Holyoke community members will soon have opportunities to ask questions and provide suggestions for what to name the new middle school that is currently under construction on the site of the former William R. Peck School, with an anticipated opening date in fall or winter 2025.
Much is already known about what the school will look like since the new building will follow a model school floor plan and design used for other schools, including the Goodnow Brothers Elementary School in Marlborough, MA. (Watch this video to learn more about the model school approach and to see inside the Goodnow school.)
While the design, location, and timeline for the new school have all been determined, an important decision still remains: What should the new school be named? While the ultimate decision will rest with the HPS School Committee, during their meeting on Tuesday, April 23, School Committee members agreed to follow the renaming plan suggested by the board’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion subcommittee, which includes the following steps:
Determine whether the School Committee should focus solely on the name of the school or if they should also help determine school colors and school mascot for the new building. During Tuesday’s meeting, School Committee members agreed they would lead the process to determine the name for the new school, while students, staff, and administrators of the new school will determine the official school colors and mascot.
Solicit suggestions from all stakeholders on potential names for the school. While School Committee members on Tuesday shared some of their preliminary thinking about what the new school could be called, they ultimately agreed they would engage in community conversations to ensure that all stakeholders could ask questions and provide suggestions and feedback before a decision is made.
Narrow down the list of proposed names to 3-5 leading possibilities with input from a smaller stakeholder group.
Develop a survey to allow community members to vote on their favorite name.
Publicly reveal the chosen name during a community event later this year.
School Committee members are still finalizing a timeline for their public engagement efforts. Details will be shared with the community as they become available.