I understand Nancy Metayer was great and her death was tragic, so I can appreciate the desire to honor her in a big way. What I don't understand is 1) why do we need to rename a whole school with a 3 decade history in our community for someone who, to my understanding, was not that involved with the school and 2) why is there a rush to get this done ASAP, to the extent of changing a policy to get it done quicker than normal? Begs the question - what's really at play here? Because most importantly, there will be a hefty expense to rebrand an entire school; and that expense is being left out of this initial conversation to fast track the name change. The mind-boggling thing is there are so many areas in the school that could use additional funding (music instruments, laptops, teachers, lunches.. just to name a few) and you want to spend money on rebranding? The irony would be laughable if it wasn't so sad. How about instead, you revamp the eco science/outside classroom to the Nancy Metayer Environmental Science Lab and fully fund a fantastic environment science program? That would be something that's actually for the good of the students, the community, and the future of the school.

Peter Wang, one of the 14 students killed at the MSD shooting attended Westchester Elementary and Sawgrass Middle School. Vice Mayer Nancy Metayer never attended SSMS nor did she actually attend a Broward County School Board school for middle or high school. She attended Coral Springs Charter, an actual rivalry school for attendance to SSMS. Nancy was touted as having an impact on SSMS with the Eco department, however, I have been a proud parent of the school for 4 years with one child still in attendance and both in the ECO classes, and no one at the school remembers her or her accomplishments. I can tell you that she wasn't out in the garden area with the ECO supporters when i was there. I know she didn't spend an entire Saturday pressure cleaning the side walks and inside the gazebo with the ECO supporters. I know that she nor the city or the county paid out their pockets to hire a company to pressure clean the Gazebo roof, like i did with my own funds. The school is proud to be very secure and if she spent so much time at the school making an impact, why not show us the computer print outs of her time at the school. As a proud parent I volunteer over 10 hours per week at the school. I am unsure of the rush to pass this bill and start a naming committee for the school. If you rename the school, you have realize you are erasing 28 years of Alumni memories. I know this is a political bout, but remember, you are suppose to be supporters of our children, not, other politicians. The board needs to step back and find money to pay for the rebranding of the school. I am confused of why my best teacher to this day, Mr. Yaxley, who worked and retired from South Plantation High School only got the new science wing named in his honor and not the entire school which he put his blood, sweat and tears into. Please remember the alumni, the current students and stop playing politics with people's children. You need to create a supportive environment throughout the elected members and the employees who have worked so hard to get to there positions and who love their students. This is a political decision and tax payers money should not even be spent on a vote or a discussion. Thank you.

We respectfully oppose both the proposed renaming of the middle school and the decision to bypass the established two-year waiting period.

Our opposition is not intended to diminish the life, contributions, or memory of the individual being honored, nor is it meant to disrespect her family. We understand and respect the desire to honor her legacy.

However, we believe the two-year waiting period exists to ensure these decisions are made thoughtfully, consistently, and without exception. Setting aside that requirement in this case would also establish an unnecessary precedent, making it more difficult to apply the policy fairly and consistently to future requests.

We also believe that a school’s name is a significant part of its identity and should not be changed without compelling and careful consideration. There are many meaningful ways to honor her memory without changing the school’s name or setting aside an established policy.

We respectfully ask that the existing policy be upheld and that the proposed name change not move forward.

As an active parent at Sawgrass Springs Middle School for the past three years and a member of the PTO Board, I respectfully oppose changing the name of our school. Sawgrass Springs Middle School is more than a name. For 28 years, it has been a staple of our community and a place where generations of students have created memories, built friendships, and discovered who they are. Our children are now part of that legacy, and they proudly walk the halls as Gators and carry that SSMS Pride throughout our community. Middle school is such an important time in a child's life. Our children are learning, growing, discovering themselves, and finding their place in the world. Their school, its traditions, mascot, and identity become part of that journey. Taking away that identity at this important stage does not feel like the right answer. Rather than changing the name, I believe our focus should be on ensuring every student has access to meals, resources, opportunities, and the support they need to thrive academically and personally. I sincerely sympathize with the tragic loss of Vice Mayor Metayer and understand the desire to honor her memory. However, I believe there are meaningful ways to celebrate her legacy without removing the identity of Sawgrass Springs Middle School. We could dedicate a portion of the school in her honor, revamp the environmental area in her memory, or rename the gym, cafeteria, a building, or another meaningful space. Over the past year and a half, our PTO has worked incredibly hard to rebrand and revitalize SSMS, making it a more welcoming, fun, and exciting place for our children and families. We have worked to strengthen the very Gator Pride that makes our school special.
As a PTO Board member, I oppose changing the name and history we have worked so hard to preserve and strengthen. We can honor Vice Mayor Metayer while still preserving the 28-year legacy of Sawgrass Springs Middle School.
Let Sawgrass Springs remain Sawgrass Springs. Let our children remain proud to be Gators.

I'm a parent of a current SSMS student and I oppose directing the Superintendent to start this renaming process right now.

The agenda item lists the governing policy as "7250 (Forthcoming Policy)." That means the policy that's supposed to govern this whole process hasn't been adopted yet. The Board is being asked to kick off community engagement and committee review for one specific school before the actual rules exist. That's the wrong order. Finish Policy 7250 first, let parents and the community see the real standards and timeline, then apply it the same way to any renaming request that comes up, not build the rulebook around a case that's already in motion.

No disrespect intended, but we've been closely involved at SSMS since 2025, and in that time I haven't personally seen or heard about Vice Mayor Metayer's involvement with our school. If that connection is part of the case for this renaming, I'd ask the Board to share specifics with parents before moving forward, not just as a general statement in the agenda item.

I feel for the Metayer family. Her death was a tragedy and domestic violence doesn't get nearly enough attention or funding. But if the point is to build something that actually honors her, naming or funding a domestic violence resource center in her memory would do more for that cause than swapping a sign on a middle school.

The item says there's no financial impact "at this time." That's only true of this first step. If the process ends in an actual rename, the district is looking at real costs: signage, uniforms, athletics gear, letterhead, the website. I'd like the Board to state clearly whether "no financial impact" covers that eventual cost too, and if not, who pays for it. Our PTO already covers things the budget doesn't stretch to, including hot lunch, because money is tight as it is.

I oppose changing the name of Sawgrass springs middle school

I am a very involved parent at Sawgrass Springs Middle School and currently help lead our PTO. Over the past four years, I have attended school meetings, participated in campus cleanups, volunteered at events, and spent countless hours working with our teachers, staff, students, and families.
During that time, I never heard Nancy Metayer mentioned by a teacher or staff member in connection with Sawgrass Springs. I understand she may have visited the school during her campaign for Vice Mayor, but I do not believe that alone establishes a strong enough connection to justify renaming a school that has been part of our community for 28 years.
I am also concerned about the precedent this sets. Seventeen students and staff members lost their lives at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School during school hours. Those families lost their loved ones while they were supposed to be safe at school and in the care and protection of our school system. I cannot help but wonder: if we are going to rename schools to honor individuals connected to our community, what about the families of those 17 victims? Wouldn't they also want their loved ones honored with a school bearing their name? I believe the School Board needs to establish a thoughtful and consistent policy rather than making a rushed decision that could create an expectation for future school renaming requests.
I am not opposed to honoring Nancy Metayer or bringing awareness to domestic violence. I believe there are much more meaningful ways to do that, such as naming a women's shelter, domestic violence resource center, garden, courtyard, or gym in her honor.
Renaming a school is also expensive and time-consuming. At a time when the School Board is facing budget challenges and struggling to provide free hot meals to all students, I believe those resources should be directed toward our students, teachers, classrooms, and school safety.
Sawgrass Springs Middle School has a 28-year history and generations of proud alumni. Please slow down this process, listen to the community, and find a meaningful way to honor Nancy Metayer without taking away the identity and history of Sawgrass Springs Middle School.

We as a community can honor Nancy Metayer is other ways.

I think that school names become a tradition for families and siblings that get to follow each other in their steps. Don't change the school name but give her a location after her name within the school. I love if it could be the "Metayer Courtyard or Library or Gym, etc" Don't remove a name on a location that has been in our neighborhood for almost 3 decades.

I understand and respect the desire to honor Nancy Metayer who tragically lost her life to domestic violence. Her contributions to our community and the impact she made deserve to be remembered and recognized.
However, we strongly believe there are meaningful ways to honor her legacy without removing the name Sawgrass Springs Middle School.

Sawgrass Springs Middle School has been a part of our community for 28 years. For generations of students and families, the name represents much more than a building. It represents memories, friendships, accomplishments, traditions, and a sense of belonging. Changing the name would erase an important part of the school’s history and the identity that so many families have known for decades.
We also believe there are many appropriate spaces within the school that could honor Nancy Metayer in a lasting and meaningful way. Her name could be given to the gymnasium, cafeteria, courtyard, garden, or another dedicated area on campus. This would allow her legacy to become a permanent part of the school while preserving the identity and history of Sawgrass Springs Middle School.
I believe a decision that would fundamentally change the identity of a school with 28 years of history deserves careful consideration and meaningful input from the students, families, alumni, staff, and community who have made Sawgrass Springs what it is.
Our children deserve the opportunity to become Sawgrass Springs alumni and to carry that tradition forward. They deserve to inherit the same school identity and sense of community that previous generations have experienced.
We can honor Nancy Metayer without taking away Sawgrass Springs Middle School. We respectfully ask that you preserve the school’s name while finding another prominent and lasting way to honor her remarkable legacy.
Thank you for listening to the concerns of the Sawgrass Springs community and for considering the history, traditions, and families who are deeply connected to this school.

I oppose renaming a school that is so deeply rooted in the community. While I fully support honoring the deceased and recognizing her contributions, I do not believe that should come at the expense of the school’s established name, history and connection to the community.
A much more appropriate way to honor her legacy would be to name the environmental building after her. That would recognize her contributions in a meaningful way without erasing a name that has long been part of this community.

Although the sentiment is sweet I disagree with changing the entire schools name, can we have a building within the school named after her instead?

While the sentiment is greatly respected, I and other SSMS parents are not happy about the planned execution of renaming the school. We would be more comfortable with naming a program or building without erasing the alma mater of 30 years of students that have been through SSMS. Amongst other reasons.