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Politics & Government

School Board Ponders Naming Policy

The Saucon Valley School District's policy could allow businesses to have their names attached to district property.

Saucon Valley School District Superintendent Dr. Sandra Fellin told the school board at its Aug. 23 meeting that she is working on a first draft of a naming policy for the district.

The policy will provide guidelines for allowing businesses to have their names on district property.

This will be especially helpful for the district’s planned environmental education center, according to Saucon Valley Foundation for Educational Innovation Chairwoman Susan Kennedy, who spoke to the board about possible naming opportunities for the environmental center.

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She explained that the foundation is trying to raise $360,000 from corporate and private donors to build and maintain the center on district land near Polk Valley Road.

“Contributors might want name recognition,” Kennedy said. “This is a critical point in raising money.”

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In a letter to the school board Kennedy said:

“As part of the fundraising plan, the foundation would like to offer potential donors the opportunity to tastefully and thoughtfully name elements in return for a sizable gift.”

At the board meeting, she proposed that donors who give as little as $25 could receive their business's name on a border stone. A donor who gives as much as $150,000 could have the environmental center named after their business.

School board member Lanita Lum questioned Fellin about the types of businesses that would be allowed to donate.

“This could be cumbersome if the organization is not viewed as socially correct. The business could say, 'If the church in town can, why can’t they?'” Lum said.

“If the organizations are not furthering the mission of our institution, we can say no,” board solicitor Mark Fitzgerald explained.

School board member Michael Karabin asked if any new policies would affect the district’s scoreboard.

“That’s’s like apples and bananas--the scoreboard was a gift,” school board member Edward Inghrim said.

The first draft of the naming policy will be reviewed by the school board at its Sept. 13 meeting.

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