Above: A committee of Northborough and Southborough representatives will consider dedicating areas of the high school. But first they need nominees. (Photo by Susan Fitzgerald)
Back in January, I shared the district was forming a committee to look at naming areas of Algonquin Regional High School. This week, they put out their call for nominees.
The idea is to dedicate a section of the building or grounds after people who “have made extraordinary contributions to their field of service and/or the High School.”
It seems that they can also consider naming the entire building after a nominee. But that seems unlikely, as even their decision to name a section of the school won’t be treated lightly.
According to the policy:
The politics of most naming decisions induces positive and negative reactions among citizens suggesting a conservative approach to naming decisions. Naming decisions should lend dignity and stature to the school. Naming any and all public facilities should be consistent with the feeling of an overwhelming majority of the community.
Nominees can range from Algonquin graduates and teachers to nationally or internationally recognized “paragons of their profession”. (Though they can’t have worked for the district or held elected office within the last 5 years.)
A committee is formed every five years to consider naming options. The deadline for this round of nominations is October 9, 2015.
Here is the school’s announcement:
REQUEST FOR NAMING NOMINATIONS
The Office of the Superintendent is accepting naming nominations per Northborough-Southborough Regional School Committee Policy F-100 Naming of the High School, Parts of the High School, and Grounds.
Students, school staff and district residents may submit nominations to the Superintendent for disclosure to the Regional School Committee. Nominations should be brief, two paragraph statement containing biographical/historical data, and reasons supporting the choice.
Criteria
Permanently naming buildings after individuals is a serious undertaking that can have long-term ramifications. Suitable candidates should be widely acknowledged to have made extraordinary contributions to their field of service and/or the High School. Representative candidates may be drawn from those recognized nationally or internationally as paragons of their profession; alternatively direct providers of services to students may also qualify, e.g. teachers. Individuals selected should have widespread recognition in the community as paragons of their profession. Names cannot be considered for 5 years after employment by the District. Elected officials are not eligible for consideration for 5 years after their term of service. Examples could be drawn from the following list:
- Graduates or other former members of the high school community, or resident of the district, who has achieved statewide or national prominence for major accomplishments.
- An individual outside of the high school community who has made a major contribution to education statewide or nationally, a contribution which substantially benefits the High School.
- A locally or nationally prominent individual or organization, of impeccable character and reputation who has made or is offering to make, a substantial donation to the high school.
Please forward nominations to:
Office of the Superintendent of Schools
53 Parkerville Road
Southborough, MA 01772Attn: Naming Nomination
Initial nominations must be received no later than 4:00 PM on Friday, October 9, 2015.
