Community group asks Pasco board to name Pasco High gym for coach Don Monson

Board members heard a request to name Pasco High School's main gymnasium for the late coach Don Monson during the meeting's facilities report.

Superintendent Whitney said she received a letter from five people associated with the Monson Project Committee asking that the district recognize Monson's contributions by naming the gym in his honor. She described the district's naming procedure under policy 9250 and said staff would convene a community committee in the fall, gather stakeholder input through surveys and focus groups, and return a recommendation to the board by Jan. 1, 2027.

Members of the Monson Project Committee and alumni spoke in support during a public‑comment slot. Daniel Rodriguez, a Pasco High coach who helped research Monson’s record, said the proposed dedication would preserve local history and legacy: "Pascal Pride was preached by Coach Monson," Rodriguez said, describing Monson's influence on athletes and community members.

Other speakers recalled Monson's work in the late 1960s and his long history of fundraising for Pasco athletics, including a long‑running golf tournament that benefited school programs. Ann Hayden Ray, a former athletic director, noted the coach's role in creating unity during a period of local racial tension and cited subsequent honors at other institutions.

Superintendent Whitney said the committee convened under policy 9250 could recommend approval, denial, or an alternate form of recognition (for example, a plaque or event). She said the district would invite those who submitted the request to serve on the committee and expected to use district ambassadors, the superintendent's advisory councils and a superintendent student action council as part of the stakeholder process.

Next steps: staff will form the committee in the fall, solicit public input, and return a recommendation to the board by the Dec. meeting at the latest or January 1, 2027, barring unforeseen disruptions.