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New Elementary School Naming Process

New Elementary School Naming Process

School Board Approves Bear Hill Elementary School as Name of New Elementary School on March 24, 2025

The T/E School District is excited to announce that, following an extensive public engagement process, the District’s new school will be named Bear Hill Elementary School.

The naming process included multiple opportunities for community input. The Ad Hoc Public Information Committee met in November to initiate discussions, followed by an online form that allowed community members to submit name suggestions. After reviewing submissions, a second Public Information Committee Meeting was held in January, and another online form allowed the public to provide feedback on the final four name choices. The process concluded with a final Committee meeting in March, before the School Board officially approved the name at its meeting on March 24.

Throughout the process, the District was pleased to see such strong participation, with more than 1,300 instances of public input collected during key phases. The selection of Bear Hill Elementary School reflects the community’s voice and a shared vision for the new school.

The District is also grateful to the representatives from the Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society, Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust, the Tredyffrin Township Historical Commission, and Mount Zion AME Church for their partnership throughout the naming process. Their insights and contributions were invaluable in ensuring the historical significance of the school’s name. We also appreciate the input of local first responders who reviewed name options from an emergency response perspective.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this important decision!

School Naming Process - Winter 2025 Update

The process of naming TESD’s new elementary school is well underway. In November, the School Board Ad Hoc Public Information Committee met to establish the naming process and define parameters for name options. From November 8 through December 6, the District invited the community to share their creative ideas, and we were thrilled to receive a wide range of thoughtful suggestions from our engaged residents.

In January, the Committee reviewed the submissions and narrowed them down to four final options:

  • Bear Hill Elementary School - (The stretch of road from the Swedesford/Howellville intersection west to Lancaster Ave is Bear Hill Road, or Route 252.)
  • Blue Heron Elementary School - (The pond at the rear of the new school property has been the location of blue heron sightings in the past, and the Chester Valley Trail Heron Rookery is approximately 1,000 feet to the northeast of the new school property.)
  • Bluestone Elementary School - (The Howellville area was previously home to at least seven different quarries and four separate quarry operations. The quarries contained a specific type of limestone called bluestone.)
  • Covered Bridge Elementary School - (Tredyffrin Township is home to the historic Knox Covered Bridge in Valley Forge National Historical Park.)

From January 31 to February 12, the District accepted community feedback on the final name options through an online form. The Ad Hoc Public Information Committee will reconvene on March 18, 2025 to select a final name to recommend to the full School Board. The final decision will be considered at the March 24, 2025 Regular School Board Meeting.

Thank you for your continued participation in this exciting process. Together, we will select a name that will inspire generations of students to come.