Our Process
Our inclusive process will include researching new names, establishing educational lessons about the history of school names and surveying and, importantly, engaging our students, staff and community about our new name.
Rank voting process
You can find a general description of how ranked choice voting results are calculated here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_transferable_vote. For the #WhatsMyName voting, 961 ballots were submitted via the survey. One ballot was blank, resulting in 960 ballots that could be used. With 960 ballots and 6 choices, a name needed 138 votes to be chosen in the first round (this is just greater than 1/7th of the ballots). In the first round of tabulation, Camden High School and H.E.N.R.Y. both passed this threshold and were chosen. H.E.N.R.Y had 14 first choice rankings more than the threshold and these were reallocated to the voters' 2nd and 3rd choices. In the second round, no name reached the quota and the name with the lowest number of rankings was eliminated. These votes were transferred to the voters’ next preference. The elimination of the lowest ranked options and reallocation of preferences proceeded for 37 rounds until Victory High School was chosen. Another four name options were eliminated, and Camden Community High School was chosen in the 42nd round, followed by Minneapolis Northwest High School and Prince High School in the 43rd round.
Technical details: We used the STV package in the R statistical computing environment to calculate results using proportional allocation of surplus votes.
Values
Student Led
Students are the driving force behind the process.
Community Focused
Together as a community, we want our new name to reflect the values, diversity, and briliance.
Data Informed
We want to get as many voices about our criteria and name change as possible. We want the decision to reflect the diversity of voices our school serves.
Stages/Timeline of Name Change
Summer 2022: Pre-work, training, process/timeline identification
September/Oct: Awareness
October/November: Gather ideas
December/Jan: Narrow ideas based on criteria
Early March: Idea Generation with community
Late March: Narrow all names that fit criteria
April 17th-May 3rd 1st round of voting
May 8th- May 21st Final round of voting
Late May: Submit list to Superintendent
Late May: Superintendent gives names to board and General Council
Summer 2023- Summer 2024: Search for vendor and create branding and design (this process can take anywhere from 6 months to a year)
2024-2025: Fully implemented name change
Stakeholders
Stakeholder Groups to include:
Current Students, Parents, and Families
Elementary and Middle School Feeder Students and Families
Educators at School and Feeder Schools
Community Members
Neighbors
Local Businesses
District Educators
Community Partners (Beacons, Boys & Girls Club, YCB, Achieve, Phillips Foundation, Minneapolis Foundation, Asian Media Access)
Alumni Foundation
Alumni (inclusive of graduating classes from 2021 to 1950)
School Board Members
Citywide student representatives
Recipients of the Camden News
Local Politicians
Resources
Approved resolution directing Patrick Henry to begin the name change process
Form 7960C1: Submit Name Change Request (includes a checklist)
Documentation of Ella Baker's name change process (contains links to additional information)
Documentation of Las Estrellas' name change process (contains links to additional information)
Documents/materials from the School Names Advisory Committee