PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Five Peoria Public Schools (PPS) now have new names after a PPS board meeting on Monday afternoon.
After many audience presentations filled with debate about school name changes, the board passed the five new names, with one exception. One school was changed to a different name than what was placed on the consent agenda.
The new names are:
- Calvin Coolidge Middle School: Harold B. Dawson Middle School
- Harrison Community Learning Center: Annie Jo Gordon Community Learning Center
- Lindbergh Middle School: Liberty Leadership Middle School
- Roosevelt Magnet School: The Elise Ford Allen Academy
- Washington Gifted School: Reservoir Gifted Academy
Washington Gifted School was originally slated to change to Betty Friedan Gifted Academy, but board member Dr. Anni Reinking said Betty Friedan had Anti-LGBTQ views and the board agreed to change the name to the Reservoir Gifted Academy.
“The original building that sits on Grand Avenue was called Reservoir Grade School and was based on that because of the reservoir that’s located behind the building and still is located behind the building in large tanks,” said Reinking.
Betty Friedan was a feminist author best known for her 1963 novel, The Feminine Mystique.
Harold B. Dawson was the pastor of New Life Christian Church, Annie Jo Gordon the mother of Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth, and Elise Ford Allen the first Black woman in Peoria to have founded a newspaper.
Also passed Monday night was the modified calendar for the 2022-2023 school year and the 2023-2024 school year.
