Help Name New Independent Study School

The New Haven Unified School District is asking for suggestions from the community to help name their new independent study school.

The school will be housed at the campus beginning next school year and aims to “provide an educational environment and academic diversity for students who might not otherwise attend school,” according to a district newsletter.

The New Haven Board of Education voted earlier this month to designate the independent study program as its own school. Currently, the program operates out of the Cabello Student Support Center.

However, the district is moving various services and programs from the Cabello site “to accommodate an increased number of community organizations interested in leasing space at Cabello, which will increase rental income and help the district offset some of the ongoing cuts it is being forced to make by the state,” according to a previous press release.

The Centralized Enrollment Center, which was also headquartered at Cabello, recently reopened at the Educational Services Center annex.

New Haven’s independent study program serves approximately 300 independent and home school students from throughout the district, many in grades 9 to 12, according to a district newsletter.

The New Haven Adult School principal will also serve as the administrator of the independent study school. 

What the new school will be named, however, might be up to you.

The Facility Names Committee is asking for suggestions and will submit three names to the New Haven Board of Education to consider at a future meeting. According to the district’s Board Policy, schools can be named in honor of an individual or individuals who’ve made significant contributions to the community, state, country or world or in recognition of the geographic area where the building is located.

Those interested in suggesting a name are asked to submit their idea along with a statement of up to 400 words that explains why the name is fitting. Suggestions should be sent by June 4 to Facility Names Committee, New Haven Unified School District, 34200 Alvarado-Niles Road, Union City, 94587, or e-mailed to Rick La Plante, the Director of Parent & Community Relations rlaplante@nhusd.k12.ca.us.