Ottawa Catholic School Board’s two new schools scheduled to open in September 2023 and January 2024 now have official school names. Trustees approved the Naming Committees’ suggestions at the March Board Meeting.
The name of the new Fernbank Elementary school is St. Bernadette, and the name of the new Barrhaven South Elementary School is St. Juan Diego. St. Bernadette’s Principal will be Victoria (Tory) White, presently the Principal of St. Philip, and St. Juan Diego’s will be Shelly Lyonnais, currently the Principal at St. Leonard.
The Committees comprised Principals, Trustees, Spiritual Leaders, School Board staff, student representatives and the parent community. The Naming Committees considered the top choices in the school surveys, our Strategic Commitments and Equity Framework and the thoughts of the Committees as a whole.
St. Bernadette and St. Juan Diego were the school communities’ top choices. These names honour the spirit of a Catholic elementary learning environment and reflect an inclusive community.
If you want to find out more about how we chose the school names, you can review the Regular Board Meeting Agenda – March 28, 2023 for detailed information.
