RICHMOND PUBLIC SCHOOLS School Renamings Updated Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board Presented by: Shadae Harris, Chief Engagement Officer Venue: Richmond City School Board Meeting Date: February 18, 2020 Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9th Street | Richmond, VA | www.rvaschools.net School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board Renaming Process Step 1 - Announcement The School Board officially declared its intention to rename E.S.H. Greene Elementary School, George Mason Elementary School, the new middle school on Hull Street, and Amelia Street School last year. Step 2 – Online Submissions To facilitate the process of receiving nominations from the public, we launched an online submission form on the RPS website. We received dozens of submissions from students, families, staff, and community members. Step 3 - Public Hearings RPS held six formal public hearings to solicit suggestions for new names: • Thursday, November 14, 6:00 PM (New Middle School) • Monday, December 2, 6:30 PM (E.S.H. Greene) • Wednesday, December 11, 6:00 PM (Amelia Street) • Monday, January 6, 6:30 PM (George Mason) • Monday, January 13, 6:00 PM (E.S.H. Greene) • Monday, January 21, 6:30 PM (New Middle School) • Tuesday, January 27, 6:00 PM (George Mason) • Monday, February 3, 6:00 PM (Amelia Street) Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 2 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board Renaming Process (continued) Step 4 – Renaming Team Recommendations Each school established a “Renaming Team” consisting of students, teachers, support staff members, administrators, families, and community partners. These teams reviewed all the nominations, worked with the school community to identify three finalist names, and made a final recommendation. Phase 5 - RPS Administration Review The Administration reviewed the recommendations from the Renaming Teams and decided on final recommendations for the School Board. Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 3 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board E.S.H. Greene Elementary – List of Submitted Names • Admiral Samuel Gravely, Jr ES • Mary Elizabeth Bowser • Angela Davis ES • Mary Kapp ES • Arthur Ashe ES • Maxie Cleveland Robinson, Jr ES • Barbara Johns ES • Maya Angelou ES • Barry Greene ES • McGuire ES • Benjamin Lambert, IV ES • New World ES • Cardinal ES • Oliver Hill ES • Catalina ES • Ralph Anderson, DDS ES • Cesar Chavez ES • Rosa Dixon Bowser ES • Dorothy Height ES • Shirley Chisholm ES • Dr. Susan Garland Jones ES • Sonya Sotomayor ES • Eugene Mason, Jr ES • South Richmond ES • Fitzgerald ES • Southpoint ES • Gwendolyn Brooks ES • Southwood ES • Henrietta Lacks ES • Thomas Jefferson ES • John Mitchell, Jr ES • Thurgood Marshall ES • Lucy Goode Brooks ES • Warwick Road ES Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 4 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board E.S.H. Greene Elementary – Renaming Team Recommendations Top 3 Finalists from the Renaming Team • Cardinal Elementary School – The cardinal is the Virginia state bird. The Renaming Team pointed out that cardinals are also found in Central and South America, where most current Greene families emigrated from. • Dogwood Elementary School – The dogwood is the Virginia state tree. The Renaming Team felt this name would be representative of the beautiful, strong families who are connected to Greene. • Southside Elementary School – The Renaming Team felt this recommendation would represent all the families on the Southside of Richmond. Renaming Team’s Recommendation: The Renaming Team found that Cardinal Elementary School was the preferred choice of most students and families in the Greene community, who felt it best represented their school culture, climate, and spirit. Administration’s Recommendation to the School Board: The Administration recommends accepting the Renaming Team’s top choice: Cardinal Elementary School as the new name for E.S.H. Greene Elementary School. Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 5 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board New Middle School on Hull St – List of All Submitted Names • Admiral Samuel L. Gravely MS • Herman L Carter MS • Robert Moton MS • Ahimsa MS • Hull St Station MS • RVA Academy MS • Anthony Harris MS • Hull Street MS • Sonia Sotomayor MS • Arthur Ashe MS • James C Vaughan, Sr MS • South Richmond MS • Barbara Johns MS • Jason Kamras MS • Southside Academy MS • Bojangles Robinson MS • Katherine Johnson MS • Swanson MS • Bradley MS • La Gente MS • Sylvia Mendez MS • Donald J Trump MS • Malcolm X MS • Thomas Cannon, Jr MS • Dorothy Irene Height MS • Murphy MS • Tim & Daphne Reid MS • Dr Grace E Harris MS • Nansemond MS • Viking MS • Dr Howard Hopkins MS • New Horizons MS • Walter T Kinney, Jr MS • Elkhardt MS • Oliver Hill MS • Walter T Kinney, Sr MS • Elkhardt-Thompson MS • Phoenix MS • Wyatt T Walker MS • ETMS Vikings • Pocosham MS • Excel Academy at Hull St MS • Reid MS • Fennick O'Dare MS • River City Academy MS • Henrietta Lacks MS • River City MS • Henry L Marsh MS • Robert A Winfree, Jr MS Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 6 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board New Middle School on Hull St – Renaming Team Recommendations Top 3 Finalists from the Renaming Team • River City Middle School Academy – Since Richmond is known as the “River City” (in honor of the James River, arguably the City’s greatest geographical attraction), the Renaming Team felt this name would help bring people together and instill pride in Richmond. • RVA Middle School Academy – RVA is another popular name for Richmond, which is why the Renaming Team felt it would be an appropriate name to unite students. • Southside Middle School Academy – Finally, since the new middle school is on the Southside, the Renaming Team felt this name would bring pride to the students and families living in the new school’s attendance zone. Renaming Team’s Preferred Choice: The Renaming Team found that the community wanted to focus on geographic names that would bring the new school community together. Of the three finalists, it felt River City Middle School Academy would do so the best. Administration’s Recommendation to the School Board: The Administration recommends accepting the Renaming Team’s top choice: River City Middle School Academy for the new middle school on Hull Street. UPDATE: For simplicity and consistency, the revised recommendation is River City Middle School. Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 7 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board George Mason Elementary – List of Submitted Names • Admiral Samuel Gravely ES • Mae Carol Johnson ES • Arthur Ashe ES • Mae Jemison ES • Bill "Bojangles" Robinson ES • Michelle Obama ES • Church Hill ES • Oliver White Hill ES • Donald J Trump ES • Poe ES • Doug Wilder ES • Rosa Dixon Bowser ES • East End ES • Roy West ES • Elizabeth Van Lew ES • Simone Biles ES • Ella Fitzgerald ES • Spotswood Robinson, III ES • Ethel Bailey Furman ES • Thomas J ES • Evergreen ES • Virginia Randolph ES • George Mason ES • George Washington ES • Henry Brown ES • Henry L Marsh ES • Jason Kamras ES • Judge Robert R Merhige, Jr ES Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 8 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board George Mason Elementary – Renaming Team Recommendations Top 4 Finalists from the Renaming Team • Henry L. Marsh Elementary School – A civil rights lawyer who fought for school desegregation, Mr. Marsh is the first African-American Mayor of the City of Richmond and a former Virginia State Senator. He also attended fifth grade at George Mason ES. • Church Hill Elementary School – Since the school sits in the Church Hill neighborhood, the Renaming Team felt this name would show pride for the community. • Rosa Dixon Bowser Elementary School – Mrs. Bowser was the first African American teacher hired by Richmond Public Schools. She also helped establish the Women’s Department of the Negro Reformatory Association of Virginia and the Richmond Women's League. • Ethel Bailey Furman Elementary School – Mrs. Furman grew up in Church Hill and was Richmond's first African- American female architect. The park on which the new George Mason ES is being built was named in her honor in 1985. Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 9 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board George Mason Elementary – Renaming Team Recommendations Renaming Team’s Recommendation: The Renaming Team put forth two recommendations to consider: Henry L. Marsh Elementary School and Church Hill Elementary School. Administration’s Recommendation to the School Board: The Administration recommends Henry L. Marsh Elementary School as the new name for George Mason ES to honor one of the most important civil rights icons in Richmond’s history. UPDATE: For accuracy, the revised recommendation is Henry L. Marsh III Elementary School. Richmond Public Schools | February 18, 2020 10 School Renamings: Recommendations for the Richmond City School Board Amelia Street School – List of Submitted Names • Alexa Canady School • Robinson-Bowser Learning Center • Amelia Progressive School • Robinson-Bowser School • Arthur Ashe School • Rosa Dixon Bowser School • Barbara Johns School • Swan & Shield School • Benjamin Lambert IV School • The Resilience Center • Christine Darden School • Thelma Mealy Robinson School • Dorothy Height School • Therapeutic Learning Academy • Dr. Susan Garland Jones