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Leah Swann, granddaughter of the late Dr. Melvin C. Swan Jr., unveils a portrait of her late grandfather with David Miller (former principal of Aycock Middle School, now renamed Swann Middle School). Photo by Charles Edgerton/Carolina PeacemakerThe former Charles B. Aycock Middle School was renamed after longtime educator, Dr. Melvin C. Swann Jr., in a dedication ceremony on August 19. Saturday’s celebration brought out hundreds of school and community leaders, present and former students, teachers, and parents, as well as Swann’s family and Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. fraternity brothers. The festivities included the middle school’s drum line, the chorus and a special address from Swann’s granddaughter, Leah Swann.
In February 2016, the Guilford County School Board took up the charge to rename the school, only a week after the University of north Carolina at Greensboro voted to remove the name of Charles B. Aycock from its auditorium. Community members submitted name suggestions on the Guilford County Schools’ Web site and subsequently, Swann’s name was selected by the board. Swann spent 36 years in the Greensboro City Schools System (now Guilford County Schools) and helped the former city and county school districts merge in 1993. During his tenure, he served in positions from principal, assistant superintendent, associate superintendent and eventually held the second highest ranking position in the school system as deputy superintendent.
