Policy 21 - Naming of School District Facilities/Property

Naming facilities provides a unique opportunity to further develop an identity for the School District. The Board of Education will ensure that the names of new facilities are supportive of the District’s Mission, Vision and Values.

  1. Process

    1.1 The Board approves the names of all facilities in the School District.

    1.2 Prior to the construction of a new facility or when consideration is being given to the re-naming of an existing facility or naming a part of a facility and/or grounds, the Board will establish an ad-hoc Facility Naming Committee.

    1.3 The Committee will:

    1. Ensure schools and the community are informed of the opportunity, process and criteria for the submission of names for consideration.
    2. Establish appropriate timelines for the collection of input.
    3. Ensure there is broad based constituency consultation.

    1.4 Submissions to the Committee may include a rationale of not more than one page in support of the name and meet the criteria outlined below.

    1.5 The Naming Committee will put forward a maximum of three options, in order of preference, for consideration by the Board.

  2. Criteria

    2.1 The Board may approve facility names based on people or places important to the local community or geographic area in which the facility is located.

    2.2 Wherever possible, if the building is to be named in honour of a person, the consent of the individual will be obtained. If it is to be named posthumously, except for a person of distinction, the close surviving relatives should approve.

  3. Naming Committees

    3.1 New Facilities (including partnership projects)

    3.1.1. The process of naming a new facility will begin as soon as possible after contract documents have been executed and construction has commenced.
    3.1.2 The Naming Committee will consist of two Trustees, the Principal/Administrator of the school, the Communications Manager, an Indigenous representative, and up to four other designates selected from the Parent Advisory Council (PAC), students, staff or community members.
    3.1.3 The committee will follow the process outlined above.

    3.2 Naming Part of a Facility (i.e.: library, gymnasium, wing of a facility, playing field)

    3.2.1 The Board of Education may name portions of facilities including, but not limited to, libraries, athletic fields, gymnasiums, multipurpose rooms or theatres.
    3.2.2 A proposal for naming part of a facility will be submitted, in writing, to the Board. Following receipt of the proposal, the Board may establish an ad-hoc Naming Committee consisting of the Principal/Administrator of the school and up to four other designates selected from the Parent Advisory Council (PAC), students, staff or community members.
    3.2.3 The committee will follow the process outlined above.

    3.3 Renaming an existing Facility

    3.3.1 Only in exceptional circumstances and after thorough study would the Board of Education consider renaming an existing school or facility. Because of the history and tradition associated with the names given to school facilities and the cost of updating documents, brochures and other literature, the Board would only consider re-naming proposals in cases where the existing name is deemed to no longer be serving the need of the school population or community
    3.3.2 A proposal for renaming an existing school facility will be submitted, in writing, to the Board. Following receipt of the proposal, the Board may establish an ad-hoc Naming Committee to review the proposal.
    3.3.3 The same process for naming a new facility will be followed.

(Last Revised: December 7, 2021)

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