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Boardman board mulls change of names for 2 schools
By Bob Jackson
BOARDMAN
Students who won’t switch buildings in the fall due to the realignment of middle schools in the Boardman School District might still end up attending a different school, but in name only.
During a special session Saturday morning, the board of education discussed the possibility of changing the names of the district’s two middle schools to reflect the changing grade levels of students who will attend each building.
The district currently has two middle schools: Center Middle School on Market Street and Glenwood Middle School on Glenwood Avenue. Both schools have historically contained students in grades 5-8. The board recently approved a change, though, that will see all fifth- and sixth-grade students going to Center, and all seventh- and eighth-grade students at Glenwood.
“Do we go with tradition? Or start anew?” Superintendent Frank Lazzeri asked the board in talking about the possibility of changing names. “Do you feel strongly one way or the other?”
Bart Smith, Glenwood principal, broached the idea of changing the building names to go along with the realignment of grades.
“We’re not really a middle school anymore,” Smith said of Glenwood.
Although no action was taken, the board talked about possibly renaming the buildings Boardman Glenwood Junior High School and Boardman Center Intermediate School.
“I like the change,” said board President Vickie Davis. “Since we’re already making changes, let’s reinvent [the identity].”
Davis said alumni she’s talked to like the idea because Glenwood was at one time called Glenwood Junior High.
Board members John Landers and Jeffrey Barone questioned what the cost of the name changes might be. Smith said signs in front of the buildings would have to be changed and a mural on the gymnasium wall at Glenwood would have to be updated as well, but board members said those changes would not have to be immediately made. He said updating the mural would likely be the highest expense, but no dollar amount was available.
Smith and Randall Ebie, Center Middle School principal, said they have been working with building personnel and with their respective Parent-Teacher Associations to make the transition as smooth as possible for students, parents and staff.
“We’re in good shape” and ready for the change, Ebie said, noting that PTAs for both buildings are “extremely excited” and on board with the change.
Timothy Saxton, district operations director, said it’s important that all phases of the realignment be in place and ready to go by the opening of school.
“We have to make that first week a slam dunk,” Saxton said. “We need to work hard to make sure the transition is smooth and successful.”
Tom Davis, transportation director, said drivers already have been selected to shuttle students between the two schools. Students will receive notices in August, informing them of their bus assignment, bus-stop location and pickup times.
Nicholas Hewko, assistant athletic director, said he’s stressed to athletic coaches the importance of melding kids from both schools into athletic teams, with equal distribution of talent and skill levels on all teams.
“Let’s face it, coaches are competitive, and they want to win. But I explicitly explained to them the importance of creating balanced teams,” Hewko said. “If you load one team up, other kids are going to get discouraged, and you’re not going to have the numbers [of athletes] coming out by the time they get to high school.”
School-district officials have said the realignment of grades will enable the district to more efficiently pool its resources, build a stronger sense of community since the two schools no longer will be in competition and expand instruction in music and art.