News New school names reflect location and historical significance

 

A trio of Surrey elementary schools expected to open in the next two years will be named according to their location and historical significance.

The Surrey Board of Education has approved Katzie Elementary, Goldstone Park Elementary and Sunnyside Elementary as the names for three new schools in the district.

In addition, Newton Learning Centre is moving out of its current leased storefront location to a new home at 13104 109th Ave. and has been renamed City Central Learning Centre. The centre's new site was home to the district's Discovery program, which is now housed at Royal Heights Elementary.

“I thank the many people who took the time to send in their thoughtful suggestions for school names,” says board vice-chairperson Shawn Wilson, who chairs the board’s public relations committee, which is responsible for school naming.

Public input was sought through advertisements placed in local newspapers and through the district website. The practice of school naming is governed by board policy.

The name Katzie Elementary was chosen for a new elementary school to be located in East Clayton at 6887 194A St. The school site sits within the traditional lands of the Katzie First Nation. Other local First Nations have been recognized previously with the naming of Semiahmoo, Tamanawis and Kwantlen Park secondaries.

Named after an adjacent park, Goldstone Park Elementary was chosen for the site in South Newton at 6287 146th St. while Sunnyside Elementary was chosen for a new school at 2828 159th St. because it’s a replacement school for the original Sunnyside Elementary.

Goldstone Park and Sunnyside – or variations of those names – were also the most popular suggestions for those respective schools.​