New PUSD school to be called ‘Design 39 Campus’

By Emily Sorensen

After being referred to only as School 39 since its beginnings, the under-construction K-8 school finally has its name.

The newest school in Poway Unified School District, which will be located in Del Sur, next to Del Norte High School, will be called Design 39 Campus.

The name was brainstormed for months by the school’s principal, Sonya Wrisley and her teaching team, with some input from district staff. Wrisley and her team presented “Design 39 Campus” as their recommended name, with “Camino Ridge Elementary” as the other final choice. Other names considered were Design for Learning and Camino Ridge Design Campus. The tagline Wrisley presented for their name choice was “the future is a place we create.”

The choice of campus rather than school was deliberate. “School is a finite place,” said Wrisley. “We want [Design 39 Campus] to be a learning experience, not a learning environment.”

As of now, Design 39 Campus does not have a suggested mascot. Wrisley said she wanted to wait for the students to vote on whether they wanted a mascot or not, and if so, what it will be.

“The name needed to reflect the school’s mission,” she said, adding the school’s mission will be design, learning and creativity for their students.

“Design” comes from design thinking, a style of thinking and learning that combines empathy, creativity and rationality to solve problems. Both the staff and students at Design 39 Campus will learn design thinking in their education. Wrisley said 39 was left in because people have been referring to the school as School 39 for years.

After some debate, the board voted yes on naming School 39 “Design 39 Campus.” Board member Kimberley Beatty was the only member to vote no, after her motion to delay the vote wasn’t passed. Beatty said she was worried the name would stand out too much, and that it didn’t signify equity and sameness.

Design 39 Campus is scheduled to open in August 2014.