School Board Approves New Name for San Ramon's Fifth Elementary School

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board of Education approved "Bella Vista Elementary School" Tuesday night as the name for the District's 36th school, and 5th elementary school in the Dougherty Valley area of east San Ramon.

Bella Vista is projected to open Fall 2016, and is situated on a 7.4 acre site located approximately a half mile southwest of the Dougherty Station Community Center and Library in a yet-to-be developed area of the Dougherty Valley (site is adjacent to a 30-acre community park currently under construction).

“Bella Vista means 'beautiful view' in both Spanish and Italian, which is very appropriate given the view of Mt. Diablo and other local hillsides from this location,” said Board President, Rachel Hurd. “I think this name will truly resonate with students and the community.”

The committee that selected the name was comprised of nine people representing the school district, the San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs, the City of San Ramon and the local parent community.

The committee process involved meetings to review board policy, establish the process for gathering community input, and prioritize and select the name based on the input.

Staff, students, parents and community members submitted their suggestions through an online survey. More than 400 suggestions were received. The survey results were sorted and provided to the committee members, who then discussed the suggestions and rationale, and came to consensus on their recommendation for the Board.

—Information submitted by San Ramon Valley Unified School District Board of Education