What’s in a name?
A whole lot and the Foothills School Division wants to make sure it gets it right when it names the new K-9 school along 32nd Street.
The division is establishing a committee to help name the school that is scheduled to open in September 2019.
“The committee is the one that is seeking input from the community, collecting recommendations,” said Drew Chipman, Foothills assistant superintendent of corporate services.
The division is looking for students, parents, teachers and members of the community to sit on the committee, which will provide a shortlist of about four recommendations to the trustees, who will make the final selection.
The deadline to apply for the committee is Jan. 17. Applications can be made at fsd38.ab.ca
The naming of the school will be a community affair.
“We are going ask the community to submit suggestions online, they can provide it to the committee members,” Chipman said. A short explanation of why it would be a good name for the school should also be provided.
The criteria for the name is as vast as the Foothills area.
The criteria for a school name are:
• Significance for students, parents and the community;
• Name is easily identifiable to the community;
• Not in conflict with names other facilities and districts
• Follow all copyright and trademark provisions.
If the school is named after an individual, the individual must have been of significance in the community, for example, Dr. Morris Gibson, Percy Pegler, C.I. McLaren and Joe Clark schools.
The division is aiming to have a name in place by the spring.
Groundbreaking
The division has awarded the build contract to Graham Construction and work on the building is slated to start in February or March depending on weather.
As well, the division is in the process of establishing timelines for setting the school’s boundary and registration.
Chipman stressed there will be significant public consultation before establishing the school’s boundary.
