U-46 administration recommends naming new Elgin school 'Legacy Middle School'; board to vote Nov. 3

School District U-46 administrators recommended Tuesday that the new Elgin middle school be named Legacy Middle School after a public nomination process, a town hall and a community poll. The board will receive a formal resolution on Nov. 3 and may vote at a subsequent meeting.

“Choose a name that says you belong here, you matter, and you'll leave your mark,” administration reported, quoting community commenter Katie Pappas, a U-46 health teacher at Timber Trails Elementary, who spoke at the town hall and whose remarks were summarized in the district’s naming report. The administration said the Legacy theme would allow the district to honor multiple local educators and community members — including recommended honorees Emmy Ellis and Edward H. Abbott — and proposed a “legacy wall” inside the new school and the possibility of dedicating specific spaces (library, gymnasium, auditorium) to notable figures.

The naming process followed board policy: a 30‑day public nomination window, a public town hall (held Oct. 1 at Hilltop Elementary), and a final online poll that included nominations submitted in English and Spanish. Brian Lindholm, chief of staff, said administration considered nominations, public comments and poll results in producing the recommendation.

Board members broadly expressed support during discussion, saying the Legacy name provides an opportunity to honor multiple people and to retain existing names associated with schools that will be retired. The administration’s report says the recommended resolution will return to the board on Nov. 3 as a discussion/action item; in the meeting the board agreed to hold the formal vote at the next meeting.

If adopted, the recommendation includes immediate steps for recognizing local figures and retiring-school histories in the new building’s public spaces; the administration suggested beginning with honors for Emmy Ellis and Edward H. Abbott and continuing a process to identify other district contributors to feature on the legacy wall.