Board approves renaming Salem Avenue Elementary to Thomas J. Garner Elementary

The Washington County Board of Education approved a motion to rename Salem Avenue Elementary School to Thomas J. Garner Elementary during its business meeting.

Board staff presented a petition and background on the naming request and asked the board to decide after previous public comment sessions. Miss Murray moved to approve the renaming; the motion was seconded and the board voted to approve it. The minutes record the board’s approval; an effective date was not specified in the public discussion.

The decision followed several public comments in favor of the name change. Mike Tomlinson, who said he had helped organize community support, told the board he would assist in overcoming obstacles and had urged members to reread submitted statements and videos of earlier testimony. "Give me an insurmountable task, and I will find a way to make it work," Tomlinson said, offering to help with logistics if the board identified needs.

Staff presentation: Board staff (Mr. Prue) told members the petition had been presented in prior work sessions and summarized the process the district used to solicit community input. The staff presentation noted the board had heard public comment at earlier meetings in May and June and again that evening before seeking the board’s decision.

Board reaction and context: In taking the vote the presiding officer thanked community members for their activism. "We appreciate the public's activism," the presiding officer said, noting the board does not take naming decisions lightly and that the vote reflected community input and testimony the board had received.

Next steps: The board did not announce an implementation date for the new name during the meeting. School staff and records will need to complete required administrative updates; the public record did not include a timeline or administrative steps for the official signage, address changes or community events tied to the renaming.