BUSINESS SECTION

Policy: 4.25

NAMING OF SPECIFIC AREAS OF SCHOOL FACILITIES

A. Generally

The Falls Church School Board solely retains the discretion and
responsibility for naming specific areas of school facilities such as
gymnasiums, playing fields, libraries or media centers, and science
labs. The School Board reserves the right to decline to accept a
recommendation, request or donation which does not contribute
toward the goals and objectives of the school division.

In all cases, the School Board retains control and ownership over the
named facilities. Naming rights, whether funded or honorary, will not
convey any input or control over the content of school programs
offered in the named facilities.

Appropriate names include, but are not limited to, names of

individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the school or
school division, and business or individual sponsors who have
contributed substantially for capital improvements or to the benefit of
a school or the school division.

B. Honorary Naming

Exceptional contributions to a school or to the school division may be

recognized by naming an appropriate area of a school facility or
school grounds in honor of an individual not actively serving the Falls
Church City Public Schools. The area named should be substantively
related to the area in which the individual has contributed to the
schools. The School Board retains the authority to rename areas if
school facilities are used for a new purpose or function, to transfer
names to different facilities or to discontinue naming.

Groups or individuals wishing to initiate such an action must submit a

written recommendation to the School Board Chairman and

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Policy: 4.25

Superintendent, detailing the area(s) to be dedicated or named and

providing the information supporting the recommendation.

Upon receipt of the recommendation, the School Board Chairman and

Superintendent will determine whether a committee should be
convened to consider the recommendation, or whether the School
Board should consider the matter directly. In deciding whether to
convene a committee, the size or prominence of the area suggested
for naming shall factor into the decision. The School Board Chairman
and Superintendent will consult with the principal of the school where
the proposed naming would occur.

If the Chairman and the Superintendent decide to convene a

committee, an ad hoc committee will be named by the Chairman and
Superintendent. The committee membership will include an
administrative member from the school affected, a representative of
each school-affiliated organization and outside groups as appropriate.

If a committee is convened, the task assigned will be to review and

recommend whether the School Board should accept the naming
nomination. The committee may provide alternative names or
locations, but is not required to do so. The committee may also
recommend against naming.

The School Board will consider the matter in the form of a resolution.
The resolution will name the area(s) of a facility and provide the
duration of the naming. It shall be subject to a public hearing before
adoption. The School Board has final authority over any naming.

C. Funded Naming Rights for Capital Improvements and

Donations

1. The Falls Church City School Board allows private

contributions directed toward the specific goals and
objectives identified by the Board to finance buildings and

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Policy: 4.25

portions of buildings, substantial fixtures and equipment, and

grounds improvements. When the private contributions for
such capital improvements are proposed to be made in
exchange for the right to name the capital improvement, this
policy will be used. The School Board reserves the right to
refuse any contribution.

Financial contributions arising from the naming of school

facilities under this policy or Policy 4.4 Private Funding are
generally intended to be expended for School Board
sanctioned capital improvements or invested in the
endowment of a school affiliated organization for long-term
capital preservation and periodic income distribution for the
benefit of the Falls Church City Public Schools.

2. Projects for which naming rights are to be granted will be

reviewed by the principal and Superintendent and a
recommendation for action will be made to the School Board.
Final review and approval of such projects rests with the
School Board. In reviewing a project and deciding whether to
accept private funding in whole or in part for facility
improvements, the following shall be considered:

• Whether the improvement is consistent with the School

Board’s identified priorities for projects, including those
identified for private fund-raising;
• Whether the improvement benefits the school and/or the
school system;
• A calculation of the anticipated consequences of the
improvement, including future financial liability in annual
operating costs;
• Whether the improvement would foster or exacerbate
inequity among schools, including exploration of whether
other schools would want a similar feature, the desirability
and comparison of “extras” among schools, and

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Policy: 4.25

maintenance of a systematic attractiveness and appeal of

all public schools city-wide;
• Whether the contribution will fund the improvement fully
and if so, whether permanent naming rights are to be
offered in exchange for funding.

It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent to ensure

the interests of the school community are considered
throughout the review and approval process.

3. Following the approval of projects with exchanged naming

rights or other conditions, a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) or comparable document will be written and signed by
the donor and the Superintendent on behalf of FCCPS. Such
document shall be based on the donor’s proposal and shall
set forth the details of the FCCPS’ agreements as to the use
of the funds, the development of the project, and all other
conditions including naming rights which are to be given.

Unless specifically identified as permanent, any exchange of

naming rights for a capital improvement under this policy will
be a grant of naming rights for a limited period of time. The
length of rights will be identified in the MOU which documents
the agreement of FCCPS and the donor. In order to grant
permanent naming rights in exchange for funding, the School
Board must determine that the donation produces sufficient
value to justify the perpetual naming of the capital
improvement.

If naming rights are being exchanged for contributions as

part of a fund-raising campaign which has been approved by
the School Board under Policy 4.4 Private Funding, the parties
to the MOU will be the donor and the school affiliated
organization. A copy of the MOU will be provided to the
Superintendent.

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Policy: 4.25

4. All facility improvements (including in-kind contributions)

financed with private contributions becomes the property of
the Falls Church City Public Schools. No future control of the
facility improvements may be exercised by the donor other
than those conditions reflected in the MOU.

Legal References: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, Sections 22.1-

78 -79, 22.1-125, 22.1-126

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