The facility will house the technology and curriculum departments with space for professional development.
The board approved the new name Dec. 12 in a 6-1 vote, with trustee Vernagene Mott as the dissenting vote.
How it works
Trustee Chevonne Lorigo-Johst said the board-appointed facility naming committee first convened Nov. 19 and reconvened Dec. 9 with additional board feedback to review name submissions.
Per local policy, Johst said PfISD buildings and facilities can reflect:
- Historical, geographical or community sites
- Significant individuals or families who have made notable contributions to public education in the district
- Significant state or national figures
- Names that describe the program housed or facility function
Naming decisions are not made from a popular vote of submissions, but PfISD accepts community submissions to help guide the decision, Johst said.
Out of the 285 name submissions, 125 of those referred to former PfISD educators Larry and Cynthia Bradley; 40 referenced former employee Veronica Alexander; and over 20 referenced naming the facility after its purpose or use.
During the Dec. 5 board workshop, trustees discussed whether it was appropriate to name the facility after a person. Doing so has not been a standard practice in the past, Johst said, with other facilities such as the administration building and The Pfield having names that reflect its purpose.
What they're saying
Mott said most of the submissions mentioned the Bradleys, reflecting one of the district's goals of community engagement.
"We the board say we value community input and engagement and how we continually strive to get that involvement from the west side of the district," Mott said. "Multiple submissions came from West View Middle School and Connally High School students, noting the profound impact on changing and saving lives of students in that area."
While the building was ultimately not named after the Bradleys or other community members, several trustees said the district should make an effort to find other ways to honor community individuals.
"We need to honor them; I don't know if this is the spot, but we need to do something," trustee Kelly Daniel said.