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HONOURING OUR NEW SCHOOL NAMESAKES
Tue, 21 Jun, 2016
In February 2016, we asked the public to help name nine new schools that will open in September 2017. We received over 3,100 suggestions! After reviewing the submissions, we recommended a short list of options for the Board’s approval.
At today’s public meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the new school names. This video reveals the nine remarkable new school namesakes who have made lasting impacts on our strong, diverse community.
New school names
Dr. Lila Fahlman School (Allard K-9)
Dr. Lila Fahlman (1924-2006) was an educator, philanthropist and social-justice advocate. Fahlman was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition for her service to the Muslim community, her work to curb violence against women and her efforts to promote interfaith dialogue.
Donald R. Getty School (Chappelle K-9)
Donald R. Getty (1933-2016) was a former quarterback with the Edmonton Eskimos and an MLA who was elected as Alberta’s 11th premier in 1985. Getty steered the province through a time of collapsing oil prices and worked to establish Alberta’s Heritage Savings Trust Fund, which produces income to support government departments such as health, education and infrastructure.
Hilwie Hamdon School (Hudson K-9)
Hilwie Hamdon (1905-1988) was one of Edmonton’s first Lebanese Muslim immigrants. Hamdon was instrumental in bringing together Edmontonians of all faiths to financially support the building of the first mosque in Canada.
Svend Hansen School (Laurel K-9)
Svend Hansen (1932-2015) was an Edmonton Public Schools’ teacher, principal, consultant and trustee. Hansen supported programs that brought students together and founded the Public School Administrators Association.
Kim Hung School (Granville K-9)
Kim Hung (1951-1996) was an advocate of Edmonton’s Chinese community. Hung started numerous volunteer programs that supported foreign students and helped found several organizations that support refugees, new immigrants and seniors in the Chinese community. He also helped establish the Mandarin Bilingual program at Edmonton Public Schools, which has flourished over the past 25 years, and worked as an informal ambassador who connected the City of Edmonton with potential investors in China.
David Thomas King School (Secord K-9)
David Thomas King (born 1946) is a former politician and outspoken public education advocate who served as an MLA, education minister and minister of technology, research and telecommunications. As the first executive director of the Public School Boards Association of Alberta, King lobbied for increased public-education funding and spoke regularly about education policy.
Jan Reimer School (The Orchards K-9)
Jan Reimer (born 1952) is Edmonton’s first female mayor and a former alderman who has dedicated her life to work in the non-profit sector. Reimer is the executive director of the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters and regularly speaks about family violence and lobbies for more support for victims of abuse and the shelters that serve them.
Shauna May Seneca School (Walker K-9)
Shauna May Seneca (1957-2006) was a former social worker and co-founder of the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society. Seneca worked to build community and foster diversity through the society, which bases its work on traditional aboriginal values and teachings.
Constable Daniel Woodall School (Windermere K-6)
Constable Daniel Woodall (1979-2015) was a member of the Edmonton Police Service who worked in the Hate Crime Unit when he was killed in the line of duty in 2015. Woodall’s passion for policing extended into his work as a community mentor who believed in the value of diversity and defending the community from abuse, hate and extremism.
Thank you
“It is a very proud moment for our Board to name our new schools after true leaders who reflect the rich diversity of our students and staff and who epitomize the District’s values of equity and integrity,” said Board Chair Michael Janz. “Each school’s namesake stands for something we never want our students to forget—the importance of sacrifice, hard work, giving to others, diversity, the value of education and caring for those most vulnerable.”
Thank you for helping name our new schools! Submitted names that were not chosen will be kept on file and could be selected for a new school in the future.
Learn more about our new schools and the status of their openings.
