The Haida Gwaii Board of Education is delighted to announce that they have unanimously accepted the recommendation from the Masset School Naming Committee to name the K-12 school in Masset Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née. A sound file to assist with the pronunciation of the new name will be added to the District website this morning.
The Board extends their gratitude to the following individuals for their commitment to this important committee:
- Jaskwaan Bedard
- Candace Weir
- Tammy Gates
- Merle Anderson
• Jaasaljuus Yakgujanaas • Ameleia Pennier
• Ian Keir
The Board recognizes that naming a school is critical to creating a sense of community, a sense of belonging, and an opportunity to honour the land on which it is located. A school name also fosters a unique identity for families, students, and staff, and the process of finding a name must be respectful and inclusive.
The committee shared a thoughtful rationale for the name that respectfully included the unique context and history of Northern Haida Gwaii. The rationale, as provided by the Naming Committee, will be shared on the school district’s website in the coming week.
Roeland Denooij, Vice Chair of the Board, commented, “The Board was honoured to accept the suggestion by the naming committee unanimously and looks forward to celebrating the opening of Daaxiigan Sk’adáa Née this fall.”
For further information, please contact:
Roeland Denooij
Vice-Chair – Haida Gwaii School District rdenooij@sd50.bc.ca
Below is the pronunciation.