CROWLEY, Texas — The Crowley Independent School District board on Thursday night voted to name a new elementary school Crowley Montessori Academy.
Names in honor of Juneteenth activist Opal Lee and longtime Crowley educator Vivian J. Lincoln were also considered as top choices. But the board ultimately decided on Crowley Montessori Academy, which is set to open in the fall.
The school is located in the Karis neighborhood off Karis Boulevard and North Crowley Boulevard.
The district's naming committee, which was formed earlier this year, fielded potential name ideas from across the community, compiling 64 in total. The names were then voted on by the committee through a selection process that had each committee member vote on their top five.
Lincoln appeared in the top 5 of 100% of the ballots, while Opal Lee appeared in the top 5 of 83% of the ballots. The Crowley Montessori Academy name appeared in the top 5 of 83% of the ballots.
The committee ultimately recommended the latter option, and the school board voted unanimously in favor of the name at Thursday night's meeting.
The board did not discuss the reasoning behind their final decision, but board member Daryl R. Davis II noted the "overwhelming" response from the community when it came to possible names for the new school.
Lincoln was a longtime educator who was the first Black female principal in the Crowley Independent School District, serving at Jackie Carden Elementary School for 15 years. She retired in 2017 and died in 2022.
After her passing, the City of Fort Worth decided to name a new city library branch in her honor. The Vivian J. Lincoln Library is located on McCart Avenue in southwest Fort Worth.
Lee is a former teacher who lives in Fort Worth. Her family in a statement to WFAA said they were fine with the Crowley board's decision. They also noted that the district has honored Lee in the past, including with an annual district-wide day of service each October.
