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Naming New Schools

The process of naming a new school is a collaborative effort and an opportunity for parents, students and school staff members to begin joining together as a school community. Fairfax County will be opening 4 new schools in 2003, and will be involving the community in naming the new school. When the school boundaries are drawn, the representative School Board members, area superintendent, and principal will meet with community members to discuss recommendations for the school name. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Board for final action. The process should be completed in ample time to permit the principal to purchase equipment and materials that require a school name.

Suggested criteria for making recommendations are as follows:

1. Consistency with other school names at the elementary, middle, or high school level, as appropriate. In general, elementary schools and high schools have geographic or historical names; middle schools are named for famous American writers.

2. A preference for names reflecting geographic and historic features of an area. Submission of commercially adopted subdivision names is strongly discouraged.

3. The avoidance of names that could cause confusion with other schools in Fairfax County and/or with schools in adjoining jurisdictions and other areas of Virginia.

Announcements will be made regarding the timetable and process for community involvement in naming the new school.