cole Templeton school name will remain despite students' appeal to reflect reconciliation

Trusteeswill not change thename of a new school in theSeven Oaks School Division despite an appeal from students.

Students and community members in the division wanted the name for the new kindergarten to Grade 5 French immersion school to reflect its students and their work toward reconciliation.

School board trustees decided to keep the name cole Templeton.

The school is being built onTempleton Avenue,near Pipeline Road, in Winnipeg's Leila Northneighbourhood.

The division's policy is to name schools after their geographic location,saidBrian O'Leary, superintendent of theSeven Oaks School Division.

"It's really a two-decade-old practice," O'Leary said, with West KildonanCollegiate, Maples Collegiate andCollge Garden City Collegiate all named after their locations.

Last week, abouta dozen community members delivered a presentation put together by students in the division including a video the students made suggesting the board choose amore meaningful name, and one thatincorporates the students' ongoing work toward reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

• Students, community call for name of new Winnipeg school to reflect spirit of reconciliation

O'Leary said he's happy to talk to students about reconciliation and the path forward.

"I think we need the voices of young people speaking up and I would hope this encourages them to continue speaking up," he said.

The division is committed to reconciliation through the school board'slanguage programs, activities, staffing and divisional powwow each year, O'Leary said.

The school division could change the naming policy in the future, he also said.

The new school will open in September 2020.