S. Ponce Renamed Paul Bianchi Way in Memory of Founding Head of School
On a crisp September morning, multiple generations of Paideians gathered on the corner of S. Ponce and Oakdale, recounting cherished memories of our founding Head of School, Paul Bianchi, as our community marked the renaming of our home street to Paul Bianchi Way in his honor.
The idea to rename the segment of S. Ponce de Leon between Oakdale Rd. and Fairview Rd. in Paul’s memory originated with Paideia alumni parent and current grandparent Robbie Dokson. After learning of the Galloway School’s efforts to rename their street after their founding Head of School, Elliot Galloway, Robbie felt it was only appropriate that Paideia would rename S. Ponce after Paul. During their first years in Atlanta, Paul and his partner, Barbara Dunbar, taught at the Galloway School. It was Elliot Galloway who introduced a then 24-year-old Paul Bianchi as a prospective head of school to a visionary group of parents in Dekalb county wanting to open a new progressive school. In many ways, Elliot’s road led Paul to S. Ponce.
The unofficial “Let's Honor Paul Bianchi and Rename South Ponce De Leon Avenue” Committee, or LHPBARSPDLAC for short, was born. Friends of Paideia, including Emily Bianchi, Ginger Birdsey, Robbie Dokson, Sally Dorn, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Melinda Cooper Holladay, Richard Ossoff, and Tom Taylor, worked diligently with the City of Atlanta, specifically Atlanta City Council Members Liliana Bakhtiari and Matt Westmoreland, to petition for the honorary title.
Former Mayor Shirley Franklin shared remarks during the dedication, recalling her own personal history with Paideia and reflecting, “How much time have we spent here?” Mayor Franklin remembered Paul as smart, humble, and open to new ideas. She reminisced on the way both Paul and Barbara enriched her life through their leadership and guidance. Reflecting on the significance of the dedication ceremony, Mayor Franklin remarked that Paul would not only be thinking of where we are today, but also thinking ahead – asking ‘Where do we go next? What else should we teach? What else do we build?’ She acknowledged that as we think about Paideia’s future, we are also remembering and honoring Paul’s legacy.
The importance of the physical location of Paideia came up many times. Paul’s youngest daughter, Emily Bianchi ’97, admired the serendipity that our school, this treasure trove replenished year after year with thoughtful and talented young people, would inhabit a street whose namesake searched for the fountain of youth. During her remarks, Emily shared many memories of her father, including his favorite adage, “After ecstasy, the laundry.” For Paul, the daily joy of school was ecstasy, but with the unfettered joy of witnessing the metamorphosis of students as head of school, also came the laundry – the messy, boring, bureaucratic, and sometimes outright ridiculous parts of the job.
The street itself, S. Ponce, could often be categorized as laundry, having caused its fair share of problems over the years. Any motorist who has found themselves on S. Ponce between 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. knows the perils of Paideia carpool, but the street has also been known to leak sewage, puncture tires with its sharp curbs, and, when the sun hits at just the right angle, blind unsuspecting drivers.
Despite the laundry, Emily couldn’t imagine a better place for her father and mother to spend their lives and careers, nor a better place for them to raise their children and grandchildren. Looking out at the sea of familiar faces – alumni, alumni parents, retired faculty and staff, current faculty and staff, parents, and students – the morning after Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day and hours before the Fall BBQ, Emily recognized that there is no place her father would’ve preferred to be, surrounded by the people and school he loved.
Paul’s memory and legacy lives on in Paideia, and now, in the street which bears his name, Paul Bianchi Way. Of course, the street name itself was an intentional choice – a street that actively condones parking could not be a parkway, nor could it be a safe crossway, and knowing the terrors of carpool, god forbid someone become stuck in Paul Bianchi Circle. Paul Bianchi Way seemed most fitting, because as those who knew him understood, Paul liked things his way.
Following remarks from current Head of School Tom Taylor, former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Emily Bianchi ’97, and Chandra Harris, State Director for Senator Jon Ossoff ’05, who commended Mr. Bianchi’s decades of service and leadership on behalf of the senator, Paul’s middle daughter, Sarah Bianchi ’91 and several of his grandchildren, revealed the street sign.
Closing out the dedication, attendees were invited to sing two special songs, “This Little Light of Mine” and “Mascot of Might” led by Kindergarten and First Grade teacher Jose Cordero. Just as our Elementary Singalong invites students to shine their light into their classroom and across our campus, as our community gathered in song to shine our light on Paul Bianchi Way, we also shine our light on the future of Paideia and the generations of students who may never know Paul, but who will know his vision and love for our school.
