You can help name Bend’s new middle school
Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Ron Wilkinson and members of the district’s middle school naming committee are inviting the community to help name Bend-La Pine Schools’ next middle school.
On Thursday, the committee launched an online survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014NamingMSto collect name suggestions. The survey will remain open through November 4.
The new 800-seat middle school is under construction and is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015. The school will be located on the west side of Bend, between Summit High and W.E. Miller Elementary schools.
“We are looking forward to hearing your great ideas for the new middle school name,” said Wilkinson. Names should represent people, places, or themes, and be consistent with the guidelines established in school board policy.
Wilkinson says that names using people should reflect distinguished individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the community and education. Additionally, the person must be at least five-years out of their career or have been deceased at least five-years.
Names of places should recognize historical and geological landmarks, or areas, and theme names should reflect the character of the community or identify it by reference to indigenous and characteristic flora and fauna.
Wilkinson says the naming committee will consider all suggestions and forward a list of names for consideration to the superintendent in mid-November. A short-list of names will be brought before the school board in November for discussion and public input. The official new middle school name will be selected at the school board’s December meeting.
ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION BOND
On May 21, 2013, the citizens of Bend, La Pine and Sunriver approved a ballot measure, with the highest percentage YES vote in history, to build new schools and fund projects that protect our community’s investment in its schools and facilities.
These projects will support economic growth and prosperity and go far to protect our quality of life now and for future generations, the school district said.
The approved bond measure authorized Bend-La Pine Schools to sell $96 million in bonds to fund the construction of two new schools to address continued enrollment growth and to deliver more than 130 other safety, maintenance, and classroom addition projects on the community’s behalf.
