Dozens of ideas for new Langford elementary, including Forever Young

When the Sooke School District (SD62) announced plans to get public input to name its newest school it specifically wrote that “Names like ‘Schooley McSchoolface’ will not be considered by the Board of Education.” The final decision rests with the seven trustees, so as not to be stuck with an accidental joke name like the famous scientific research vessel vote that went off the rails with Boaty McBoatface.

The top two suggestions from the online process were to name the school after Scott Manning, or to give it an Indigenous name that reflects the place, history, and peoples who have been here much longer than the school district.

Manning was an elementary-school principal in the district who died unexpectedly of cancer in 2020. Dozens of people wrote comments of support for naming the school after Manning, a well-respected educator and community member.

Among the several votes for Indigenous place names, some contributors gave specific word suggestions, while dozens of others supported the idea of an Indigenous name, but said that First Nations leaders should be given the choice.

ȻOSEN, which means star and QELEṈSEN which means bald eagle in the SENĆOŦEN language both made it to the top 12 names being considered by the school district, as well as a Chinook word, Klahanie, that means outdoors—it’s also the name of a street near to the new school.

Suggestions from the online engagement and an open house held last week were broken into three categories, each with four suggestions: geographical, Indigenous culture or language, and historical names.

Along with Manning in the historical names category, Sarah Beckett’s name is being considered. She was a Westshore RCMP officer who was killed by an impaired driver in 2016. On the political front, former premier John Horgan—also soon to be former Langford MLA; he’s planning to resign his seat in March—and former Langford mayor Stew Young are also under consideration. In the web-based consultation, 47 recommendations included Young’s name, almost all of which wrote that Young made Langford what it is today, and should be commemorated.

Geographic suggestions are: Langford or South Langford, Latoria, Olympic View, and Triangle Mountain.

Trustees will make their final decision in March at the next board of education meeting on March 14.