Timber Ridge Magnet School will be renamed in memory of Dr. Bessie Rhodes, the school’s first principal, Evanston/Skokie District 65 School Board members voted unanimously at the Monday board meeting.

Timber Ridge, which serves kindergarten through eighth grades, first opened in 1995. Rhodes served as the school’s principal from 1995 to 1998. She died in 2002.

“This is special to our community,” School Board President Hecky Powell said. “We have a lot to celebrate.”

The cost of the name change, which includes reprinting items such as team uniforms and stationery, is estimated at $5,565.

The debate over the name change began four months ago when Yvonne Davis, who worked with Rhodes in the community and at the Second Baptist Church, 1717 Benson Ave., sent a letter to the school board requesting the name change be considered.

Earlier this month, the school board held a public forum at Timber Ridge for parents and community members to discuss their opinions on the name change. Many said they were frustrated that the school board, which had been ready to vote on the issue at a March board meeting, did not initially incorporate them into the discussion.

Some parents thought that instead of renaming the school, the board should rename the school’s technology lab after Rhodes because of her efforts to make Timber Ridge a technology-centered school. Other parents said they wanted the money to be spent on better software and computer upgrades for the lab.

At Monday’s meeting, school board member Jonathan Baum said he thought the forum went well because both sides learned each other.

“People were respectful,” Baum said. “There was real interaction, real learning.”

Timber Ridge Parent-Teacher Association Co-President Yvette Jordan-Granberry said that her views changed after the forum.

“I understood the value of the proposal and although I still held to my beliefs that there were other ways to memorialize (Rhodes), I could accept that this was the right thing to do,” Jordan-Granberry said Monday.

Jordan-Granberry said the name change should be be incorporated with Timber Ridge’s 10th anniversary in the fall.

“It would be a very appropriate moment,” agreed board member Mary Rita Luecke.

Jordan-Granberry said she hopes administrators at Timber Ridge hold assembly programs to educate students about Rhodes’ contributions to the school and community.

She also said she supports the changing of uniforms and letterheads during the summer.

At Monday’s meeting, board members also heard the April 5 election results and agreed to accept the re-election of Luecke and Mary Erickson as well as the election of first-time candidates Sharon Sheehan and Jerome Summers.

Current board members Bob Eder and Powell will not be returning to the board.

The new school board members will be sworn in at a May 2 school board meeting.

Reach Lensay Abadula at [email protected].