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Service Center Name Change Submissions

Thank you for submitting nominations for the renaming of the FSPS Service Center. There were 53 compliant submissions and they are listed below.

  • Dr. Benny L. Gooden Service Center (33 submissions)
  • Ray Baker Service Center (3 submissions)
  • Keep it the same - Fort Smith Public Schools Service Center (5)
  • Wayne Haver Service Center (2)
  • Michael C. O’Donohue Education Center
  • Valentine Dell Service Center
  • FSPS Welcome Center 
  • River Valley Community Service Center 
  • Fort Smith Schools Administrative Services 
  • District Education Support Center
  • Belle Grove Service Center
  • Joe Fred Young Service Center
  • Jenny Lind Community Education Center 
  • Massard Prairie Logistics Hub

Solicitation for Nominations

The Fort Smith Public Schools Board of Education solicited nominations for the renaming of the Service Center located at 3205 Jenny Lind Road. All nominations must comply with District Policy 7.21 (displayed below). Nominations were due no later than 12pm on Friday, March 20th.

Policy Reference: All nominations must comply with District Policy 7.21 regarding the naming of school facilities. Only nominations meeting the policy requirement have moved forward in the process.

Eligible nominations were evaluated using the criteria outlined in Policy 7.21.  A facility name may be considered if it:

  1. Recognizes the facility's location, geography, natural land feature, or historical significance
  2. Commemorates places, individuals, or events of lasting importance to the community, region, state, or nation
  3. Honors a significant financial donor whose contributions helped renovate or construct the facility. 

A nomination WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE if it proposes naming a district-funded facility for a living individual who has held a salaried federal, state, county, or municipal elected office within the ten (10) years preceding construction, UNLESS one of the following exceptions applies: 

  • The facility is constructed using at least 50% private funds, or
  • The name refers to:
    • A living individual with historical significance
    • an individual who is or has been a prisoner of war
    • a living individual who is at least 75 years old and retired 

Referenced Policy

7.21—Naming School Facilities & Mascots
Date Adopted: March 14, 2022
 
Facilities
Except as otherwise permitted in this policy or Arkansas law, the District shall not name any building, structure, or facility, paid for in whole or in part with District funds, for an individual living at the time of its completion who, in the ten (10) years preceding its construction, was elected, or held, a federal, state, county, or municipal office and received a salary for his/her service.

Exceptions to the preceding paragraph may be made when a building, structure, or facility is constructed through the use of at least 50% private funds or, the name refers to:
  1. an individual(s) living at the time of its completion and who has historical significance;
  2. an individual who is or has been a prisoner of war; or
  3. a living individual who is at least 75 years of age and is retired.
Subject to the above requirements, a facility may be named or renamed to:
  1. Recognize the facility’s location, geography, natural land feature, and/or history;
  2. Commemorate places, people, or events that are of continued importance to the town, region, state, and/or nation; or
  3. Honor a significant financial donor of funds used to renovate or construct the facility.
Any facility name adopted after the effective date of this Policy must portray a strong positive image that should stand the test of time.

Facilities shall be named according to the following guidelines:
  1. The administration shall solicit nominations for facility names from the public via appropriate means;
  2. The facility names meeting the requirements of this Policy will be published by the District for a period of not less than 30 days;
  3. The Board may choose to delegate the determination of facility names meeting the requirements of this Policy to a committee appointed by the Board;
  4. The published facility names shall be studied by the Board at a Board meeting in which the patrons of the District will be afforded the opportunity for public comment for a duration to be determined by the Board; and
  5. The Board shall by majority vote adopt the facility name at a Board meeting that is held no earlier than the next regular, called, or special meeting following the meeting at which the Board studied the proposed facility names.
Mascots

Selection of mascots, school colors, school songs, and related activities shall be governed by administrative regulations that provide for appropriate involvement of students, staff, parents, and the administration.
 
 
Legal References:
Additional Reference: ASBA Model Policies