The Stafford School Board on Tuesday voted on names, mascots, and colors for the two new elementary schools that are set to open in August of 2026.

Elementary school #18, which is co-located with Hartwood High School (formerly high school #6) off Truslow Road in the Hartwood district, will be named “Falls Run Elementary School.” The mascot will be a foxhound, and the school’s colors will be purple and navy, with gold as a highlight color.

 

 

Hartwood district representative Alyssa Halstead made the motion to select the name, mascot, and colors—which was the alternate recommendation of a 13-member naming committee. The primary recommendation was Berea Elementary School, with the otter as the mascot.

Halstead was a member of the naming committee, along with Karen Bingham, who will be the school’s first principal; Darrell English, the Hartwood representative to the Board of Supervisors; and teachers, students, administrative staff, parents, and community members.

 

 

 

The School Board selected the blue jay to be the mascot of Crow’s Nest Elementary School, formerly known as “elementary school #19.” Photo by David Bridle on Unsplash

The naming committee for elementary school #19, which is in the Aquia district, included Maya Guy, the district’s School Board representative; Monica Gary, Board of Supervisors representative; principal J.R. Raybold; and others.

Guy made the motion to name elementary school #19 “Crow’s Nest Elementary.” The mascot will be the blue jay and the colors will be turquoise and navy, with lime as highlight color.

Guy’s motion was a blend of the naming committee’s primary and alternate recommendations. The primary name recommendation was Brookeside Elementary School, reflecting the fact that the school is located on the same campus as Brooke Point High School.

The blue jay was the primary mascot recommendation.

School Board member Patricia Healy, Rock Hill district representative, noted that the name “Crow’s Nest” for that part of Aquia doesn’t refer to the bird, but to the name of the lookout point on the mast of a ship.

“You could stand there and see the ships coming in,” Healy said.