Wolseley School to be renamed Little Bluestem School

Wolseley School will be renamed after a perennial grass that grows in nearby Omand’s Creek following overwhelming support from families who live steps from the park.

The Winnipeg School Division’s board of trustees endorsed a new title — Little Bluestem School — at a board meeting Monday. It will come into effect next fall.

Trustees approved a proposal presented by a trio of recent graduates from the nursery-to-Grade 6 school at 511 Clifton St.

“We are changing our school name because we want to reflect who we are as a community — kind, responsible, respectful,” said Adeline Broeska-Neufeld, one young member of the Wolseley Renaming Leadership Group.

During their presentation, the 12-year-old and two of her peers spoke about their research into the current namesake of their school, Col. Garnet Wolseley.

Wolseley (1833-1913) was a respected military commander during his lifetime. His legacy as the leader of the 1870 expedition tasked with ending Louis Riel’s provisional government has sparked debate in recent years about whether he should be honoured in Manitoba.

Two years ago, the elementary school’s parent advisory council submitted a request to WSD headquarters to start a formal review process.

The school had shortlisted four names this fall: Kind Elm, Little Bluestem, Taapweewin and Kiikinaahk. The latter two — both of which are Southern Michif terms — translate to “truth” and “our home” in English.

“When I made the announcement over the PA system, I could hear cheering all over the building,” principal Brian Rogowsky told the Free Press Tuesday.

Rogowsky said more than 900 people weighed-in via online poll.

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Biidaajimowin | News from the Centre

Wednesdays

Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences.

Sign up for Biidaajimowin | News from the Centre

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Little Bluestem was the top choice, “by a lot,” he said, adding that he believes its reference to the natural world and the plant’s historical importance to Métis people won over voters.

The principal abstained from the poll, but said he’s elated with the outcome, which has been 25 months in the making.

Rogowsky noted that the building-wide investigation into the Wolseley name has been “a catalyst” to start learning more about the neighbourhood, Winnipeg and Métis histories at large.

Details about timelines, signage and a future celebration will be revealed in the new year.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter

Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.

Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.

Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.