Naming of Schools Procedure

1.1 The naming of a school and the consideration of a potential school re-naming are important for the school community. A policy for school naming ensures community involvement and a transparent, equitable, accessible, and reasonable process.

1.2 Durham District School Board (DDSB) believes that school names should promote a safe, equitable, welcoming, respectful and inclusive environment for teaching and learning. DDSB respects the diverse needs and identities of our communities and values their contribution to school naming.

2.1 The objective of this procedure is to operationalize the Policy on Naming of Schools by outlining the process for naming new schools or the renaming of existing schools that supports the Board’s commitment and legal responsibilities to indigenous rights, human rights, anti-oppression, anti-racism, anti-discrimination, and equitable and inclusive education and to authorize the creation of a Board Procedure to operationalize this Policy.

In this Procedure, 

3.1 Board refers to the Board of Trustees for DDSB. 

3.2 District refers to the corporate entity of the Durham District School Board. 

3.3 Staff refers to any individual who is employed by the DDSB. 

3.4 Administration refers to any individual or group constituted under the Education Act and in a position of authority by the DDSB to implement, administer, or manage policies and procedures of the Ontario Ministry of Education and the DDSB.

3.5 School Community refers to students, staff, and stakeholders specifically affiliated with an individual school

4.1 Director of Education: For the purposes of this procedure, the Director of Education will monitor the progress of the School Naming Committee and ensure that representation and timelines are met. 

4.2 Superintendent of Education: For the purposes of this procedure, the Superintendent of Education will ensure a successful School Naming Committee is formed and follows the procedural steps for school naming with an emphasis on school-community engagement.

4.3 Principal: For the purposes of this procedure, the Principal will be an active member of the School Naming Committee and will serve as a conduit to ensure the school community is well informed of all developments.

5.1 The District is committed to providing services and workplaces that are safe, welcoming, respectful, inclusive, equitable and accessible, and that are free from discrimination and harassment under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

5.2 Durham District School Board recognizes that Indigenous rights are inherent and distinct. Recommendations of possible names for schools will not be such as to infringe or otherwise offend the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples and will support the rights of all student and employees to an environment that is free from discrimination. 

6.1 In accordance with the School naming Policy, and as and when that Policy requires the establishment of a School Naming Committee, a School Naming Committee shall be struck to name a new or consolidated school, or to rename an existing school with the approval of the Board. 

6.2 The School Naming Committee shall first and foremost reflect the diverse communities that 
DDSB serves and be composed of:

1. The area trustees. Where there is only one area trustee or one or more area trustee is not able to participate, other trustees will be added so that there are no fewer than two; 
2. The Superintendent of Education/Area, and appropriate supporting Officer; 
3. The Principal designate; 
4. Two School Community Council representative(s) or one School Community Council member representing each of the amalgamating communities; 
5. Two Student Council representative(s) representing school or schools or one Student Council representative from the schools that are being consolidated;
6. Two school community members invited by the Superintendent of Education/Area in consultation with the Trustees; 
7. A member of the Indigenous Advisory Circle; 
8. Where a member has a conflict of interest i.e. descendent or an immediate family member of a name put forward, that person shall not be a member of the committee. 

6.3 No two members of the committee shall be members of the same immediate family.

6.4 All members of the committee are voting members.

6.5 The Family of Schools Superintendent will Chair the Committee and will be a non-voting member. 

6.6 Role of the Naming Committee

The School Naming Committee shall undertake a process to receive submissions from the broader school community. 

The School Naming Committee will review and consider submissions made to it and narrow them for a second round of consultation with the school community. 

In circumstances where renaming a school is being considered, the committee will consider all voices and perspectives, including the community(ies) that raised the concern. 

Only submissions that adhere to the guidelines in section 5.6 and 5.7 of the Policy as highlighted below will be considered. All submissions should include background informationand context as may be appropriate to support the submission. 

The Family of Schools Superintendent will bring forward a report to Board with the top three choices from the School Naming Committee to the Board of Trustees with a rationale for all three choices. The report should indicate the top choice of the School Naming Committee for the Board of Trustees’ consideration. The Family of Schools Superintendent will ensure that a rigorous vetting process has taken place, to ensure all choices put forward for consideration reflect the values of the district.

6.7 Once the Board of Trustees selects the name or new name for the school, all materials produced with that name will include the Durham District School Board logo

7.1 Policies

• Naming of Schools