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Marion County board work session advances recommendation to rename Marion Technical Institute to Bridgeway Academy
Summary
A renaming committee recommended Bridgeway Academy as the preferred new name for Marion Technical Institute after two stakeholder surveys. The board expressed consensus and will place the item on the Sept. 23 meeting agenda for a formal vote; rebranding costs were not finalized.
The Marion County School Board’s Sept. 4 administrative work session reviewed a recommendation to rename Marion Technical Institute to Bridgeway Academy and agreed to place the item on the board agenda for a final vote on Sept. 23.
Chad Fraser, who presented timelines and survey results, said the renaming committee — made up of community members, parents and educators — ran two surveys. “Survey 1 was conducted from June 25 through 08/03/2025 and yielded 93 responses, generating more than a 140 unique name submissions,” Fraser said. A second survey produced 148 responses. Fraser reported the top three names from survey 2 were Bridgeway Academy (29.7 percent), New Path Academy (14.5 percent) and Level Up Academy (13.8 percent).
The board discussion showed broad support for Bridgeway Academy. Reverend Cummings said, “I think Bridgeway Academy is very appropriate because what the mission is for the school.” Board member Thrower said she was “pretty confident” Principal Ronnie Jones agreed with the recommendation. Several board members emphasized the school’s role as an alternative placement and voiced support for a name that reflects transition and return to home schools.
Board members also asked staff to provide more information about rebranding costs before the formal vote. Miss Conner asked, “When we rename a school, what does it cost us? Like, between a sign and, like, what does it cost us?” Interim Superintendent Dr. Brewer and staff said they would follow up with comparative figures, using a recent rebranding as an example. Fraser said the campus marquee is district-owned and could remain, but “actual branding around the school is gonna be something that we’re gonna have to look at a funding source for.”
No formal action or vote was recorded at the work session. The board clerk will call the speaker names in order at the Sept. 23 agenda item, where the board will vote on the school name. The recommendation, as presented, will appear on that agenda.
The work session also included public comment rules and a reminder that the board must avoid identifying students or otherwise violating privacy during public testimony.
