Subcommittee recommends naming Duggan Academy driveway for longtime custodian Dan Kavanaugh

A joint subcommittee of the Springfield Public Schools building and maintenance and school safety subcommittees voted to recommend that the full school committee consider naming a driveway at Duggan Academy in honor of custodian Dan Kavanaugh.

The superintendent presented the item as a voting matter, saying she did not personally know Kavanaugh but that "he was definitely a light and a very strong member of the Duggan community" and that "the honor will be well deserved." Member Ness Hurst moved the recommendation; the motion was seconded (second not specified on the record). In the roll call, Member Gonzales and Hurst voted yes and Attorney Murphy registered an abstention. "Votes are sufficient. This item passes, and we'll move to the full school committee," the chair said.

Subcommittee members raised procedural questions about due diligence, feasibility and cost. The superintendent and staff told the subcommittee there was not yet a completed feasibility or cost review. The superintendent asked Chief Pat Roach and Assistant Chief Rick Gorib to note the request and to follow up by email with the committee.

Members clarified on the record that the item concerns a driveway adjacent to Duggan Academy, not a public street, and asked staff to provide any existing standard operating procedure or documented criteria the district uses when naming facilities. One member suggested the communications office typically conducts internal and external surveys and would report results back to the committee.

The subcommittee did not adopt a final design, cost estimate or formal naming policy; it forwarded a recommendation to the full school committee and requested follow-up information on feasibility, cost and any required approvals.

The superintendent and staff also said they would provide the subcommittee with the documentation and communications used to notify the school community about the proposed naming.

Votes at a glance: Motion to recommend consideration of naming the Duggan Academy driveway for Dan Kavanaugh — motion passed in subcommittee; mover: Ness Hurst; second: not specified; roll call: Gonzales yes, Hurst yes, Attorney Murphy abstained; outcome: recommendation forwarded to full school committee.

The item will next appear on the full school committee agenda for final action; the subcommittee requested staff follow up by email with feasibility and cost details before that meeting.