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4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 23, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com If you have a news tip or story idea, call the Oakville Beaver at 845-3824. Naming new school proves elusive By Tim Whitnell SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Living Healthy A series of FREE public education seminars by Chronic Kidney Disease: Prevention and Management Wednesday, March 28, 2007 6:30 pm 7:00 pm Displays and Refreshments Presentation by: Dr. Daniel Sapir, Nephrologist, Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital Auditorium 327 Reynolds Street (reduced parking for those attending seminar) FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY CALL 905-338-4379 Presented in partnership with: Sponsored by an educational grant from: It was somewhat contentious, at one point slightly comical, and in the end trustees with the Halton District School Board could not agree on a name for a school being built in Oakville. At Wednesday's board meeting trustees were expected to decide on a name from a short list of four names for the West Oak Trails #3 elementary school, set to open this September. Most naming procedures for new schools in Halton go smoothly at the board level, but not the discussion about the Pine Glen Road site. The West Oak Trails #3 school is designed for 550 pupils accommodating Grades 1-8. It is scheduled to open as a Grades 1-7 school this September accommodating students within a 'single-track' French Immersion structure; it will be a bilingual school with all students receiv- { Limited edition } ing 50 per cent instruction in both English and French. From a list of 160 names submitted by the public earlier this year, a committee of six people representing school board staff, trustees and the public recommended four French-language names: Ecole Seize Village School, Ecole Glen du Nord School, Ecole Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Ecole du Village School. "None of these names here inspire me," Burlington trustee Peggy Russell stated bluntly. She recommended Ecole Jacques Cousteau or Ecole Jacques Cartier, which did not solicit any support from her fellow trustees. At that point trustees were reminded they need to consider only the four short-listed names, although Russell countered by saying that in the past she recalled at least two occasions where trustees modified or changed a suggested school name. Ecole Seize seemed to have the inside track as trustees recommended it for a final vote, however during discussion about its appropriateness before the vote there was divided opinion. Burlington trustee Jennifer Hlusko noted the name Ecole Seize Village could be mispronounced by some as the word seize and could be problematic on a couple of levels. Kathryn BatemanOlmstead, in whose ward the school will be, indicated she hadn't considered the possible grammatical misinterpretation. Some trustees also alluded to a possible political connotation related to some disgruntled residents in the neighbourhood of the new school. Board vice-chair Janie Hames didn't agree with the use of a French name for the school. She said it "might rock the boat a bit" but contended an English-language board like the Halton public board shouldn't be using a French name for the school. The intended significance of the name Ecole seize was explained as seize being the French number 16, as in Sixteen Village, the original name of a community and school located at Dundas Road and Sixteen Mile Creek in the early 1800s. Ecole Seize Village School was defeated by a 9-2 vote. Ecole du Village School was then recommended from the short list. A 5-5 tie came down to the vote of Burlington trustee Mary-Elizabeth Dilly. She had passed on her vote to get more time to think but ultimately became the deciding voice. An obviously unsure and uncomfortable Dilly hesitated for about a minute, before she finally voted against the recommendation, defeating the second name suggested. Trustees then referred the process back to the school naming committee. It will reconvene and forward a new short list of names in time for the board's April 4 committeeof-the-whole meeting, where it is expected to be voted on again. The board's communications manager, Marnie Denton, a member of the naming committee, said that after speaking to Education Director Wayne Joudrie, she feels it's possible any or all of the four names rejected from the short list could be reconsidered. "MASONRY & FIREPLACE DESIGN SPECIALISTS" Chimney Caps Chimney Repointing Masonary Fireplace Repair 574 Retro Classic, Red Dragon. 5 Design & Installation Fireplace Refacing Oakville . W E. Q. 9 LE IDD ER M AST UPPROAD E The largest selection of New Balance apparel, accessories and footwear in multiple widths. 8 403 TH TH E LIN E LIN Upper Middle Rd E & 8th Line 905.337.9393 www.newbalanceoakville.ca w w w. c o b b l e s t o n e m b e r s . c o m ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905.337.2066 406 SPEERS RD., OAKVILLE