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Committee considers formal process for student memorial tree dedications and buddy benches
Summary
District staff proposed creating a formal, student-only memorial process that would allow flowering trees or 'buddy benches' placed at schools, with purchases drawn from the Buildings & Grounds budget and eligibility limited to students enrolled in the district at the time of death.
The Buildings and Grounds Committee considered a staff proposal to adopt a formal process for memorial tree dedications and similar campus memorials for students who die while enrolled in Aurora East USD 131.
Staff said the proposal would create parameters so memorial requests — typically initiated by a family member or school staff — would be limited to students who were enrolled in the district at the time of the death. Proposed memorials would favor flowering trees chosen for aesthetics and site needs; some elementary schools might request a "buddy bench" in lieu of a tree. Staff said purchases would come from the Buildings & Grounds budget and that a formal process with clear parameters would be brought back to the committee for approval.
Committee members expressed support for creating a process so the district can honor recently deceased students and not overlook past requests. Staff said they would return with a formal policy detailing eligibility, placement and procurement.
