Portland School Committee Approves New Name for High School
The Portland School Committee voted unanimously on March 8 to rename the city?’s Expeditionary Learning high school as Casco Bay High School. Students initiated the name change last October.
A naming committee that included students, parents, staff and administrators solicited ideas from the community. Most of the more than 100 proposals fell into three categories: famous or extraordinary people, concepts related to Expeditionary Learning or local geography.
The committee decided that the name should be memorable, recognizable, unique, easy to say and official-sounding. The group also wanted a name that embodies what the school stands for and that cannot be easily ridiculed. Based on those criteria, the committee winnowed the list to a small number of finalists and sought additional input from parents, students and community members. After reviewing the responses, the naming committee chose Casco Bay High School by consensus.
The high school opened in September on the second floor of Portland Arts and Technology High School. More than 80 freshmen currently attend the school. A new grade will be added for each of the next three years.
