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Board hears options to name Red Apple STEAM spaces for Dr. Laurel Clark; members favor STEAM center, memorabilia and a mural
Summary
District staff proposed four naming concepts to honor astronaut Dr. Laurel Clark at the new Red Apple STEAM School. Board members generally favored naming the STEAM center or terrace and asked staff to pursue artifacts on loan from the Racine Heritage Museum and a mural to convey Clark’s story to students.
Mister Reynolds, a district staff member, presented four naming concepts to commemorate Dr. Laurel Clark at the new Red Apple STEAM School: a Dr. Laurel Clark STEAM Center (second-floor STEAM wing), a Dr. Laurel Clark Memorial Terrace Garden, a community room, or a Dr. Laurel Clark Park (encompassing Franklin Park).
Reynolds described the STEAM Center concept as a display and maker‑space corridor suitable for student projects and said a plaque could commemorate Clark’s legacy at the entrance. The terrace garden and an interior community room were presented as alternatives; the park option would encompass the existing Franklin Park playground area and serve both students and the community.
Board members responded by recommending a combination of ideas rather than a single choice. Board member Doxey asked whether Clark’s memorabilia, currently held by the Racine Heritage Museum, could be incorporated into any display; Reynolds said Red Apple could work with the Heritage Museum and that “we could definitely make that a part of the memorial plaque.” Board member Walker Cleveland said, “I quite like the STEAM Center in part because I think it's the one place where kids are going for classes with instructors who might be able to then teach about Laura Clark,” noting that an indoor STEAM space could better support classroom instruction about Clark’s life.
Several board members urged adding tangible artifacts and a mural so that students and community members who pass through would understand why a space bears Clark’s name. Board member Cooley said he would contact Clark’s family members to discuss returning artifacts on loan from the Heritage Museum; Chairman Harris (committee chair) and others signaled support for bringing a formal recommendation to the board’s business meeting, with a target of having commemorative elements in place by January 2026 when the school opens.
No final naming vote was recorded during the work session. Reynolds said staff would bring recommended action language to the business meeting if the board wanted to proceed.
Why this matters: How the district honors Dr. Laurel Clark will shape how students and the public encounter her legacy; board members emphasized using artifacts and interpretive displays to make the commemoration meaningful rather than solely a plaque or a name on a map.
