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York Region District School Board

Policy and Procedure #445.0, School Names

Board Policy #445.0, School Names and its related procedures address the process and criteria for naming and re-naming schools.

 

On this page:

 

What has Changed?

Major changes to the document: Increased clarity around the consultation process for naming and renaming of a school. Increased clarity around the criteria for renaming a school. Inclusion of requirements of Bill 33, Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025 and Ministry memorandum School Naming Policy – Requirement under Section 174 of the Education Act (July 30, 2026).

Reason for review: Due for second review.

Who is affected by these changes and what is the impact on current practice? All relevant stakeholders.

Implementation timelines: Immediate upon Board approval.

Lead Superintendent(s)/Subject Matter Expert(s): Chief School Services Officer, Schools and Programs.

 

Individuals or Groups with Responsibilities under this Policy and Procedure 

  • Trustees 
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Chief Officer
  • Superintendent responsible for Operations 
  • Superintendents of Education 
  • Facility Services 
  • Corporate Communications
  • Trustee Services 

 

Relationship to Board Priorities

This supports the Board’s Mission, Vision and Values and priority to enhance collaborative relationships within the Board and school communities.

 

Providing Feedback

Questions about this policy and/or procedure should be raised with your principal, manager or supervisor. If additional clarification is required, principals, managers and supervisors may contact the lead superintendent and/or subject matter expert and Trustee Services.

In accordance with Board Policy 285.0, Board Policies, Procedures and Supporting Documents, the Board welcomes all comments and suggestions on Board policy.

Input is an important component of the review process. If you feel a policy and/or procedure needs to be revised, feedback may be submitted through the school council or by submitting the online form. In your response please:

  • outline clearly the specific section(s) of the policy and/or procedure in which you are not comfortable,
  • suggest specific alternate wording to reflect your position, and
  • identify the reason(s) for your concern(s).

Specific recommendations or questions about the review process should be submitted using the online form or sent to the Policy Officers via email at policy.committee@yrdsb.ca, or via telephone at 905-727-0022 extension 2570 or in hard copy at The Education Centre – Aurora.

 

Legislative Context

Education Act

Supporting Children and Student Act

 

It is the expectation of the York Region District School Board that all employees, students and persons invited to or visiting Board property, or partaking/volunteering in Board or school-sponsored events and activities, will respect the policies and procedures of the Board.

 

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Board Policy #445.0 School Names

 

1. Policy Statement

Trustees, as elected representatives of their community, lead the process to name and, at times, to rename schools. 

Before a new school is named, or the name of an existing school is changed, the Board shall apply to the Minister of Education, in the form required by the Minister, for approval of the name.

Establishing school names provides a unique opportunity to enhance the identity of the community, the Board, and its schools. School names must support the Board’s Mission, Vision and Values, Board priorities and meet the best interests of students and the community. 

The name of a school should offer opportunities that inspire both students and families to engage in learning and be shared with the local and the York Region District School Board (YRDSB) communities, as appropriate.  

 

2. Application

This policy applies to all trustees and staff members who participate in naming and renaming schools.

Names for schools may be submitted to the School Names Committee through Trustee Services at any time by trustees, staff members or members of the public. The Committee will determine their appropriateness and potential for inclusion on the List of Possible School Names.

The trustee for the school that is undergoing a naming or renaming process is responsible for presenting the name to the Board for approval.

Once the Board has approved the school’s name, the Chief Executive Officer shall submit the recommendation to the Minister of Education for approval. 

Names may be selected from a pre-approved List of Possible School Names, developed by the School Names Committee, or presented by the trustee through a naming or renaming process. All names will be researched and vetted by the School Names Committee, and applicable subject matter experts, to ensure historical and current appropriateness for use on public facilities. 

School names may include:

  1. name of a geographical area or local feature, such as the location, community, or street where the school is located. Local features can include plants or trees;
  2. name in commemoration of an event of significance to the area, province or country, if at least ten years have elapsed since the event;
  3. name to commemorate a person, living or deceased, provided the person has made a demonstrable contribution to the legacy of the area, the province or country; and/or
  4. name that honours the significance of communities who have helped shape Ontario’s rich and diverse history (e.g., First Nations communities, Francophone communities). 

School names should not: 

  1. promote commercial interests (e.g. include the name of a business or brand); and
  2. commemorate a person with an unpardoned criminal record.

When naming a new school, consultation should take place with the local community as defined in Section 4.3.

The Board may make a recommendation to the Minister of Education to rename an existing school for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to: 

  1. a significant change in identity and school focus; 
  2. amalgamation of schools; 
  3. school replacement; and
  4. the determination that the current name is not appropriate, and the school is named after a person whose actions or legacy is seen to be a significant departure from the values embodied in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP). 

When the renaming of a school is connected to concerns regarding the hurt and harm caused by the current name, the shortlist of names must seek to repair the harm done by the original name. The process for renaming will be designed to prevent further harm to the affected community. When renaming a school, consultation should take place with the broader YRDSB Community as defined in section 4.4.

 

3. Responsibilities

 

3.1 The Board of Trustees is responsible for:

  1. reviewing the School Names policy in accordance with the priorities in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan and the approved policy review cycle;
  2. understanding and communicating with members of the community about the School Names policy, as required; 
  3. approving names for the List of Possible School Names recommended by the School Naming Committee; and
  4. approving the recommendation to the Minister of Education of the selected name for a naming or renaming of a school.

 

3.2 The trustee for the new or renamed school is responsible for:

  1. leading the process to name or rename the schools;
  2. seeking input from the local and/or YRDSB communities, as appropriate, about the proposed name(s);  
  3. seeking input from identified groups or if applicable, from the community that has experienced hurt and harm if a school is being renamed; and
  4. creating a shortlist of possible names from either the List of Possible School Names or a vetted and approved name brought forward by the trustee for the school.

 

3.3 The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for: 

  1. implementing the School Names policy; 
  2. establishing the School Names Committee; 
  3. allocating staff and resources to support the School Names Policy and related procedures; and 
  4. supporting legislative requirements for costs associated with the process for naming a school or changing the name of a school including:
    • the process for naming a school or changing the name of a school must be completed cost effectively and in compliance with school board expense policies and directives;
    • limiting indirect costs (e.g. staff time and operational expenses) tied to school naming processes and undertaking these activities in the most efficient manner possible; and
    • submitting the Board approved school name recommendation to the Minister of Education for approval. 

 

3.4 The School Names Committee is responsible for:

  1. supporting the trustee responsible for the naming or renaming process in developing and implementing the community engagement strategy;
  2. supporting legislative requirements for the timely and efficient process for naming a school or changing the name of a school including:
    • treating school naming and renaming as routine administrative business and concluding decisions within a stand decision-making cycle receiving and researching potential school names and analyzing their appropriateness for use on a school, and
    • reviewing requests to rename an existing school; and recommending potential school names for inclusion on the List of Possible School Names.

 

4. Definitions 

 

4.1 New School Name: 

The name for a school constructed on or after November 20, 2025, that has a Capital Priorities identification number including replacement schools that will use the same name.

 

4.2 School Name Change:

The process of changing the name of an existing school. 

 

4.3 Minor School Name Change: 

A minor school name change is an adjustment to an existing school name that is strictly technical, administrative, or a formatting change. A minor school name change may include changes to abbreviations in a school name, spelling corrections, or adjusting descriptors.

 

4.4 School Names Committee

A staff committee responsible for receiving naming requests, researching, vetting potential school names and analyzing their appropriateness for use as a school name. All vetted school names will be presented for consideration.

 

4.5 List of Possible School Names

List of names developed by the School Names Committee in alignment with naming criteria set forth in Section 174 of the Education Act and referenced in Section 2 Application, for possible use as a school name.

 

4.6 Local School Community (new school naming)

The students, families, and community that reside, or will reside, within the new school boundary at the time of naming.

 

4.7 YRDSB Community (school renaming)

The broader YRDSB community includes the local school community and other YRDSB students, staff, families, residents of York Region for renaming purposes, and the community that has experienced hurt and harm from the former school’s name.

 

5. Contact 

Trustee Services 

Education and Community Services

 

6. History 

Approved: 2004 

Formerly Policy: #445.0, Naming of New Schools 

Working Document: March 2014, July 2018, April 2025

Revised: 2005, 2006, 2009, February 2015, November 2019, November 2022, March 2022, February 2025, September 2026

Final Approval: October 2026

 

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Board Procedure #445.1 School Names: New Schools

 

1. Procedure Statement

This procedure outlines the process for naming new schools.

 

2. Responsibilities:

 

2.1 The Chief School Services Officer, Schools and Programs shall:

  1. chair the School Names Committee;
  2. collaborate with appropriate staff, including the superintendent of education for the school being named, and the School Names Committee to research and provide information about potential school names for inclusion on the List of Possible School Names;
  3. review and update the List of Possible School Names, as required;
  4. share the List of Possible School Names with trustees, as required; 
  5. ensure that a school naming process commences in the school year prior to the planned school opening date; and
  6. collaborate with the superintendent of education to develop the community engagement strategy.

 

2.2 The Superintendent of Education for the new school shall:

  1. review the List of Possible School Names with the trustee responsible for the new school; 
  2. determine if additional names generated by the trustee need to be reviewed by the School Naming Committee;
  3. support the trustee in finalizing the short-list of potential school names that will be shared with the School Names Committee;
  4. support the trustee to create the local community engagement strategy, in accordance with the policy's definition of community, which will be shared with the School Names Committee;
  5. collaborate with the trustee to implement the local community engagement strategy, as required;
  6. support the trustee in sharing the outcome of the local community engagement strategy;
  7. determine if additional names generated by the engagement strategy need to be reviewed by the School Naming Committee;
  8. support the trustee in presenting the short-list of potential school names and the local community engagement strategy;
  9. collaborate with the trustee to finalize the recommendation for the school's name for consideration; and
  10. once approved by the Board of Trustees, and by the Minister of Education to communicate the new school's name to the local school community.

 

2.3 The Comptroller Facility Services shall:

  1. advise the Chief School Services Officer, Schools and Programs of the tender call date for new school projects.

 

2.4 The School Names Committee shall:

  1. receive and research potential school names and analyze their appropriateness for use as a school name; 
  2. recommend potential school names for inclusion on the List of Possible School Names; and 
  3. adhere to school naming criteria as set out in Section 174 of the Education Act and referenced in Section 2 of this policy. 

 

2.5 Corporate Communications shall:

  1. provide support as needed in the local community engagement process and communicating the new school's name; and
  2. consult with the individual or family being named to a school to secure appropriate approvals when a school is being named for an individual once the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education have approved the name. 

 

3. Contact 

Trustee Services 

Education and Community Services

 

4. History

Approved: 2005

Formerly Procedure: #445.0, Naming of New Schools 

Working Document: March 2014, July 2018, April 2025

Revised: 2006, 2009, February 2015, November 2019, February 2022, November 2022, February 2025, September 2026

 

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Board Procedure #445.2 School Names: Renaming Schools

 

1. Procedure Statement

This procedure outlines the process for renaming schools.

 

2. Responsibilities

 

2.1 The Chief School Services Officer, Schools and Programs shall:

  1. receive requests for the renaming of a school and the rationale for that renaming. The rationale must address the criteria for renaming a school as stated in Policy #445.0, Application Section 2;
  2. collaborate with School Names Committee to consider any school renaming requests; and
  3. collaborate with the School Names Committee and the responsible trustee to determine if the criteria for renaming have been met.

If renaming a school is supported by the Board of Trustees, work with the School Names Committee and superintendent of education for the school to be renamed to develop the YRDSB community engagement strategy and research possible school names for the renaming of a school for consideration 

 

2.2 The Superintendent of Education for the renamed school(s) shall:

  1. review the List of Possible School Names with the trustee responsible for the school identified to be renamed; 
  2. determine if additional names generated by the trustee need to be reviewed by the School Naming Committee;
  3. support the trustee in finalizing the short-list of potential school names that will be shared with the School Names Committee;
  4. support the trustee to create the engagement strategy for the YRDSB community, in accordance with the policy's definition of community, which will be shared with the School Names Committee; 
  5. support the trustee in presenting the short-list of potential school names and the engagement strategy for the YRDSB community; 
  6. collaborate with the trustee to implement the engagement strategy for the YRDSB community, as required;
  7. support the trustee in sharing the outcome of the engagement strategy for the YRDSB community;
  8. determine if additional names generated by the engagement strategy need to be reviewed by the School Naming Committee;
  9. collaborate with the trustee to finalize the recommendation for the revised school name; and
  10. communicate the revised school name to the local and YRDSB school community once approved by the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education.

 

2.3 The School Names Committee shall:

  1. receive and research potential school names and analyzing their appropriateness for use as a school name;
  2. recommend potential school names for inclusion on the List of Possible School Names; and 
  3. adhere to school naming criteria as set out in Section 174 of the Education Act and referenced in Section 2 of this policy.

 

2.4 Corporate Communications shall:

  1. provide support as needed in the YRDSB community engagement process and communicating the new school's name;
  2. consult with the individual or family being named to a school to secure appropriate approvals when a school is being named for an individual, once the Board of Trustees and the Minister of Education have approved the name; and
  3. communicate the reasons for un-naming and renaming of a school to all YRDSB staff, the school being renamed and the community.

 

3. Contact 

Trustee Services 

Education and Community Services

 

4. History

Formerly Procedure: #444.0, Renaming Existing Schools 

Working Document: March 2014, July 2018, April 2025, May 2026

Revised: 2005, 2006, February 2015, November 2019, February 2022, November 2022, February 2025, May 2026