After a heated exchange at a Richmond School Board meeting Tuesday evening, the renaming of Richmond Alternative School remains undecided.

Superintendent Jason Kamras presented the Richmond Public Schools administration’s recommendations to the board in renaming the alternative school to Richmond Success Academy, or R.S.A., names that reflect the administration’s desire to boost student achievement.

“[R.S.A.] really is what the academy is all about,” the superintendent said.

“Helping young people who perhaps made choices that weren’t the best or gotten a little off track, but we’re going to help them get on track and be successful in school and in life.”

However, Mariah White, 2nd District, which includes Richmond Alternative School, – did not agree with the proposal of the new name after attending two public meetings.

“This was not one of the names that we filtered down to five names,” White said. “I think we’ve wasted a lot of people’s time. You’ve wasted my time. This is the school I represent.”

The process of renaming the school began in April when the Richmond Public Schools School Board officially declared its intent to rename the school.

The RPS administration then launched an online submission forum, receiving 92 suggestions from students, families, staff and community members. A selection committee and school renaming committee, composed of students, teachers, administrators and community partners, reviewed the public feedback and identified five finalist names. They then recommended the top three choices: Richmond Academy of Excellence, Richmond Prep Academy and Richmond Success Academy. The administration ultimately decided on the final recommendations for the School Board’s consideration.

“This is the school of my heart,” White said. “Here we got success. It’s great I’m looking for success, but I want [students] to make sure that they feel that their potential is excellent and we bring it out of them.”

Kamras responded by stating the School Renaming Committee came forth with the name, not the RPS administration.

“The administration had no part in it,” he said. “We will move forward with whatever the board selects.”

Ultimately, the board failed to agree on the RPS administration’s suggestion to rename the school Richmond Success Academy. However, board member Elizabeth Doerr of the 1st District said that while the selection process had already been approved, asking students to help rename the school would be more appropriate.

“I think engaging the students in the process to rename the school is the appropriate next step,” Doerr said. 

Superintendent Kamras stated the administration will survey the students at Richmond Alternative School on the three finalist name options — Richmond Academy of Excellence, Richmond Prep Academy and Richmond Success Academy — and present the findings at the next School Board meeting on Sept. 9.