Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Naming Historic Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trustees discuss renaming Abraham Lincoln Fine Arts Academy; no name change voted
Summary
Trustees discussed whether to revert Abraham Lincoln Fine Arts Academy to Abraham Lincoln Middle School and the potential of designating the historic building as a museum or landmark, but deferred any formal name change while planning proceeds.
The Port Arthur ISD Board of Trustees discussed but did not vote to rename Abraham Lincoln Fine Arts Academy, a topic brought forward after the district's successful bond election.
Trustee Gilwood introduced the item, asking the board to consider returning the campus name to Abraham Lincoln Middle School as part of conversations about the facility's long-term use. "We should consider that mainly because if we're gonna make this a historical landmark, it would possibly have to go back to being what it originally was," Trustee Gilwood said.
Trustee Diane Brown and other trustees urged forward-looking planning rather than an immediate name change. "Rather than go backwards to what we used to have, let's move forward," Dr. Ryan (board member) said, urging staff and trustees to consider program enhancements and budget needs for any fine-arts or specialty programming.
District staff told trustees that the historic Abraham Lincoln property dates back to about 1919 and that discussions about a historical landmark designation could include converting the old building into a museum. Staff also noted that the fine-arts academy model has been in place only about three years, and that naming and designation decisions will be revisited during consolidation and design work for a new middle school.
Outcome: the item was discussed and no renaming motion was approved; trustees asked staff to continue planning and to bring naming paperwork and historic-designation considerations back for future discussion.
