Haight Name Selection Process
For full background on the Haight renaming initiative, please see our Haight Renaming Committee page.
NAME CRITERIA
Under AUSD policy, a school can be renamed for:
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Individuals, living or deceased, who have made contributions to the community, county, state, nation or world
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The geographic area in which the school or building is located
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Curricular concentration or concepts or approaches to education
Based on these parameters, the renaming committee members decided the school should be named after someone or something that embodies the following values:
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Diversity
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Inclusivity
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Community leader
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Involved in education
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Local connection and/or impact
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Devoted to civil rights/social justice/equity
The committee also decided that if the school was named after a person, that person should be deceased.
MEDIA COVERAGE
Alameda Journal: "Recommendations Wanted for Renaming Haight" (09/07/2018)
Alameda Journal: "Panels Weigh Renaming Haight, Combining Schools" (09/13/2018)
Alameda Magazine: "Removing Hate from Haight" (November, 2018)
Alameda Patch: "Vote Thursday for Renaming Haight" (11/14/2018)
NBC: "Community to Vote on Proposal to Rename Haight Elementary School" (11/14/2018)
AUSD: "Haight Elementary Chooses Love" (12/5/2018)
Alameda Sun: "Committee Votes to Rename Haight Love"
VOTING PROCESS
Submissions
The submission period for names was open from August 29 to October 12. The submission opportunity was publicized to both Haight Elementary School and the wider community. The committee chose four names from the names that fit the criteria (two submitted by students and two submitted by adults). Those names were Don Grant Elementary School, Neilsen Tam Elementary School, Love Elementary School, and Ohlone Elementary School.
More detail on the name selection is available in this FAQ.
Primary Election
Students, families,and staff voted on those names in a "primary" election on November 6, 2018. All students received Voter Guides to learn about each candidate and how the election would work. The Voter Guides were also translated into several languages and made available to families and staff.
A total of 727 people participated in the election, including 496 (90%) students, 34 (68%) teachers and staff, 197 (~18%) parents. The winning name was "Love."
| Name/Candidate | Percentage of Votes |
|---|---|
|
Love Elementary School |
37% |
|
Don Grant Elementary School |
23% |
|
Ohlone Elementary School |
20% |
|
Nielsen Tam Elementary School |
17% |
General Election
Students, staff, families, neighbors, and alumni had a chance to vote between "Haight" and "Love" on November 15.
| Name/Candidate | Number of Votes | Percentage of Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Love Elementary School |
471 |
70% |
|
Haight Elementary School |
203 |
30% |
NEXT STEPS
As mandated in AR 7310, on January 15, 2019, representatives of the Haight Renaming Committee submitted a recommendation to change the name (PDF) of the school from "Haight Elementary" to "Love Elementary." Superintendent McPhetridge accepted the recommendation and passed it on to the Board of Education at its January 22 public meeting. The Board accepted comments on the proposed name through April 15 and voted to change it to "Love" at its April 23 meeting.