Naming the new school

Doubek Elementary School Principal Lindsey Harris helps 4-year-old kindergartner Jason Kasper fill out his ballot for his pick of the name of the new elementary school in the district. The students at Doubek came up with names for the new school and then voted for their favorite last week. (Tracy Ouellette photo)
Doubek Elementary School Principal Lindsey Harris helps 4-year-old kindergartner Jason Kasper fill out his ballot for his pick of the name of the new elementary school in the district. The students at Doubek came up with names for the new school and then voted for their favorite on March 23. (Tracy Ouellette photo)

Doubek students get a lesson in civics

By Tracy Ouellette

SLN Staff

The students at Leona Doubek Elementary School in East Troy were tasked with a job at the beginning of March – help the School Board members name the new elementary school that is being built for them.

The new school, which is one of the referendum projects, will be completed by the 2017-18 school year with preliminary work at the new site already underway.

School District Administrator Chris Hibner visited the Doubek students on March 3 to tell the kids about the new school. He showed them renderings of the new building and explained how the School Board asked for the students help in choosing a name for the new facility.

Hibner told the kids their input was advisory in nature, but very important.

Hibner’s presentation was the first step in a problem-based learning assignment the whole school body would participate in. The next step was a tour of the site the new school is being built on. Doubek Principal Lindsey Harris and Building and Grounds Director Bob Ellis talked to the kids about the building while they toured the site.

Once the kids returned to their classroom, the real work began. Students in 5-year-old kindergarten and first grade brainstormed ideas for a name. They were asked why they wanted the names they came up with and talked about how things got names in general.

There were four groups, consisting of one first-grade and one 5K class each.

After the brainstorming sessions and a decision the students created posters to “advertise” the choice of each group.

The posters were used to present the name choices to the kids on “election day,” March 23.

All the students in the school, from early childhood classes to first grade, voted on election day. They had ballots, voting booth and when finished, each student received an “I voted” sticker.

The four choices the kids came up with were: Little Prairie Elementary School, Doubek Primary School, Valley of the View School and Rainbow Elementary School.

“We did Little Prairie because we’re going to be next to Prairie View and we’re the little kids,” first-grader Bryce Bayley said.

Rainbow Elementary was chosen by one group because the liked all the bright colors they say in the renderings of the new school.

“Our poster is for Doubek Primary School so we can keep our mascot Douby,” first-grader Ashlyn Jackson said.

And the reason behind Valley of the View Elementary was because of the school’s proximity to Alpine Valley ski resort.

Harris said the kids spent a lot of time discussing the merits of the names and working on the posters.

Some of the other names the kids came up with, which the School Board will also be presented with along with the winner of the school vote, included:

  • Grey Glass Elementary – because there is going to be a lot of glass windows in the news school;
  • Learning School – because we do a lot of learning;
  • Caring School – because we are caring;
  • Pinecone Valley or Pine Tree Elementary – there are pine trees there;
  • Sugar Maple School – there will be sugar maple trees;
  • Valley View – because of the view of the valley;
  • Sunny View – because it’s sunny; and
  • Autumn Blaze – because there are going to be autumn blaze trees.

The students made a video last week to present their suggestions for the new name to the School Board at the April 11 regular meeting. It begins at 6 p.m. in the East Troy High School library.

“The kids were told their vote is an idea and it will go to the School Board,” Harris said. “They understand their vote is not a decision and that the School Board would be making the final decision.”

 

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