Christina Liu
front page editor

Since 2016, the administration has been working on creating a memoir to thank former principal Dr. Michael Doran, who died in the summer of 2015, for his contributions and service in the community. The signage naming the auditorium after Dr. Doran was installed on Oct. 9, and the official unveiling will be in February, his birth month.

The idea of creating a memorial came from a group of students three years ago, but had to be put on hold due to other concerns. “With Mr. DuBoyce’s death last spring, we thought it would be best to put the project on hold for a little while,” Principal Kimberly Boldon said. “But we’re taking advantage of the nice weather now and the project is almost finished.”

Getting the Board of Education to approve the signage was a difficult and lengthy process that took nearly two years. “There were a number of community members, staff members, and students that had to gather signatures and do testimonies, which took a large amount of time,” Boldon said. “We need to have permission to make any changes since this school is public property.”

The auditorium was not the first place that came to mind when choosing a location to name after Dr. Doran. Areas such as the media center, art hall and athletic field were considered due to his love of reading, soccer and artistic expression. “There are so many parts of Dr. Doran that are attached to this school,” Boldon said. “We wanted to find a place that could connect to what he enjoyed and where his leadership was, and we thought the auditorium would be the most fitting because a lot is launched in [there] for students and staff.”

The signage has received a lot of support throughout the entire process. Sophomores Arzoe Singh and Rishikha Jadhav think that a memorial for Dr. Doran is a great addition. “Although I never personally knew him, I think that it’s important Dr. Doran becomes part of this school because of all of his contributions to our school,” Singh said.

The official ceremony announcing the signage will be held in February, and Boldon hopes to make it a school-wide celebration. The Doran family has been invited as well. “I know that [Dr. Doran] was a huge inspiration and an important figure in the lives of many older students,” Jadhav said. “My older sister really loved and appreciated him.”