Parker unveiled an artist rendition of what the West Madison Pre-K Center will look like after renovations are completed in 2021. RECORD PHOTO/JOHN FEW

MADISON – West Madison Elementary School will stay West Madison. The Madison City school board decided Thursday to leave the West Madison name alone as they transition the campus into a pre-k center for the district.

MCS superintendent Robby Parker told school board members that because of the school’s rich history, he felt it was only fitting to keep West Madison in the name.

“It’s always been West Madison, so I am recommending the name continue to reflect the West Madison name and preserve that heritage,” Parker said.

The transition to the West Madison Pre-K Center will occur in August 2021 after construction of the new $34 million elementary school next to the Kroger on Wall Triana Highway. It will hold about 900 students, including all of the students currently at West Madison Elementary School.

“The West Madison campus holds about 500 students,” Parker said. “Right now we have about 382 students in our pre-k program, but we turn away about 150 (because of lack of space). It’s a central location, and the classroom sizes are perfect to make it a pre-k center.”

Parker said historians and many citizens expressed keeping the name attached to the site when the new elementary school is built.

“West Madison Elementary School opened in 1953. Today, it is one of two former segregated African-American only schools that are still in operation north of Birmingham. West Madison has a rich-rich history,” Parker said. “It has every grade at one point from pre-k to 12th grade.”

Just in the past 30 years, West Madison has been numerous grade configurations including a K-8, K-6, PreK-6, K-2, K-5 and perhaps others.

“I asked residents in the community if there were any objections to us teaching 4 and 5-year-olds at the campus. They all said we do not care if you are teaching 4-year-olds or 18-year-olds here, as long as you are teaching our children,” Parker added. “They just don’t want to see it become a bus barn or turned into office space for the school district. They want the tradition to continue where children are being taught at West Madison.”

As far as the name for the new elementary school being built down the road from West Madison, a committee will be formed to brainstorm a name.