Watermen Elementary and Bay Haven Elementary.

Those are the two names currently under consideration for Mathews County’s elementary school, which had been called Lee-Jackson Elementary prior to Aug. 18, when the Mathews County School Board voted by a 4-0-1 margin to remove that name.

Following that action, a School Name Advisory Committee consisting of school board member Desmond Smith, superintendent of schools Nancy Welch, county supervisor Melissa Mason and Leslie Willis, Rebecca Brown, Charlene Winter, Katie Howlett, William Earl Sadler, Amy Hudgins, Brenton Payne and Bethanie Rose was empaneled to consider a new name.

Also, a community survey was conducted, both online and through paper submissions, with 294 responses received. The top name choice, according to the survey, was Mathews Elementary, with 182 people supporting that choice.

Only eight suggested a name with a Bay theme (Mobjack Bay, Bayside, Bayview, etc.). A glance of the 238 responses that came from county residents reveals that none had suggested Watermen Elementary.

Earlier this month, a second survey was sent out to school employees as well as students and families, asking input on the two names under consideration.

The committee met on Oct. 22 to begin the process. According to the note that accompanied this second survey, “points made during the discussion included the high school in our community recognizes our county’s name ‘Mathews’ while the middle school honors a local individual, ‘Thomas Hunter’ as well as an educator J. Murray Brooks. The committee discussed the opportunity to recommend a new school name that honors the rich heritage of our waterfront community.”

Results from this survey will be considered at the next School Name Advisory Committee meeting, which will be held today. The school board is expected to give the school its new name at the Dec. 15 meeting.