School Name Submission

The Columbia Board of Education voted on November 21, 2024, to assemble a committee of volunteers made up of parents, students, and community members to consider the name of a new elementary school in southwest Columbia.

The committee is now seeking school names for its consideration.

The school name submission process will be open from November 22 to December 13, 2024, at 5 p.m. The committee will consider submitted names in December and January and plans to provide a recommendation to the Board of Education for consideration in January.

An evaluation process for considering names submitted by the public will take place by the committee. 

As presented to the Board of Education Long-Range Facilities Committee at the October 9, 2024, meeting, submissions will be evaluated on a 100-point scale, with each scoring category weighted as follows:

1. Geographical Relevance - 30 points
2. Alignment with School District Mission - 30 points
3. Uniqueness and Identifiability - 25 points
4. Contributions to the Community - 10 points
5. Historical Significance - 5 points

Additionally, a name will only be considered by the committee if it meets prerequisite criteria established in the Board of Education facility naming policy.