PEORIA, Ill. – Five Peoria Public Schools will start the new school year Wednesday with new names.
Ribbon-cuttings for the schools started Monday and are continuing Tuesday.
“Children need to know who they are. They need to know that they came from greatness, that they came from people…their origin was not just slavery,” said Martha Ross, Peoria Public School Board president, to 25 News.
Among the renamings, Roosevelt Magnet School has become Elise Ford Allen Academy — named after the Peoria activist and Illinois’ first African-American newspaper publisher. She died last year at the age of 100.
SCHOOLS RENAMED THIS YEAR:
- Calvin Coolidge Middle School becomes Harold B. Dawson Jr. Middle School
- Roosevelt Magnet School becomes Elise Ford Allen Academy
- Washington Gifted Middle School becomes Reservoir Gifted Academy
- Charles Lindbergh Middle School becomes Liberty Leadership Middle School
- Harrison Community Learning Center becomes Annie Jo Gordon Community Learning Center
