Help us name three new elementary schools coming to Surrey!

Surrey Schools wants your ideas for the names of three new elementary schools!

The district is set to break ground on a new elementary school in South Newton, with additional plans for two schools in South Surrey. The schools will be located in the following areas, with official addresses subject to change as construction begins:

• Site 115 - 5855 148 St.
• Site 208 - 17950 25 Ave.
• Site 214 - 17390 20 Ave.

Our school naming committee, which includes Supt. Jordan Tinney and Surrey Board of Education Trustees Shawn Wilson and Bob Holmes, have put forth five potential names. We want to engage our communities to gather feedback and hear what you think about the names, and gather any additional name suggestions!

The five suggested names are Nicomekl Elementary, Redwood Park Elementary, Archibald Elementary, Little Campbell Elementary and Kensington Prairie Elementary. See further information about the reasoning for these suggestions below and in our School Naming Fact Sheet.

We are also engaging our students. We will be reaching out to classrooms in the communities surrounding these new sites and encouraging students to research their local communities and identify potential names, with a rationale for why the name was chosen.

Our goal is to name these three schools and develop a list of approved names that can be used for other potential sites that are still awaiting approval.

Send your feedback and name suggestions to comm-office@surreyschools.ca - we can't wait to see what you come up with!

NICOMEKL ELEMENTARY: The Nicomekl River was an early route for settlers that linked Semiahmoo and Boundary Bays, running just north of the southern uplands. The Nicomekl was considered easier to navigate compared to other nearby rivers, making it an important part of Surrey's history. Site 115 has a clear view of the river.

REDWOOD PARK ELEMENTARY: Situated on a wooded hill south of 20th Avenue, Redwood Park features a variety of exotic trees, particularly evergreens, planted by deaf twin brothers David and Peter Brown, son of early pioneer David Brown. The park includes a three-storey treehouse, reminiscent of the home in which the brothers lived on the park. Site 208 is adjacent to this park.

ARCHIBALD ELEMENTARY: 144th Street was once known as Archibald Road in Surrey, when a section of it became the homestead of a Mr. Archibald near 80th Avenue. A trail linked the homestead to Yale Road and was later upgraded to a road. As 144th Street extends south into White Rock, the connecting road is still known as Archibald Road there. Although it is not on this street, site 115 is in this neighbourhood.

LITTLE CAMPBELL ELEMENTARY: The Little Campbell River served as an entrance for pioneers and early settlers in the mid-to-late 1800s, allowing them to navigate South Surrey in a time before trails and roads. The river is home to diverse wildlife and plant species, including five species of Pacific salmon and trout. This river runs near site 214.

KENSINGTON PRAIRIE: Originally named by H.T. Thrift to promote settlement in the area, Kensington Prairie is a rich agricultural area south of the Nicomekl River that stretches to the southern upland and extends east to the New Westminster Southern Railway line. Previously, Surrey Schools had a Kensington Prairie Elementary at 168th Street and 32nd Avenue, a one-room schoolhouse that opened in 1887 and closed its doors in 2006. Site 208 is in this neighbourhood.