It is the policy of Highline Public Schools that district facilities, or portions of district facilities (such as a library or sports field) shall be named after:

• People who have attained international, national, or local prominence in the fields of education, arts and sciences, politics, military achievements, or statesmanship, including people with strong ties to one or more Highline schools or departments; or
• People who have been elected to national, state, or local office in Washington state; or
• Past United States Presidents; or
• The geographic characteristics of the area in which the facility or the district are located

I.   Existing Facilities or Portions of Facilities—Rebuilding or Renovation

It is expected that when an existing facility or part of a facility is rebuilt or renovated, that any name associated with the facility or part of the facility will remain, even if the facility is rebuilt in a new location, unless the renaming process, below, is utilized.

II.   Process to Name a New Facility or an Unnamed Portion of a Facility

Naming a new facility or portion of a facility shall take place in the following manner:

A.    The Superintendent shall select a committee comprised of at least three people who represent the community in which the facility or portion of a facility is located

B.    The committee shall submit to the school board a list of between three to five names for the new facility or portion of a facility. The list shall briefly state why each name was chosen. The committee may solicit nominations from students and the community.

C.    The names chosen by the committee must fall into one of the four naming categories outlined above.

D.    The school board shall select the name of the new facility or portion thereof from the list.  Formal dedication of the facility shall take place at a time and date specified by the board.

III.   Process to Rename an Existing Facility or Portion of a Facility

If an existing facility or portion of a facility is already named for someone, but there is a desire to change that name, the following process must be followed:

A.    The person or people wishing to change the name must present the proposal to the Superintendent.  The proposal must include the rationale behind the proposed change and must propose at least one new name for consideration.

B.    If the Superintendent believes the name change should be considered, the Superintendent or designee shall meet with the community that is most involved with the facility or the portion of the facility.  If the facility is a school, the Superintendent or designee shall meet with school leadership, as well as students, alumni, and other members of the school community to gather input on the proposed name change.

C.    If the name in question is that of a local person, the Superintendent or designee must use due diligence to attempt to contact that person or their relatives in order to inform them of the name change and solicit their opinion on the change.

D.    After conducting these steps the Superintendent or designee shall prepare a report for the board that outlines the proposed change and rationale; a summary of community input; and a naming recommendation.

E.    The school board shall accept or reject the naming proposal; if rejected, the existing name remains on the facility or portion thereof; if accepted, formal dedication shall take place at a time and date specified by the board.

IV.   Naming Ceremony and Dedication

It is the intent of the board to recognize the naming of a facility or portion thereof with an appropriate plaque and a ceremony. The plaque will include the following:

The name of the facility or portion thereof
The names of board members
The name of the superintendent
Architect and contractor (when applicable)

V.   Plaques of Recognition

In addition to the process to name a facility or a portion of a facility, the school board, Superintendent, or a community member may wish to recognize someone for their service or commitment to the Highline community.  To do this the name(s) and rationale for the recognition should be presented to the Superintendent.  The Superintendent shall evaluate the proposal and submit a recommendation to the school board.  If accepted by the school board a formal dedication shall take place at a time and date specified by the board. 

A plaque of recognition shall be in a format substantially similar to that used in naming but may include different details based on the person’s relationship to the Highline community.  For example, a recognition for years of service might include the person’s name, number of years of service, and the location(s) where the person was employed by the district.

 

Cross Reference:
Policy 4321 Promotions and Advertising

WSSDA Cross Reference:
Policy 6970 Naming Schools, Facilities, and Teams, and Use of School Mascots, Images, or Logos

Legal Reference:
RCW 28A.320.296 Native American names, symbols, and images as school mascots, logos, or team names (not permitted)

 

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: November 2008
Revised by the Board 8.25
Classification: Discretionary