Board eyes short list of new school names
School officials in Phoenixville have released the short list of potential names for the incoming Early Learning Center, elementary school and the roadway leading up to the building. The school board will make its final decisions in August.
In April the board sought submissions from the public for the school estimated to cost $71 million. Since then the naming committee received over 90 suggestions, Stan Johnson, executive direc- tor of operations, said at Thursday’s meeting. It whittled the choices down to three names for the elementary school, two names for the Early Learning Center and three names for the roadway.
“We opened this up to the community to get ideas or suggestions,” Johnson said. “It was on the district website for the better part of a month.”
For the elementary school, the three choices are Eisenhower, Pennypacker or Manavon Elementary School. A fourth choice, Meadow Brook Elementary School was also selected, but the former owners of the Meadow Brook Golf Club asked out of respect that the district choose something else.
Eisenhower was chosen because of the former president’s close ties to the area. Pennypacker was selected after the 23rd governor of Pennsylvania, Samuel Pennypacker, who was born in Phoenixville. Manavon was picked because that was the original name for Phoenixville.
For the Early Learning Center, which will house kindergarten and first grade, the choices are the Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center or Pickering Meadow Early Learning Center.
Finally for the roadway leading up to the building, the choices are Phantom Parkway, Firebird Lane or Schoolhouse Lane.
Board President Dan Cushing said it was the board’s intent to introduce the names and discuss them with the community. Contractors are eager to know the names, so they can fabricate signs for them, Johnson later added. The board agreed to wait until August to make its decision.
Former Phoenixville Mayor Leo Scoda said he voted for Eisenhower Elementary.
“A true American hero, one of our few five star generals in history,” Scoda said. “He lead the American forces as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe for the Victory over Nazi Germany regime. And also because he has a strong Phoenixville connection.”
His son, Col. John Eisenhower, lived in Schuylkill Township for many years. His oldest son, David Eisenhower, who married Julie Nixon, two of their children were born in Phoenixville Hospital.
“Also because President Eisenhower’s youngest (granddaughter), Mary, attended school here,” Scoda said, who then displayed the class of 1973 yearbook. “As a teacher I met Mary and had Mary in class. She could have chosen any of the top private schools in the area to go to and she chose Phoenixville High School.”