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| Public’s input sought on naming new elementary |
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3/16/2018
By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer
The Montgomery County Board of Education is seeking suggestions from the public for the naming of the new elementary school.
Montgomery County Intermediate School is being converted into an elementary school next school year, but no name has been chosen for the elementary.
When the school was originally being built, with intentions then to be used as an elementary, it was known as North Elementary. A decision was then made to make the school an intermediate for fifth and sixth grades.
For now, the district has been referring to it as Montgomery County Elementary School until an official name can be selected.
The task of naming the new school will be up to the school board, which voted at a special meeting March 8 to open up the process to suggestions from the public.
“There’s a hundred possibilities and I’m sure the public will give them to us,” board chair Alice Anderson said.
Superintendent Matt Thompson told the board that from his experience naming a school after a particular person is very difficult because a community has so many worthy individuals. He suggested looking in other directions, such as geographical characteristics.
Anderson noted that Adena Springs is located near the school and the area is just south of where several Indian mounds have been discovered over the years.
A state policy states that when the board engages in a major construction project that it seek the advice of employees and citizens of the school district, “as appropriate,” in determining the scope and educational specifications of the construction project.
“Although suggestions may be considered, property or portions thereof may be named or renamed only by the board,” the policy states. “Facilities may be named in honor of a former employee or community member who in some manner made a significant contribution to the district.
“In addition to entire facilities, areas subject to this provision include a gym/arena, auditorium, library/media center, cafeteria or any outdoor property (courtyard, stadium, field or sub-parcel of land where students participate in extra- and co-curricular activities), the policy also states.
The district has named facilities after individuals in the past. Some examples include J.B. McNabb Middle School, Cunningham Field, Bobby Joe Whitaker Field and Tommy Reffitt Field.
The MCHS Arena, however, was not named after an individual even though several suggestions were made to the board at the time.
The public can make suggestions for the new name at www.montgomery.kyschools.us/Content2/name-suggestions-new-elementary.
The board is expected to discuss the suggestions at its next work session 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, at the Montgomery County High School cafeteria.
A mascot for the new school would be selected by its site-base decision-making council.
In other action, the board approved revisions to the job description and salary of the executive administrative position at Central Office.
The current executive assistant, Cindy Kincaid, recently announced that she is leaving at the end of the month to pursue another opportunity.
Under the approved revisions, the position will no longer require a college degree. The position will now require a high school diploma or equivalent with a college degree “preferred.”
The position will no longer be salaried, but hourly equal to the district’s human resources manager.
For a person with no experience the position would pay approximately $40,000 per year, Thompson said.
The superintendent said he has some interviews lined up for a replacement this week and hopes to have someone on board so they can train with Kincaid for a few days before she leaves.
The next regular board meeting is 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, in the MCHS cafeteria. Meetings are open to the public.
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