Akeshia Craven-Howell, Associate Superintendent, Student Assignment and School Choice
Tara Lynn Sullivan, Learning Community Superintendent
The School Naming Advisory Committee was established according to CMS Policy FF-R, Naming School.
The names and recommendation listed below were submitted by the Sedgefield and Dilworth Naming Committee members in order of preference. The committee's membership included parent representatives, teachers and support staff, and community leaders from both school communities. The committee's recommendations are based on a series of committee meetings and efforts to engage both the Dilworth and Sedgefield communities including an August survey and small-group conversations to discuss the results.
1. Dilworth Elementary School: Sedgefield Campus and Latta Campus – The top recommended name was selected with unanimous support from all seven groups. The rationale for this name was consistent across all groups and included the following:
- Dilworth has an incredibly strong brand reputation that will be powerful in continuing to recruit top teachers and families to the pairing.
- Unlike a new name, Dilworth is a brand that will not require significant investment to build.
- Dilworth was also considered appropriate in the context of the K-12 feeder pattern and the Board's goal to build strong feeder schools to Myers Park. Dilworth would represent the elementary school with our students continuing onto Sedgefield Middle School. This will allow both the Sedgefield and Dilworth communities name representation as we build two strong schools.
- Finally, the historic significance of Dilworth Elementary as a school that was first founded in 1904 and the building's listing on the National Register of Historic Places resonated with all the groups.
2. Latta Elementary School: Sedgefield Campus and Dilworth Campus – Four of the seven small groups selected this name as one of their top choices. The primary reason given was that it provides an opportunity to "start fresh" and moves away from the feeling of one school taking over the other. Additionally, this name allowed for all neighborhoods to be represented on equal footing with a campus designation.
3. Two options tied for third place with one vote each
- Dilworth Elementary School: Sedgefield P2 and Latta 3-5
- Dilworth Sedgefield Elementary School
Recommend Approval of Naming Combined Dilworth Elementary and Sedgefield Elementary Schools the Dilworth Elementary School: Sedgefield Campus and Latta Campus