WRDSB board of trustees approves new school names

Students react to Waterloo school name change From CTV Kitchener’s Jeff Pickel: The WRDSB has decided on a new name for the former Sir John A Macdonald Secondary School.

Two elementary schools in Waterloo region have gotten approval to change their names.

On Monday, the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) board of trustees approved changing the name of A.R. Kaufman Public School in Kitchener to Hillside Public School.

Meanwhile, Ryerson Public School in Cambridge will be renamed Blue Heron Public School.

According to the school board, the names come into effect immediately, with signage and other school materials expected to be updated by September 2023.

“The school renaming process is a part of our commitment to making concrete changes in support of the Calls to Action outlined by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” the board said in a news release.

The WRDSB began the renaming process for both schools in early 2023.

The work was led by school renaming committees, made up of trustees, school staff, board staff, parents and caregivers, students, community members, Indigenous community members and representatives from community organizations, the board said.

At a meeting earlier this month, WRDSB superintendents Evelyn Giannopoulos and Crissa Hill presented the new names to trustees.

“The name Hillside connects to the community neighbourhood, the school is located on a modest hill and incorporates a surrounding street name,” explained Giannopoulos.

Hillside was accompanied by Elms and Evans on the short list of names brought forward to the community for selection. Hillside was the most popular among the student population.

Blue Heron was also the preferred choice from the short list of names presented to the public for consultation.

“As a school board committed to truth and reconciliation, the renaming of these two schools is an important part of our work to create safe, welcoming and inclusive learning spaces for all our students and staff,” the school board said.