The School Advisory Committee at Cocoa High School voted on September 25, 2023 to request approval from the School Board to move forward with the process of gathering community input into the proposal to dedicate Cocoa's Track to Coach James Folston, alumni and devoted coach and mentor to the student athletes of Cocoa High School for many years.  The School Board has approved allowing the gathering of community input.

There will be two meetings held to gather input in person.  Please join one of these meetings in the Cocoa High School Auditorium.  

Community Meeting   Tuesday, October 17, 2023 6:00pm

Community Meeting Thursday, October 19, 2023 6:00pm 

Community Meeting   Wednesday, October 25, 2023 5:00pm

This website also provides an opportunity for stakeholders to provide comments at any time by selecting Stakeholder Comments tab above and completing the google form.  Added comments will be posted for public viewing. 

7250 – COMMEMORATION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

The right to name or rename schools, parts thereof, and other District facilities shall be reserved for the Board.  If the Board does not name the facility, the following process will commence.

I. General
For the purpose of this policy, the terms “name,” “naming” and “renaming” shall be synonymous with “dedicate” and “dedicated.”

A. Names proposed shall be free from biases, prejudices and political and religious connotations.  The naming shall not discriminate because of sex, race, sexual orientation, creed or national origin.

B. If the school is to be named by its location in the community, the name proposed should be descriptive and of reasonable length.

C. If the name is a person, it is encouraged that the person should have been a former District educator/administrator, local resident or local civic leader of great prominence whose educational contributions to the District have had significant beneficial effects on the public school system and its students.  However, names of inspiring national or international persons are also allowable.  If the name is a former elected official, the person shall have left public office for a period of time not less than five (5) years. The Board discourages naming a school or building after a living person.

II. Naming a New School:
The applicable Assistant Superintendent for Elementary or Secondary Leading & Learning, with the assistance of individuals in the community and/or community organizations, if any, shall submit the proposed name(s) for school(s) to the Superintendent for his/her subsequent recommendation to the Board for final approval.  Names for new schools shall be considered in accordance with the following procedures:

A. A “Naming” committee shall be established and shall minimally consist of the following:​​​​​​​

1. School principal of the school to be named. If the facility is not a school, the Superintendent will choose his/her designee.

2. Parent representative chosen by mutual agreement of the school principal and parents of registered students. 

3. Student representative chosen by mutual agreement of the school principal, parents of registered students and the Superintendent’s designee.​​​​​

B. The committee will meet and determine a schedule to invite the students from feeder schools being affected by the new school to participate in the naming of the new school facility.  If the facility is not a school, then the Superintendent’s designee will convene a District committee.

C. The committee will submit its recommendation to the Board in writing and be available to discuss its recommendation with the Board at the Board’s regularly scheduled Board meeting.

D. By simple majority vote of Board members present, the Board may accept or reject the request to name the school, part thereof or other District facility.

E. The name of a new school, once adopted by the Board, shall be considered permanent for a period no less than five (5) years.

III. Renaming an Existing School and Naming or Renaming School Buildings and Ancillary School Facilities

A. ​​​​​​​An initiating entity named below, may submit a written request to the Assistant Superintendent of Facilities Services through the School’s Principal requesting the Board rename an existing school or name or rename a school building or ancillary school facility.  An “initiating entity” is defined as any of the following:   

1. School Advisory Committee of the school, evidenced by a majority vote of the membership. 

2. PTA or other parent-based organization of the school, evidenced by a majority vote of its board.

3. At least seventy-five percent (75%) of the school’s students.

4. Alumni of the school (the minimum number of which is at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the school’s current student body population, as evidenced by a signed petition indicating the graduate’s name and graduation year).*

5. Community members within the school’s attendance zone (the minimum number of which is at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the school’s current student body population, as evidenced by a signed petition indicating the community member’s name and address within the attendance zone).**Note:  The District has no obligation to verify the accuracy of the petitions presented.

B.A maximum of three (3) schools at a time may be considered for renaming as set forth in this section.

C. Schools that complete the renaming process under this section may not be considered for renaming for at least five (5) calendar years following the Board action to rename the school.

D. Following receipt of the written request described in subsection II.A above the Superintendent, or designee, shall prepare the request for Board consideration including the planned procedures and protocols for soliciting input.

E. The Board shall decide by majority vote of the Board whether to accept the written request for consideration.

F. If the Board accepts the written request, then within sixty (60) calendar days, the Superintendent shall initiate the administrative procedures and protocols for renaming the school.

G. The administrative procedures and/or protocols shall include the following minimum requirements:

1. Community Meetings:  The Superintendent or designee shall host up to three (3) open community meetings.  Third party facilitators or designated District administrators should be utilized to facilitate the community meetings. 

2. Community Input:  The Superintendent or designee shall solicit input from eligible stakeholders through the use of a survey or other like instrument.  Community input will be solicited from the following:​​​​​

a. SAC of the school; 

b. PTA or other parent-based organization of the school;

c. Students of the school;

d. Parents or Legal Guardians of students attending the school;

e. Community members within the school’s attendance zone;

f. Members of the school’s faculty and staff;

g. Alumni of the school and

h. Members of the public

3. Student engagement strategies to include age-appropriate dialogue.

4. Communication strategies for increasing public awareness of the renaming process.​​​​​

H. Within 180 calendar days of the vote of the Board to accept the renaming request, the Superintendent shall offer to the Board for its decision (by a vote of the Board), either a proposed new name or recommend no change to the school’s existing name.  In the event of extenuating circumstances that warrant additional time, including, but not limited to, assessment calendars, natural disasters or extended school breaks, the Superintendent may present the matter to the Board and offer an alternative timeline for consideration.