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Committee presents three finalist names for new Westside Elementary: Bart Starr, Bright Horizons, Creekside
Summary
A citizen-school naming committee presented three finalists for the new Westside Elementary — Bart Starr (or Star), Bright Horizons, and Creekside — explaining the research, community input and retention considerations; board members discussed potential estate permissions and trademark/confusion issues.
The Westside Elementary naming subcommittee presented three recommended names for the district's new Westside Elementary at the April 14 work session: Bart Starr Elementary (or the simplified Star Elementary), Bright Horizons Elementary, and Creekside Elementary.
The committee described a deliberative process guided by board policy 940 and a decision matrix that prioritized long-term relevance, community resonance and representation across feeder schools (Keller, Kennedy, MacArthur). Britney Ortiz, a Kennedy parent and committee member, framed the Bart Starr proposal as honoring a local figure "known for his character and leadership on and off the field" and noted his community work with Rawhide Youth Services.
Committee members acknowledged potential issues to vet: estate permissions for use of Bart Starr's name and the possibility that the initials "B.S." could be derided if abbreviated. Melinda Eck, who identified herself as a city council member representing District 11, clarified a research point about Starr's history: "He was being hazed, he was not hazing someone else," a distinction the committee said they would note in further outreach and family contact.
Supporters said Bart Starr evokes local pride and community connection similar to nearby Vince Lombardi Middle School. Bright Horizons was described as optimistic and aligned to a portrait-of-a-graduate approach, but board members noted that the name is widely used by a national childcare company and could cause confusion. Creekside was proposed to reflect Beaver Dam Creek, which runs along the property, but the committee noted a nearby school uses a similar name.
The committee said next steps include outreach to name-holders or estates if a person’s name is selected and presenting the finalist list to the full board for an action vote at an upcoming meeting.
What’s next: the board will vote on the school name at a subsequent meeting; the committee recommended further outreach and checking permissions for person-based names.
