Naming contest held for school formerly known as Lincoln-Memorial Academy

MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) - The process for choosing a new name for the former charter school known as Lincoln-Memorial Academy will kick off next week with two special live events – one virtual and one in person.

The school is no longer operating as a charter school and the Florida Department of Education requires a new Master School Identification number to be established. As part of that project, a new name will be selected.

Prior to becoming a charter school in February 2018, the school was known as Lincoln Middle School. The names Lincoln and Lincoln-Memorial have a proud history in Manatee County education as they were names of schools for black students for generations before desegregation came to Manatee District schools in the late 1960s.

Many school board members and community members have expressed a preference and hope that the new school will include Lincoln or Lincoln-Memorial.

The process for naming the school formerly known as Lincoln Memorial Academy is as follows:

Thursday, April 22, 2021 – Two Live Name Nomination Kickoff Events

The name nomination process officially begins with local residents able to submit name nominations in two different ways.

• Name Nominations will be accepted during a virtual kickoff meeting hosted on Microsoft Teams Live Events at 6 p.m. Please visit https://www.manateeschools.net/schoolname for information on how to join the meeting.
• Name Nominations will be also be accepted live and in person from 6-7:30 p.m., inside the main office at the Lincoln campus, located at 305 17th St. E., in Palmetto.

Thursday, April 22, 2021 – Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Name nominations can be submitted during this time period in the following ways:

• Email nominations to Communications@manateeschools.net
• Mail nominations to:

The School District of Manatee County

PO Box 9069

Bradenton, FL 34206-9069

• Personally deliver nominations to:

School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W., in Bradenton

• Submit nominations verbally:

During Public Comments at School Board meetings, Public Hearings or Workshops

Friday, May 28, 2021 – School Board Workshop

The School Board will discuss the name nominations during the workshop

Tuesday, June 8, 2021 – School Board Meeting

The School Board will finalize a name during a Public Hearing at this regularly scheduled meeting.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Name nominations will be accepted up to and during the Public Hearing on June 8, 2021.

For more information, please visit the home page of the district website at manateeschools.net and look under “Top Stories.”

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