Marcia Watts, assistant superintendent, presented a prioritized list of the top five names that were narrowed down by the New Elementary Naming Committee.
Besides Watts, the committee consisted of Dick Church, Miamisburg’s mayor; Deborah Preston, Miami Twp. trustee president; Ross Morris, former principal and assistant superintendent; Lisa Dale, a parent; Patti Bennett, a teacher and parent; Shannon Bobbitt, a teacher; Anthony Covington, MHS student body president; and Mallory Stanhouse, 8th grade student body president.
“We met and we reviewed the policy and the procedures,” Watts said. The committee also advertised for citizen input in the naming process.
The school’s policy calls for the naming committee to prioritize a list of five names and present them to the board of education for a final decision.
Jane Chance Elementary was the favorite.
David Wood Elementary took the second spot and a combination Chance-Wood took third. Adena Elementary, which honors the Indians who built the Miamisburg Mound, and Star City Elementary, which uses the cities nickname, rounded out the list.
Chance was a 1954 graduate of Miamisburg High School and later served for 28 years in the school system. She taught social studies and physiology at MHS. “She took great interest in her student’s lives and made learning both exciting and challenging,” Watts said.
After receiving her doctorate, she served as principal of Miamisburg’s Mark Twain Elementary School. She served the Miamisburg school district as curriculum director and assistant superintendent.
Chance also held a seat on the Miamisburg City Council for ten years and was a key player in adopting the cities charter.
When she died in 2007, Mayor Church called her “the mother of our charter form of government.”
The board voted unanimously to name their new elementary school after Chance. Wood, they said, was more closely associated with the middle school and it’s expected his name will again be considered when the school names their new middle school on Miamisburg-Springboro Road.
In other business
• The board set two dates aside to honor various staff. May 12 was named “School Nurse Day” and the week of May 3-7 is being recognized as “Staff Appreciation Week.”
• The board recognized the recent achievements of the school’s Cheerleading Competition Squad, the Boys Bowling Team and the Girls Swim Team. Coaches and team members of each group were present at the meeting.
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