JC-AP Naming of Facilities

The school board is responsible for selection of names for all school facilities, including buildings, grounds, sporting/activity venues, and specialized portions of facilities such as auditoriums, stadiums and libraries.  Not every such facility will be named, but the board will have a process for considering proposals to name facilities.   The process will govern how the board initiates naming a facility, as well as how it will make a determination should community members propose a name.   In selecting a name, the board will consider names of national or state significance but will also give consideration to names that have a special significance to the area or to people who have made a significant contribution to education or to the school system. 

New Schools

The process for naming a new school should begin after its construction has become a financial reality, the site has been selected and the architect has been appointed. The school board, with assistance from the administration, will solicit proposed names from the community. Community by definition includes staff, students and patrons. Through the media, residents within the school district will be invited to submit proposed names for the new school.  Individual board members may also submit suggestions to be included on the list. The final selection will be made by a vote of the board.

Each school board member will choose up to three names from the list of submitted names.  Members will then discuss these names (up to 21 possible) at a regularly scheduled board meeting.  Names may be taken off the list during that discussion, with support of the majority of the board.  All names that remain after that discussion will be placed on a ranking ballot that each member will complete prior to the next regularly scheduled board meeting.  The ranked list will be discussed and a formal vote will be taken at that meeting.  The name with the majority vote would be the one selected.  In the case of ties, board members will vote for the highest ranked names until a majority supports a proposed name. 

Renaming Existing Schools or School Facilities

The name adopted by the board for a school or school facility shall be permanent, unless the board determines by majority vote that a name change is desirable.  No existing school or school facility shall be renamed unless the request to do so originates with the students, their families, the school’s faculty, the community, or other interest groups.  Once a school or school facility has been renamed under this process, it is ineligible to be renamed again, unless extenuating circumstances would dictate a necessary change.  The board is responsible for the final determination of whether a school or school facility will be renamed.

Process & Guidelines

Proposals to rename a school or school facility must be submitted in writing to both the Superintendent of Schools and the School Board President.  The proposal must provide evidence of significant importance to the district and must outline the justifications for the name being suggested.

Appropriate categories for school names include: 

1. Individuals: a famous local, state or national figure who exemplifies courage, respect, honesty, tolerance or other admirable trait.
2. Places: locations, landmarks or topographical features related to the school site, such as a street, historical marker, river or the community or neighborhood in which the school is located.
3. Symbolism or a symbolic name: a word or words that capture the essence of the place or function of the school.
4. Any combination of the above.

When a name is proposed under the “Individuals” category, the Superintendent and Board President will evaluate the proposed name against the following additional criteria:

1. Nominee has had a significant, long-term relationship with West Fargo Public Schools.
2. Nominee has achieved recognition for excellence at the local, regional, or national level.
3. Nominee has widespread support from colleagues, parents and students.
4. Nominee, if a former West Fargo Public Schools employee, will have been retired or gone from district employment for a minimum of 2 years.
5. The nominee, or family members if nominee is deceased, will be consulted for appropriateness of the name.

If it is determined that the proposal satisfactorily meets the necessary criteria, the proposal will advance to the public input stage.  Input from the attendance area of the school under consideration shall be solicited in at least one, but no more than three, publicly noticed meetings.  Attendees will have the opportunity to hear the name proposal submitted to the Superintendent and Board President, as well as propose their own suggestions for the renaming of the school or school facility in question.  Any proposal must be accompanied with appropriate background information and documented support for the name change. 

A complete list of all name proposals submitted during the public input stage shall be forwarded to a committee comprised of the following members:

1. The Board President
2. The “Adopted” Board Director of the impacted school
3. The Superintendent and/or their designee
4. The grade level appropriate Assistant Superintendent
5. The Principal and/or their designee from the impacted school
6. A representative from the impacted school’s parent/teacher group 

This committee will determine which proposal(s) to advance to the school board.  The committee will also be tasked with the completion of a basic analysis of costs associated with the renaming of the facility. 

At the first school board meeting after the aforementioned process completes, the board will be asked to acknowledge receipt of the proposals and the cost analysis; action will not be taken until at least the second meeting.  This provides at least two opportunities for public comment during a board meeting before official action is taken.  It is always in the board’s purview to table an item while additional information/input is gathered.

It is not the intention for anything in this policy to prohibit the superintendent or school board from:

1. recommending at any time that a school or school facility be renamed.
2. developing different, specific agreements for each school or school facility being renamed.
3. revising the above procedures.       

Honorary Naming of Facilities, or Portions of Facilities

Facilities or portions thereof may be named in honor of an individual through two different procedures.

Honorary Naming Through Financial Contribution: A process is outlined in JCB-AP Sponsorship and School Business Partnerships. Under this policy a stadium, field, theater, library or gymnasium may be named, given a contribution of 25% of the cost of the project.  Application of this policy might result in a facility named for a company or an individual. It is anticipated that this may be appropriate during facility construction, remodeling, or additions. It is conceivable as well that such honorary efforts might make the difference between a project being realized or not, or between its being merely adequate versus exemplary.

Honorary Naming without Financial Contribution: At times there may be appropriate opportunities to honor individuals who have distinguished themselves through their association with the school district either as alumni, employees, or community members. Such honorary naming may be applied to a new school, or it may be applied to an existing facility or portion thereof, provided the name is suggested as a part of the appropriate process outlined above.

The board will apply the same guidelines stated above when considering any individual’s name proposed for a facility or portion thereof.

Naming Authority 

The board has the final authority on the selection of a facility name and on rescinding or

changing a facility name. The board has the discretion to name existing facilities to recognize individuals who meet nomination criteria, with or without financial requirements of policy JCB-AP.