A new Mukwonago middle school building is in the works. The district is also weighing whether it should come with a new name, too.
The district’s voters last November approved a referendum to pay for the building. Most of the existing Park View Middle School will be replaced, though some of it will be incorporated into the design. Construction is anticipated to start in September and be completed in September 2027, Mukwonago Area School District superintendent Joe Koch previously told the Journal Sentinel.
As construction gears up, the district surveyed whether to keep the Park View name or start fresh.
The Journal Sentinel also sought feedback on the school’s name, with 10 readers responding. About half suggested different names, including “Mukwonago Middle School,” “Bear’s Den,” “Bear Middle School,” “Ronald Reagan Middle School” and “Lydia Eli Hewitt Middle School.”
Nancy Wilson said “Mukwonago Middle” clearly defines the school, is alliterative and could informally be called “Middle Muk.”
Christopher Ellman suggested Bear Middle School to recognize the menaing behind Mukwonago’s name. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Encyclopedia of Milwaukee says the name Mukwonago comes from a Potawatomi word meaning “place of the bear.”
Four readers said the school should keep the Park View name.
Susan Gracyzk said everyone would continue to refer to the new school as Park View Middle School even if the name changed. Plus, keeping it would save money on signage, stationery and more.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Keep Park View or replace with new name? Here’s what readers said about new Mukwonago middle school
Reporting by Alec Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
