Update 9: Survey and April 26 Committee Meeting Recap

Following each meeting of the citizens advisory committee, the school renaming email group receives an email recap and an invitation to share their thoughts on the information compiled by the committee as they complete their objectives. Want to join the email group? Sign up here!

Si necesita este traducido, por favor envíe un correo electrónico a renaming@wiseburn.org.

Wiseburn Renaming Committee Updates

April 29, 2022

⬇️ Find the survey below ⬇️

SURVEY DUE MAY 6

Resuming the School Renaming Discussion

Guided by the Wiseburn USD District Assurances and with input from an advisory committee and the community, the WUSD School Board unanimously voted during the January 25 board meeting to rename all of Wiseburn’s TK-8 schools.

Now, the citizens advisory committee and community move onto the next stage of the renaming process and seek to determine the type of name, as Dr. Blake Silvers shared during the April 20 school board meeting. In this stage, the committee and community will have an opportunity to share feedback that will inform the WUSD School Board as they consider all options. District team members will also explore the costs of the renaming process and continue to update the community, committee, and school board.

Currently, the committee and community are invited to share their thoughts on the type of name they would like Wiseburn schools to have. The three options are:

Individual: Named after a person who has made significant contributions locally (to the school community) or globally (state/US/world)
Geographic: Named after the geographic area in which the school or building is located
Value/Characteristic: Named after an aspirational value or characteristic

April 26 Meeting Recap

During the committee’s fourth meeting, the group discussed the progress of the renaming process so far and what the committee’s next steps are within a draft timeline. Committee members provided feedback on the next steps, then heard about how students are being engaged in the process on their school sites.

Each school site has hosted opportunities to view a brief classroom lesson about renaming the school to inform all students about the process. If they want to be involved, students are encouraged to submit the renaming nomination form they received from their teacher. Student committee members present at the meeting noted that students were excited about the opportunity to rename their schools and to voice their ideas.

To learn more, view the meeting slides by clicking the image below:

20220426 - School Renaming Committee Meeting.png

Breakout Room Discussions

Following the presentation and brief group discussion, the committee separated into smaller breakout rooms to explore the different name types: individual, geographic, and value/characteristic.

The small groups held in-depth discussions on the pros and cons of each type of name. They also discussed what is known and unknown about each type in order to ensure all remaining questions are answered before a recommendation is made to the WUSD School Board. Below, find a summary of the committee’s pros and cons for each name type.

Name type: Individual. Pros: 1) Tangible person students can relate to and emulate. 2) Positive example of how to live, including alignment with school goals and PBIS structure. 3) Commemorates, recognizes, tells a story about, and helps the memory live on of someone who should be recognized. Cons: Community members may have different views and values regarding the selection/Potentially polarizing. 2) No one is perfect- any individual may have flaws that can be found. 3) Could become outdated- someone who is considered a role model now may not always be considered as such. Name type: Geographic. Pros: 1) Increases awareness of the district/helps with branding. 2) Promotes knowledge of historical geography. 3) Unique and personal to Wiseburn history. Cons: 1) May feel less less personal, too general, and less creative. 2) May not feel inclusive for our families living outside of geographical boundaries. 3) Does not connect to WUSD assurances. Type of name: Value/Characteristics. Pros: 1) Could easily represent WUSD assurances and demonstrate what the district is about. 2) Could support PBIS already in place and goal-setting with students and connection. 3) Less controversial. Cons: 1) Focusing on one characteristic/word could be limiting. 2) Values over time could be viewed/valued differently by society or across cultures or could change over time. 3) Might be difficult for students who struggle demonstrating that trait.

Share Your Thoughts

We hope you’ve found the feedback compiled by the committee helpful. Now, we’d like to know: what type of names should the Wiseburn schools have?

Click to take our quick survey and make your voice heard by May 6:

Provide feedback on name type

Questions? Contact renaming@wiseburn.org.

Community-wide Participation

Want to help spread the word about this process? Grab the image below to post to your social networks and get your fellow community members involved!

Use the hashtag #WUSDRenaming and tell your friends and community members to vote in the survey found on our school renaming information portal at wiseburn.org/renaming.

Next Steps

An update on the feedback from students, the committee, and the community will be shared with the WUSD School Board during an upcoming meeting.