Procedures for Naming Facilities
Naming Facilities
Board approval shall be required for the naming or renaming of all District facilities including schools or distinct portions thereof, such as the library or auditorium. Guidelines and procedures listed herein shall apply in all cases of naming or renaming of facilities or portions of facilities.
1. Facilities or portions thereof shall generally be named for:
- Persons who have attained prominence locally or nationally based on contributions to the public in recognized fields such as education, science, medicine, law, art, government, business, justice, civil rights, human rights, or military achievement;
- Early pioneers of Dallas or the state of Texas; or presidents of the United States.
- Distinctive geographic locations (e.g.: Seagoville High School).
2. A facility may also be named for an individual or group when a major capital donation has been made to the District for the facility by or on behalf of the nominated individual or group. A major capital donation is defined as (i) the land for the facility, or (ii) a donation of at least $5 million toward the cost of constructing the facility.
3. A portion of a facility may also be named for an individual or group when a major capital donation has been made to the District for the facility by or on behalf of the nominated individual or group. A major capital donation for the naming or renaming of portions of facilities is defined as (i) the land for the facility, or (ii) a donation of at least $1 million toward the cost of constructing the facility or portion thereof.
4. A facility or a portion thereof shall not be named after or in honor of any individual, unless such individual has attained 70 years of age or has been deceased at least 18 months, or such naming is a condition of a gift or grant accepted by the District.
5. Names shall be removed from District facilities if it comes to the attention of the Board that a named individual has been convicted of a felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude; conviction of a lesser included offense pursuant to a plea when the original charged offense is a felony; or deferred adjudication for a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.
6. The name should lend prestige and status to an institution of learning.
7. Only one facility or portion thereof shall be named for any individual or group.
8. The nomination shall be presented in writing on a form provided by the District [see CW(EXHIBIT)] and shall consist of a brief three-paragraph statement that shall contain:
- Biographical data.
- The significant contribution.
- An impact statement explaining why a facility, school or portion thereof should be named after the person.
Impact statements must show how services significantly impacted the lives of citizens. Examples may include (i) a healthy start in life, (ii) teaching marketable skills, (iii) enhanced learning opportunities, (iv) decrease in gang violence, (v) building stronger schools, homes, and/or churches, (vi) protecting the environment, (vii) reducing crime, (viii) providing a safe place with structured activities during after school, and nonschool hours, (ix) contributions to justice, (x) contributions to civil rights or human rights, and (xi) contributions to the arts.
9. Requests will not be considered when submitted by an individual or a group for self nomination. The only exception to this policy is when a significant financial contribution is made and the naming is a condition of the gift.
Renaming Facilities or Portions Thereof
Officially named property is not eligible for renaming for 50 years following the date of the official naming. If there is a deed restriction or donor designation or such name is of special historical or geographical significance, the property is not eligible for renaming. Officially named facilities are defined as those which have been named by the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees.
In the case of a renaming, an appropriate use of the former name should be determined before the change is made.
In renaming the facility or portion, the guidelines set forth above for the naming of facilities as well as the following guidelines shall be followed.
Recommendations for the renaming of facilities or portions thereof shall be received from the school community involved including, where applicable, at least one member of the site-based decision making committee (SBDM), the parent-teacher association (PTA), and a member of the administration.
The Board shall review all proposals and input at its May Committee of the Whole meeting and shall vote on any recommendations to the full Board at its June Board meeting. Proposed changes must be submitted prior to April 1 to be included in that year's consideration process.
Costs for Naming or Renaming Portions of Facilities
Where applicable, costs (i.e.: food, plaques, advertising, receptions, etc.) associated with the naming or renaming of portions of District facilities shall be borne by the SBDM, PTA, or private donor.
Committee
In both the naming and the renaming of District schools and portions thereof, the Board may appoint a committee to study and suggest possible names in accordance with the following procedure:
The Trustee representing the election district in which the school is or will be located, or that Trustee's designee, shall appoint and chair an advisory naming committee to bring recommendations to the Board for approval. For new schools, the committee shall consist of at least two representatives from each school community in which a new school will be constructed.
The naming committee shall accept nominations for the naming or renaming of schools or portions thereof from any resident of the District. In addition to new nominations, the committee may consider the cumulative list of nominations maintained by the Executive Director of Board Services. The naming committee shall recommend to the Board for its approval no more than three proposed names.
Nominations not selected shall be added to a historical list of suggested names. Such list shall be cumulative and maintained by the Executive Director of Board Services and will be provided to the chairperson of the naming committee. No nominations shall be accepted unless they are submitted in the proper format. [See CW (EXHIBIT)]
Districtwide Facilities
The entire Board shall serve in the capacity of the committee in the naming of facilities or portions thereof that serve a district-wide purpose, or have district-wide uses. Examples of such facilities include service centers, athletic fields, and/or stadiums.
Voting Procedures
All lists shall be submitted to the Board as proposals to be considered by the Board as a whole. Each location is subject to a separate vote.
Public Dedication
New school buildings and major additions to these facilities shall be dedicated in a public and formal ceremony. There shall be a program or open house to which the Board, citizens, parents, and students are invited. All plans for the public or formal opening of schools shall be made in cooperation with the principal.
Detailed procedures for dedication ceremonies shall be furnished to the principal by the Communications Department.
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