Pacific Crest and Bridge Creek are the front-runners to be the name of Bend-La Pine Schools’ new middle school.

The district’s board will make a motion on the name in January, but a committee including the school’s principal presented six names at the board meeting Tuesday night. Pacific Crest, a reference to the National Scenic Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada, was the committee’s top choice, Superintendent Ron Wilkinson said.

The committee had earlier suggested four names for the new school near Summit High School, including Bridge Creek, but the board asked for more options.

Board co-Chairman Nori Juba apologized for seeming to “discredit the work” of the committee during the previous discussion, saying he now better appreciates how district policy encourages the use of names tied to locations, flora and fauna.

In other news, Director of Federal Programs Dana Arntson reported on the district’s progress educating English-language learners.

The district met targets mandated by the state and federal government for the percentage of students on track to achieve English proficiency, the percent reaching proficiency within five years and beyond five years.

Arntson said this was the first time she could remember the district meeting all three of those goals, though the performance of English learners on state tests failed to meet a stated target.

She said districts identified as similar to Bend-La Pine, including Eugene and Beaverton, also failed to meet that target.

At the beginning of the meeting, six visitors made comments questioning the district’s decision to sell Troy Field, a small downtown park. After a public hearing, the board voted in late October to list the property for sale.

Barb Campbell, who is a city councilor-elect, said she “really liked having that open space downtown” and enjoyed watching her nephews play soccer there.

Board member Andy High said the district offered the property to the city of Bend and the Bend Park & Recreation District.

“We’re in the business of educating students and doing the best we can,” High said. “The park district is a separate entity and responsible for open spaces.”

The district has said the sale of Troy Field could help fund the construction of schools. The property will be listed for sale by the end of the week.

— Reporter: 541-633-2160,

tleeds@bendbulletin.com