Committee recommends new school name

By: KELLY BRUSCH - Staff Writer | Saturday, January 15, 2005 10:18 PM PST ∞

A group of residents, business owners and parents has recommended the Menifee school district adopt the name Oak Meadows for its sixth elementary campus under construction in the Mapleton housing development.

The citizens advisory committee came up with the name earlier this month, which the Menifee Union School District's board will consider at its Jan. 25 meeting.

Tim Rudd, a committee member and a parent of several children in the district, said the group started out with a large list of possible names, and slowly weeded out the less popular choices. The name Oak Meadows eventually rose to the top because of its historical significance, he said.

The $11million campus is off Poinsettia Street in the Mapleton housing tract, roughly southeast of Antelope and Scott roads in Murrieta.

Before homes were built at the spot and the developer nicknamed the tract Mapleton, locals referred to the area as "The Meadows," he said.

"Oak" was added to Meadows as a hat tip to the venerable tree variety. A few oaks still stand on the school property.

"Oak Meadows won out in the end," Rudd said. "It's got a nice ring to it."

Rudd said he, along with many others in the committee, spent several weeks talking with residents and researching the area on the Internet. It seemed as though the community was more interested in choosing a name that represented the school's geographic location rather than a name honoring a person.

Linda Chirico, principal at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary, who has been chosen to lead the new school, said names of former presidents, road names and references to nearby communities such as J-Bar Ranch were suggested but eventually were thrown out.

"The entire process was very positive; no one seemed to be against the name," she said of Oak Meadows. "Everyone left (the meeting) happy."

Chirico, who said she left the name suggestions to committee members, said the moniker seems fitting for the school she will help open in July.

Lisa Barkley, an office clerk at Menifee Valley Middle School and participant in the advisory committee, said she likes that the name pays homage to the area's past.

The school's design, however, is the thing of the future, Menifee officials have said. The campus is the first of its kind in the district to have classrooms and the school office all under one roof, a design to be replicated in future schools.

The design makes it easier for school officials to keep tabs on students, and will reduce heating and other energy costs while helping students and employees avoid uncomfortable outdoor temperatures.

School officials expect about 500 students to attend the campus, although it was built to hold up to 850. Officials are currently drawing up suggested attendance boundaries, which will be announced at a later date.

Contact staff writer Kelly Brusch at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2626, or kbrusch@californian.com.