School District 57 (Prince George) may one day go by another name…but not yet, according to school board trustee Tim Bennett.
“This evening, the motion came forward about changing the name of the school district and myself and I think many others recognize that, while the idea has some merit, there’s a real concern of the financial cost to the district.”
The name change was thirteen in a list of fourteen recommendations proposed by the rural education committee.
The reason? The reference to Prince George, which the committee believes does not accurately reflect the large geographic area that the district covers.The committee noted that the current name adds to the “perception that there is an urban-rural divide.”
Many trustees spoke in favour of the motion in theory but, in the end, practicality prevailed.
“We want to ensure that every possible dollar is invested back into the kids,” says Bennett. “At a time when a) money is tight and b) we’re trying to find administrative efficiencies, it doesn’t make sense to engage in a process that is going to add administrative costs.”
A rebrand is simply not in the district’s budget this year but Bennett stressed that the name change could be reconsidered.
“I don’t think this is a dead idea at all. We heard it loud and clear at the board table – just now is not the right time. I think it’s not an item that is necessarily dead, it’s just one that we’re not pursuing at this time.”
There were no suggestions of what the school district’s new name could be.
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