine Maury was a confederate soldier who fought in support of slavery...[His] actions surrounding the Civil War and slavery were indefensible...While [the] name Parker-Gray Rosemont School is just a placeholder, it represents the significance of engaging both parts of our school community in this decision. [We are] hoping that this change...can be an effective way to start to bridge the gap and ignite the process to ensure equity for all our students.” |
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Background:
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Policy FF and Regulation FF-R outline the School Board’s authority to name and rename new and existing schools and other school division facilities. Renaming requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation, including 100 signatures of Alexandria residents.
Specifically, Section III. of Regulation FF-R provides that “the School Board may, at its discretion, consider requests to rename an existing school. The following procedure shall be followed when renaming an existing school to honor individuals or to recognize places or historical events for their contribution to the community or their impact on it.” Upon receipt of a valid request, Section III.B. directs the Board to determine whether it will vote “to pursue a request to rename an existing school.”
A vote to consider the request is not a vote to rescind the current name and does not commit the Board to any future renaming. It is a vote that directs “the Superintendent [to] follow the naming process as outlined in Section I.” This includes initiating a robust public engagement process to solicit community nominations and/or voting, development of a timetable, cost estimates, a list of tasks required and a summary report by the Superintendent with recommendations to the Board (Reg. FF-R, Section I.). Once the Superintendent’s recommendations have been presented at a Board Meeting for information, a public hearing is required prior to any Board action to rename the school or facility.
In lieu of voting to consider a request, other alternatives available to the Board include taking no action on a renaming request or voting to deny the request. |
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Recommendation
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The Superintendent recommends that the School Board review the attached petition and officially consider the request to rename Matthew Maury Elementary School. |
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Approvals:
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Recommended By: |
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Signed By: |
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Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr. - Superintendent |
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