Would a school by any other name be any smarter?

The Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board is considering changing the name of Timber Ridge Magnet School, a middle school, to Dr. Bessie M. Rhodes-Santos Magnet School. Rhodes-Santos was Timber Ridge’s first principal, serving between the school’s opening in 1995 and 1998. She died in 2002.

The name change was first proposed four months ago. At the town meeting Thursday night, the board first heard from parents who were concerned about the $5,565 cost of the name change, saying the money could be better used to improve the school’s technology lab. Others wondered how the name change would help the school.

“My preference, and the preference of many (parents), would be to increase funding for the lab which would directly impact students,” Parent-Teacher Association Co-President Yvette Jordan-Granberry told The Daily Wednesday.

The tone of comments seemed to change after several people who worked with Rhodes-Santos spoke about her contributions to the community as a black female educator. They said the money was insubstantial, and the community could chip in to fund the change.

Janice S. Jones worked as a student teacher under Rhodes-Santos in 1968 at Foster Elementary School in Evanston, now King Lab School.

“It was like working under a hero,” she said of Rhodes-Santos. “I think her love of teaching (that) she shared with kids made other students want to become teachers.”

Yvonne Davis worked with Rhodes-Santos in community organizations as well as at the Second Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Ave.

“She was a strong, visionary implementor,” Davis said.

In later comments, parents and board members said they felt more informed about Rhodes-Santos. Their views changed, some said.

“I came here with the inclination that it seems like a fitting tribute,” board member Julie Chernoff said. “I am now convinced that it’s the right thing to do.”

Jordan-Granberry said she and others were more frustrated that the board was going to vote on the issue at a March school board meeting without consulting Timber Ridge parents.

“Timber Ridge wishes this dialogue was brought up weeks ago and how (the idea) came about tainted how we felt about the proposal,” she said.

Board member Mary Rita Lueke said the board was rushed to consider the matter.

“It was suggested that we were being racist if we delayed taking a vote,” Lueke said.

Jordan-Granberry said she wished supporters of the name change had contacted the school and its parents.

Davis, who first proposed the change to the district, said the school board is responsible for communicating with the Timber Ridge community.

“I am a private, tax-paying citizen,” Davis said. “I can write a letter to the board asking them to consider anything I want. I have that right.”

Before serving as principal of Timber Ridge, Rhodes-Santos taught at King Lab School and Foster Elementary in Evanston.

She received her doctorate degree in educational administration from Northwestern in 1972.

The board is scheduled to vote on the proposed name change at its April 25 meeting. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Joseph E. Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave.

Reach Lensay Abadula [email protected].