The new school is expected to open in 2021.
Frederick, Md (KM) It’s not even built yet, but the Frederick County Public School System is looking for a name for a new east county elementary school.
Spokesman Michael Doerrer says a committee was formed to help with the naming process. He says in an earlier survey, the New School Name Recommendation Committee received more than 90 names as of April 22nd, when the survey ended. “The Committee looked at all of those suggestions, and looked at historical data from the area, information about geography and other facts related to the area, and narrowed all the options down to eight,” he says.
The eight options are Blue Heron Elementary, Copper Mine Elementary, Eaglehead Elementary, Lakeside Elementary, Linganore Creek Elementary, Linganore Elementary, Sunrise Elementary and Woodland Elementary. Citizens can go on line and make comments and suggestions about these names. The web address is http://www.fcps.org/eastcountyname. The deadline is Thursday, May 16th.
Doerrer says then the committee shorten that list to three names. It will make a presentation to the Board of Education in June. The BOE will make a final decision.
“We don’t name schools after people anymore,” he says. “We look for more historical names, or names associated with the geography of the region, something specific to the community where the school is located.”
Whatever name is decided, the proposed east county elementary school will be located in the Lake Linganore Hamptons West community,and will serve students in the Oakdale and Linganore High School feeder areas. The school is expected to open in August, 2021.
Doerrer says naming a school is not to be taken lightly. “First and foremost, we want to build a sense of community in the school. These are community schools.. These are neighborhood schools. So we want the schools to be part of that community history, part of that geography, part of that community, generally,” he says.
By Kevin McManus