New Post Falls school: Greensferry Elementary

POST FALLS — The newest campus in the Post Falls School District will be called Greensferry Elementary.

On Monday night, the Post Falls School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved of the name — coined during a student-driven naming campaign — for the facility that will open its doors this fall. Kathy Baker, the current principal of Ponderosa Elementary and future principal at Greensferry, personally invited every student who will attend the school to submit a potential name and mascot during new school assemblies last month.

"It's always all about the kids," Baker said. "They were so thoughtful. There were creative names, and there were geographically and historically accurate names — it was a fantastic list to work from."

One of Baker's personal favorites of the 55 suggestions she received from the students was "Honey Pie and Sunshine School, Home of the Unicorns." Hogwarts Elementary, Home of the Wizards and Rollercoaster School, she added, were also notable for their creativity.

"We had some really fun mascot suggestions as well, including one student who thought the mascot should be named after her best friend," Baker said.

The student submissions were then analyzed by a committee of parents and staff members, who were asked to narrow the list to their top 10. The committee then discussed the top names, paying close attention during the discussion to the historical and geographical significance as it relates to the new campus.

In the end, Baker said the names Greensferry and Mountain View rose to the top of the list.

"What was really interesting was that those were the names submitted most by the students," Baker said. "I love that."

Superintendent Jerry Keane told trustees during their regular meeting that he was recommending Greensferry because of the local historical significance and the school's location adjacent to Greensferry Road. The road, Keane said, is named after the location of a ferry service that took people back and forth across the Spokane River prior to the building of a bridge.

"It's a link from the past to the future," Keane said prior to the vote. "It's a name that will span generations."

A mascot for the school is still in the works, Keane added.