News & Events

Consultation and suggestions: McBride’s re-naming

The background and policies guiding re-naming McBride

We’re so excited to see the new school being built at Richard McBride Elementary … as the new space will benefit students and the community in many ways. And the fresh building that’s coming along has also opened up the opportunity for some fresh thinking when it comes to its name.

In the spring of 2020, the Parent Advisory Committee at Richard McBride Elementary formally requested that the Board of Education engage in a re-naming process for the school. They did so because the person the school was named after, a past Premier, was anti-indigenous, anti-immigration, racist and campaigned against women’s rights.

The Board agreed the request met the criteria to move forward with re-naming: “…where the existing name no longer serves the needs of the school population of the community and no longer aligns with the District’s core values and strategic priorities” (per Administrative Procedure 542 – Renaming School and District Facilities).

A re-naming committee was struck, and they are currently doing the consultation work that will help lead to a shortlist of names they will recommend to the Board.*

*The Board may select one of the recommendations, or may choose to pursue an alternate option, as the recommendations are not binding. 

 

The process moving forward

The Re-naming Committee wants your input!

Would you like to suggest a name? What values or local inspiration do you hope will be represented in the new name? Please share your ideas and thoughts with us below.

As the committee reviews suggestions, it may be helpful for you to know they will  be using Administrative Procedure 541 – Naming New Schools and Facilities as a guide. As outlined within the policy:

  • priority may be given to names that honour the local history of the New Westminster neighbourhood and community,
  • priority may be given to names that honour local Indigenous practices, culture and contributions,
  • and the committee will not consider naming the school after an individual person.

The period for community suggestions is now closed – having run from Jan 6 at 9am to February 18th at 4pm. The committee will review the suggestions and may choose to reach out to some individuals for more information before making their final recommendation to the Board – which will happen before the end of the 2020/2021 school year.

Submissions were also accepted in writing.