The list of 285 proposed names submitted for the Ypsilanti-Willow Run consolidated school district must be whittled down to one by Feb. 4.
The Washtenaw Intermediate School District began fielding ideas from the community on what to name the merging districts in late December. The deadline to submit a name was Tuesday.
WISD spokeswoman Emma Jackson said of the suggestions, 217 were non-duplicate names.
The Ypsilanti and Willow Run school districts are merging into one. The districts' high schools are shown above, with Willow Run on the left.
AnnArbor.com file photos
There were several submissions that referenced the Huron River, which passes through the heart of Ypsilanti, as well as Ford Lake.
Dozens more attempted to combine the two individual school systems' names, such as: YpsiRun School District, Willypsi Schools, Wipsig Run and Willowlanti.
The two financially struggling school districts are being combined after voters in the November election approved a proposal to consolidate Ypsilanti and Willow Run.
Name suggestions for the new district were divided into categories: community, geography, names of people, future expectations, local history, points of pride and miscellaneous.
Ypsilanti United Schools and Eastern Washtenaw Community Schools were favored options Wednesday night during a forum to discuss the suggested names, according to a WEMU report.
Other names that drew interest at the forum included Ypsilanti Community Schools and Ypsilanti Liberated Schools, a nod to the B-24 Liberator that was built at the Willow Run Bomber Plant during World War II, the station reported.
A second forum to discuss the proposed names is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Willow Run Intermediate Learning Center, 235 Spencer Lane.
Jackson said the initial idea was to develop a list of the top 10 names to pass along to a naming committee, comprised of school officials and community members. But it could end up being six, seven or even 12 names that are submitted to the committee for consideration, she said.
The committee is expected to make a formal recommendation of one name to the joint Board of Education on Feb. 4.
Some suggestions can be eliminated from the list of 217 unique names immediately for being a little silly but sweet, such as Flower School. Jackson said this submission, and a few others, came from young students in the two districts.
“So it’s great that they participated in the process,” she said.
- View the list and tell us your favorites and least favorites in the comments below.
News producer Cindy Heflin contributed to this report.
Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.