{"id":73743,"date":"2023-08-22T08:05:26","date_gmt":"2023-08-22T13:05:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=73743"},"modified":"2023-08-22T08:05:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-22T13:05:30","slug":"boe-discusses-name-for-elementary-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=73743","title":{"rendered":"BOE discusses name for elementary school"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By ALICIA FEYERHERM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hays USD 489 Board of Education met Monday for a regular meeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Allen Park asked to add a discussion about gender-neutral bathrooms at the new high school to the agenda.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe way they were discussed by the architect is quite confusing to me and it\u2019s a change in what we\u2019ve traditionally had at the high school. So if there is going to be a change, we need to have more discussion about that,\u201d Park said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Park\u2019s motion to amend the agenda failed 5-2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later in the meeting, the board discussed the naming of the new elementary school set to open in the fall of 2026 at the current Hays Middle School site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne of the things we felt like was important was looking at the history of our school district,\u201d Superintendent Ron WIlson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hays Middle School building was originally Hays Junior High and then renamed Felten Middle School in 1979 by the board of education when the district added two middle schools and a new high school. The school was renamed in honor of Pete F. Felten, who played a key role in the development of Hays. Serving as mayor, he helped lay out and name the streets of Hays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the first time a Hays school was named after someone other than a president. At the time, six district schools were named after presidents. When voting on the name change in 1979, board member George Gatschet said he did not think it was necessary to name the junior high school after a president. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had a lot of good people who served the county and our district,\u201d Gatschet said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That name change was approved in a 5-2 vote. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thirty-three years later, the building’s name changed once again. With the closing of Kennedy Middle School and the consolidation to one middle school in the district, the building was renamed Hays Middle School in 2012. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that the building will be used as an elementary school, Wilson brought forward a recommendation to name the school Felten Elementary School. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Board member Tammy Wellbrock asked about the relationship between Pete Felten the former mayor and the Hays artist and sculptor Pete Felten. The board\u2019s general counsel Bill Jeter said the artist is the son of the former mayor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe feel like this is just the right thing because of the history of the school, what it was previously named,\u201d Wilson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The board approved the name 7-0. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other items discussed at the meeting:<\/p>\n\n\n\n