PORT ANGELES – The Port Angeles School Board could make it official Thursday night — whether to rename Stevens Middle School.
The district is building a new sixth-through-eighth grade campus to replace the current Stevens building, which dates back to the 1950s. State law gives school boards the authority to name or rename facilities when a new building goes up or major changes are made.
A naming committee made up of students, staff, community members, and representatives from the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe narrowed the options to four: Hurricane Ridge, Riverstone, Elwha River, and Port Angeles Middle School.
The district has gathered public input for months. Supporters of Elwha River and Hurricane Ridge highlight their cultural and environmental importance, while others say Port Angeles Middle School offers the clearest identity or the name should just stay Stevens.
The board meets at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Lincoln Center on West 9th Street. A vote on the new name is on the agenda. The new middle school is scheduled to open in 2028