GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — We've known about these new schools coming to Guilford County for a good bit of time now.
What we didn't know is when they are expected to be ready for students, we didn't know where they'd be located, and we didn't know what the names of these schools would be.
We now know all of that information, and the names of these schools will be part of history at the same time.
The Sylvia Mendez Newcomers School will be in High Point and will mirror the Doris Henderson Newcomer's School in Greensboro. This second newcomer's school will help Guilford County Students, whose first language isn't English. The goal is to prepare and help ease the transition of these students into their designated school.
However, not only are these new schools being named a step in the right direction to completion. Also, the names of the schools will carry, are historic according to District Superintendant, Dr. Sharon Contreras.
"It was a historic night last night. To name these schools after these two incredible women who've contributed so much to our country. Sylvia Mendez helped lead desegregation in California when she was denied the right to attend school, and then Katherine Johnson who helped put men on the moon, and helped bring them home safely."
The Mendez School will open in January of 2023, and will also become the first school in the state to name a person of Latinx descent. In Southwest Guilford, a brand new K-8 school will be named after Katherine Johnson, one of the most important figures in NASA history.
The district tells us that they anticipate the Katherin Johnson School for Science and Mathematics will open fall of 20-23, that is unless they run into any major setbacks during construction.