School Renaming Committees To Be Formed For 2 Loudoun Schools

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — After the Loudoun County School Board voted in June to consider nine school renamings, the first two schools are getting renaming committees.

The renaming action from the all-new School Board came after the previous School Board did not take up the two school renamings before their terms ended. The first two schools being considered for renaming are Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School in Leesburg and Mercer Middle School in Aldie. Frances Hazel Reid refers to a United Daughters of the Confederacy member, while Mercer is tied to a slaveowner affiliated with the American Colonization Society.

The School Board's school renaming policy says the board will appoint a committee to propose new names for a school. According to Tuesday's School Board agenda, people seeking to serve on the Mercer Middle School and Frances Hazel Reid Elementary School committees must submit a letter of interest to the Loudoun County Public Schools Division of Planning and GIS Services at LCPSPlan@LCPS.org by Sept. 27. Unless the School Board directs staff to do otherwise, the School Board will consider appointing committee members on Oct. 8.

For Mercer Middle School, the committee will be made up of: one Mercer Middle School administrator, at least two Mercer Middle School staff, at least two parents or guardians of Mercer Middle School students, at least two Mercer Middle School students, one or two Mercer Middle School alumni, one parent or guardian of an Arcola Elementary student, one parent or guardian of a Cardinal Ridge Elementary student, one parent or guardian of an Elaine E. Thompson ES Student, one parent or guardian of a Liberty Elementary student, one parent or guardian of a Pinebrook Elementary student, at least two community members in the Mercer Middle School zone without a student, one MSAAC member and one Black History Committee-Friends of Thomas Balch Library member.

For Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School, the committee will include one Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School administrator, at least two Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School staff, at least two Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School parents or guardians, one to two Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School alumni, one Leesburg Town Council member, at least two community members in the Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School zone without a student, one MSAAC member and one Black History Committee - Friends of Thomas Balch Library member.

Francis Hazel Reid Elementary School's renaming process will prompt a town hall meeting on Sept. 17 at Smart’s Mill Middle School, 850 North King Street, Leesburg. Residents may attend the meeting or email comments to lcpsplan@lcps.org.

According to the School Board's policy, the committee's work should begin with a public survey to get school name suggestions. Criteria for school names includes honoring deceased people who contributed to improving Loudoun County Public Schools, Loudoun County, Virginia or the U.S.; or places with geographical or historical significance to Loudoun County.

The naming committee will propose its recommended school name and two alternatives to the School Board. The School Board will have final action on the school renamings and may choose to use or not use the committee's recommendation.

Seven others schools will be considered for renaming at a later time — Belmont Ridge Middle School in Leesburg, Belmont Station Elementary School in Ashburn, Seldens Landing Elementary School in Leesburg, Sully Elementary School in Sterling, Hutchison Farm Elementary School in South Riding, Ball’s Bluff Elementary School in Leesburg and Emerick Elementary School in Purcellville.

Belmont Ridge Middle School's name is affiliated with selling slaves down South and the American Colonization Society. Belmont Station's name is tied to a plantation, selling slaves in the South and the American Colonization Society. Seldens Landing and Sully refer to plantations and enslavement, and Hutchinson Farm refers to a family supporting secession, fighting with the Confederacy and enslavement. Ball's Bluff references a Civil War battle won by Confederates, and Emerick references an LCPS superintendent during the Jim Crow era. In the fall, Loudoun County Public Schools staff will propose timelines for renamings of these seven remaining schools.

The board is not taking action on renaming Aldie's John Champe High School, which references a Loudoun County native and Revolutionary War veteran whose ties to enslavement are unclear, or other schools.