Board committee recommends naming Bloomingdale Elementary gymnasium for Dr. Ronald Wayne Bland; formal vote set for April

The Savannah‑Chatham County Board of Education received a committee recommendation to name the gymnasium at the new Bloomingdale Elementary facility for Dr. Ronald Wayne Bland and recorded the naming as a first read. The board will consider a formal vote on April 9.

Why it matters: The recommendation follows board policy FDC and its administrative regulation FDR on naming district facilities. Board policy requires a name be presented at one meeting and voted on at the next regular meeting. The gym will be part of an existing school (Bloomingdale Elementary), which is relocating into a new facility; the district emphasized that the school’s name remains Bloomingdale Elementary and the naming applies specifically to the gym.

Details from the committee: Stephanie Campbell, the board’s executive committee representative for District 7, told the board the naming committee met twice and unanimously recommended naming the gym the "Dr. Ronald Wayne Bland Gymnasium." The committee noted Bland’s long service to the school and community and that the gym’s separate vestibule would allow community access when the school is not using the facility.

What happens next: District staff and the board will return the recommendation for an official vote at the April 9 board meeting, as required by board policy.

Context: The superintendent told the board the naming process was initiated after a community recommendation and that the committee followed the district’s established naming procedures. Board members briefly discussed the history of the school name and the committee’s decision to retain the Bloomingdale Elementary name while naming the gym in Bland’s honor.

Ending: If the board adopts the recommendation on April 9, the gym will formally be designated the Dr. Ronald Wayne Bland Gymnasium and the district will publish the committee minutes and final action.