2 New Redmond Elementary Schools Named

REDMOND, WA - From Lake Washington School District: At the March 5 School Board Meeting, the Board unanimously approved the names of both the New Elementary School in North Redmond and the New Elementary School in Redmond Ridge East, which will open in fall 2018. These projects were part of the 2016 bond measure approved by voters. The new names are as follows:

• New Elementary School in North Redmond is named Clara Barton Elementary School
• New Elementary School in Redmond Ridge East is named Ella Baker Elementary School

At the Board Meeting, Superintendent Dr. Traci Pierce reviewed the administrative policy and procedure for how school names and mascots are selected and submittal for approval by the Board of Directors. School planning principals Ms. Karen Barker and Ms. Kim Bilanko shared the process that includes holding meetings with future students and seeking name nominees. A list of finalist names were submitted for initial Board review. The incoming school community then votes to select the name from the list of finalists, and the selected name is presented for final Board approval.

About the names:

Clara Barton is best known for her humanitarian work. However, she began as a female teacher that fought for women to have equal rights to men in the workplace. She then joined the Civil War effort to provide care to soldiers through organizing methods of getting desperately needed supplies to soldiers on the front lines. She traveled from battle to battle, becoming known as the “Angel of the Battlefield.” In 1869, she went to Switzerland, where she worked to get the U.S. Congress to agree to the Geneva Convention. This agreement resulted in the formation of the Red Cross, and it asked nations to agree to protect medical personnel on the battlefield. The resulting American Red Cross provides relief for victims of epidemics and natural disasters. Her work helping people in times of war and times of peace made her an eternal symbol of humanitarianism.

Clara Barton Elementary will focus on developing social-emotional and leadership skills in children through a school-wide approach to providing instruction and growth of the inter-disciplinary skills and attributes of the LWSD Student Profile. Barton Elementary will incorporate a service-learning project at each grade level to apply these skills in a project that serves our local or global community.

Ella Baker was a hero of the Civil Rights Freedom Movement who inspired and guided emerging leaders such as Rosa Parks. She played a key role in some of the most influential organizations of all time, including the NAACP, Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. She believed in grassroots movement and she believed change happened by unlocking the power of every person. Her influence was reflected in her nickname "Fundi," a Swahili word meaning a person who teaches a craft to the next generation. She reached out to the young to help them find their voices and become their own advocates. She was a well-respected and influential leader in the fight for human and civil rights. She is ranked as one of the most important African-American leaders and perhaps the most influential woman in the Civil Rights Movement. She dedicated her life to service, which is a cornerstone of our school; allowing students to see a need in our society and empowering them to make a difference.

Ella Baker Elementary will be an inclusive and nurturing environment that will develop students as global citizens through service-learning. Social-emotional learning, integrated with content knowledge, will encourage creative and critical problem solvers. Students at Baker Elementary will develop their character; empathy, grit, self-control, integrity, optimism and gratitude. They will learn to embrace diversity through enriching and integrated curriculum. Through service-learning projects and leadership opportunities, students will learn about themselves and how they can impact their school, their community and their world.

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