“Ramapo Central school officials are seeking the state’s OK to rename itself Suffern Central in hopes it’ll clear up confusion with the neighboring East Ramapo School District.
Superintendent Douglas Adams was authorized by the school board to pursue permission from the state Department of Education to formally change the name of the district. The vote at the Feb. 7 school board meeting was unanimous.
Here’s what’s next in the process:
District administration is now drafting the necessary paperwork to file with the state and expect to have that completed in the next two weeks, Deputy Superintendent Steven Walker said.
There is no “prescribed time frame” for when the state will make a decision regarding the district’s petition, according to a state education department spokesman.
Following an approval, the board would need to replace the district’s logo, which is currently a figure hoisting seven stars, meant to represent the district’s seven schools, above his head in front of the Ramapo Mountains. The board will seek a new logo that is inclusive of all of the different villages that make up the district, not just Suffern, and may consider involving students in the creation of the design.
The board would need to estimate the cost of the switch-over, but changes to letterhead and envelopes are nominal and the district would use the stationery until it runs out.
The replacement of two signs (one outside of the district administration building in Hillburn and one at Suffern Middle School identifying itself as part of the Ramapo Central School District) would also be needed.
“The level of support that we are getting from the entire community is significant, with many people providing us with letters of support for the name change,” Walker said. “This is proving to be a truly community-based activity, which all of us find to be very encouraging.”
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