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Board discusses changing 18-month wait to rename schools, refers policy to workshop
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Longshore flagged the need to rename one school after a relocation; board attorney said current board policy 72-50 requires an 18-month community period and suggested the board may consider revising the policy in a workshop.
Superintendent Dr. Longshore told the Highlands County School Board the district will need to consider renaming one school as programs move locations and asked the board to examine applicable policy.
Board attorney Miss Nash summarized the current policy, saying: "the name of a new or existing school, once adopted by the board, shall be considered permanent. However, should the board subsequently initiate or be called upon to consider a name change of an existing previously named school, then in that event, the board shall allow a period of time not less than 18 months from said date for community involvement, deliberation, discussion, and debate prior to taking its action." She said that language appears in policy 72-50, "Commemoration and naming of school facilities," and that the 18-month requirement appears to have been part of the policy adopted in about 2018.
Dr. Longshore said the issue arose because programs (HBS and the academy/the virtual school) will move off Youth Care Lane, and the existing name may no longer fit the location. He asked staff and the attorney to prepare recommendations and suggested the board consider revisions at a future policy workshop.
No vote or policy change occurred at the meeting. Board members asked for clarification about the policy's origin and whether the 18-month period derived from statute; Nash said she did not find a statutory requirement and that the 18-month provision appears to be policy language. The board directed staff to present recommended policy language and community-outreach steps for consideration at a workshop.
The discussion included examples of renaming logistics and a note that the board's policy currently requires community engagement before taking final action.
