Dear Heights Staff, Families, and Community,

On December 4, we held two Discussion and Education sessions for Heights staff, families, students, and the community, along with focus groups for staff and students, on the topic of potentially renaming Monticello Middle School. The conversations were thoughtful, nuanced, and respectful. 

I want to thank everyone who participated in these gatherings and shared their candid thoughts, as well as our facilitator, Dr. Gregory Hutchings. An educator, author, and activist, Dr. Hutchings is the Founder and CEO of an educational consulting firm, Revolutionary ED, LLC. Read more about Dr. Hutchings here.

During these sessions, we discussed the history of Monticello and the reasons behind the potential name change. Monticello Middle School, like several CH-UH schools, was named for the street upon which it is located. While it is unclear why the street itself was named Monticello, it shares a name with the plantation owned by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson enslaved more than six hundred people throughout his life, 400 of whom lived in bondage at Monticello (video: Black Descendants Of Thomas Jefferson Speak Out At Monticello [TODAY, July 6, 2020]).

The video recording for the Family, Student, and Community session can be viewed here, and the slideshow presentation can be viewed here. (We did not record the Staff Discussion and Education session as originally planned, as it was ultimately a small and intimate group that had a brief, informal conversation.)

As we continue this process, community input is critical. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. The survey will be open through Wednesday, December 18.

The findings from all these efforts will be compiled and presented to the Board of Education in early 2025. We will continue to update you on next steps and ways to get involved in the process. 

Sincerely,
Superintendent Liz Kirby