Retiree Terry McCann asked the Beloit School District Board on Dec. 2 to consider naming Beloit Memorial High School's stadium for longtime coach John Heineke, noting a 33-year coaching tenure and multiple honors. "I had the privilege and honor to working with mister Heineke the last few years of his teaching career," McCann said, outlining Heineke's wins, championships and hall-of-fame inductions.

McCann suggested a naming formulation to honor two figures: "Jacobson Field at the John Heineke Stadium," and urged the board to appoint a special naming committee to review the request. Board policy governing facility naming (listed in the record as Policy 9 50 rule 1) requires written submission and allows the board to appoint a special committee to review suggestions and recommend action to the Business Operations and Finance Committee.

Board members discussed committee membership and community involvement, with several members urging outreach to family members of honorees and to community volunteers. Finance Committee Chair Tom Hankins offered to take the lead on logistics and outreach; Board Member Megan Miller recommended inviting family members to participate.

Motion and vote: Amy Levy moved to form a naming committee; Tom Hankins seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The board asked the Business Operations and Finance Committee to return a recommended membership and timeline for the special committee at its next meeting so the full board can act on the committee's recommendation.

What happens next: the Business Operations and Finance Committee will develop a proposed committee membership and process consistent with the district naming policy and report back to the board for final approval.