Editor’s note: The following is a letter written and delivered to the board Champaign Unit 4 Board of Education. This letter is one parent’s opinion of the possibility of a name change for Carrie Busey Elementary, which will move into its new building in fall 2012. The Village of Savoy and the Prairie Fields Homeowners Association (PFHOA) are interested in changing the name of the school to Prairie Fields Elementary, as was discussed at a January meeting (see minutes here). There may be an open forum on this issue in March, but it has yet to be scheduled. Do you have an opinion on this topic? Leave it in the comments below; if you want to submit your own article, contact us.
To the members of the board:
My name is Julee Lee and I have lived in Champaign since I moved here to attend the University of Illinois in 1994. When I graduated, I taught mathematics at Centennial High School for five years. I resigned when my daughter Madeline was born, who is now in third grade at Carrie Busey School. We currently reside in the Prairie Fields Subdivision in Savoy. We moved to our home in 2000 with the hope that one day our then unborn children would have the opportunity to attend the school that was proposed for the land in our neighborhood. We are thrilled that both of our daughters will have the opportunity to attend the new school.
When I signed Madeline up to go to Carrie Busey as a kindergartener, the new school project had not been approved. I chose Carrie Busey because I had heard great things about the staff and I had a good feeling about the vibe of the school. Then the project was announced and I learned that I was lucky enough to be at the school that would be transplanted to a brand new facility in my neighborhood. I was thrilled. My two children would attend a school close to home with the staff and teachers that I really like and have already gotten to know. Carrie Busey is a special place, not because of the building or the location but because of the people. Carrie Busey is a community, not a collection of bricks, blocks and smartboards. The community is moving to the new location and should not be renamed.
There are other reasons that a new name should not be considered. It is my understanding that the staff was told at the time of the project proposal that the name would be retained. The school district has made it clear with their slogan of “Promises Made. Promises Kept.” that their word is good. Please don’t qualify that rule and exclude promises made to the wonderful staff of Carrie Busey.
Further, the consent decree that has occupied the focus of Unit 4 since the time I began teaching in the district does not have a system where neighborhood school names make any sense. Why would a school be named after a location when school assignments are not really location based. Giving the school a neighborhood based name would be a slap in the face to all those who gave their time and energy working tirelessly to assure that the consent decree be properly carried out.
Also, other businesses do not change their names because they change location. Businesses only change their name when they are trying to lose a bad reputation. Carrie Busey School does not have a bad reputation that it needs to hide from. It is a wonderful building filled with vibrant students, teachers and staff. The Carrie Busey name should be retained.
I have heard the argument that it will be too confusing if we don’t change the name. I would argue that it will be more confusing if we do change the name. Consider kindergarten sign-up that is scheduled to begin at the beginning of March. How is Carrie Busey going to be designated on that form? “School in Savoy that is Yet to be Named but will house all of former Carrie Busey students?” Or will we just continue to list it as Carrie Busey because a new name has not been assigned. Then imagine the surprise of people who don’t pay that much attention who get their school assignment in May that has a school name on it that they don’t recognize. (Because the name has been chosen at that point.) I believe it is easier to educate people that Carrie Busey is moving to a new location, much like any other business.
As for the other schools that will be using the old building, I understand that Westview is going to be called Westview at Carrie Busey next year. Isn’t Westview on Kirby a much more descriptive name? Just put a big sign out front like when Columbia was used to house other schools during their renovation projects. “Current Home of Westview.” Thousands of people drive by there every day. The word will get out. A similar sign could be used to direct people to the new location of Carrie Busey.
And if the board will just take a stand on this issue and keep the promise to the teachers and staff of Carrie Busey school that the name will be retained, think of all the hours that can be used for something much more productive, more productive than arguing about a name that should not be changed.
Sincerely,
Julee Lee