Board approves names for two schools, Theresa Clarke Elementary and Redwood Park Elementary
Kwantlen Chief Marilyn Gabriel was on hand at last week's Surrey Board of Education public board meeting to recognize late Kwantlen elder Theresa Clarke with the naming of Theresa Clarke Elementary. The board approved the name Theresa Clarke Elementary, set to open in September at the site of the current City Central Learning Centre, as well as the name Redwood Park Elementary for a new school in South Surrey.
Two schools in opposite corners of Surrey will soon have new names, with one gifted to the district by the Kwantlen First Nation after a late Kwantlen elder.
At the April public board meeting, the Surrey Board of Education approved the name Theresa Clarke Elementary after respected long-time Kwantlen elder Theresa Clarke who grew up on the Kwantlen territory and lived to be 100 years old. While Clarke was partially blind, she memorized the land by counting steps and knew Surrey extensively.
“It’s a good day when I can go back to my elders and say they have chosen one of our names,” said Kwantlen Chief Marilyn Gabriel. “They’ve chosen a place name that is important to Kwantlen people, and people are going to say it.”
“Our names and our language is connected to the land,” said Kwantlen cultural department member Michael Kelly-Gabriel. “When we share our traditional names, we’re not only acknowledging the ones who are here in person, we’re also honouring the ones before that carried that name.”
Surrey Schools resides on the traditional, unceded and shared territories of Coast Salish peoples: the Katzie (q̓íc̓əy̓), Kwantlen (q̓ʷa:n̓ƛ̓ən̓) and Semiahmoo (SEMYOME) First Nations.
Theresa Clarke Elementary will open in September at the site of the current City Central Learning Centre. The board also approved a request from the Kwantlen First Nation to include the traditional name “stəqʷaθen” meaning “across from but facing you; a Village on Surrey Side near Qiyqet” under the name Theresa Clarke Elementary on the school.
Board Chair Gary Tymoschuk expressed the board’s appreciation to the Kwantlen First Nation for gifting the district the school’s name, and Trustee Bob Holmes emphasized the importance of working with the local First Nations in the district’s ongoing efforts towards truth and reconciliation.
“I just want to really thank you for the gift of this name, I know that our history of residential schools, the truth is we need to reconcile and really we appreciate you giving us this name to use, it’s really a great honour for us so thank you,” said Holmes.
In South Surrey, the board also approved the name Redwood Park Elementary for a new elementary school at 17390 20th Ave., chosen by the district’s School Naming Committee out of 213 submissions from the public. The board received numerous suggestions for the name Redwood Park and selected it due to the new school’s proximity to the park and its significance as a beautiful forest and landmark in the community.
Redwood Park Elementary will be a new 37-classroom school and is currently supported by the Ministry of Education and Child Care, pending funding approval. No opening date has yet been announced.
