Canada’s largest Cree-bilingual reflects on the legacy of Indian Residential Schools with its new name

After 10 months and 135 possible name suggestions, St. Frances Cree Bilingual School in Saskatoon will dawn a new name and that’s reason to celebrate.

The name selected is awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik– St. Francis School, the Cree portion of the name means ‘children who dance.’

“The name is not only about those current students, but for us to think about those who came before us, and especially about those who went to residential school and never came home,” said Elder Mary Lee.

The new school, currently under construction at 2010 7^th Street East in the area of Holliston, will replace the current school at 2141 McPherson Ave, in Buena Vista.

It’s scheduled to open in the fall of 2025.

The name was chosen to reflect the nurturing of children’s spirits, their connections to ancestors and their future journey.

Consultation started in February, with several groups participating in sharing possible names, including parents and community members, students from St. Frances, school staff, and Elders.  A special committee took a long-list of 135 names and narrowed it down to six.

After careful deliberation, awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik– St. Francis School was eventually chosen.

“It’s through the spirit of dancing that current and future students will be able to honour (those who went to residential school) ,” said Lee. “It reminds us about what the children will have, and that they will be able to talk about things we once were not able to talk about. It’s an opportunity for healing.”

In addition to Cree being added to the school’s name, the school will now be named after St. Francis of Assisi, rather than St. Frances Cabrini.

Elders in the school’s advisory committee felt that St. Francis, and his connection with nature, better represented the spirit of the school.

“The new school represents a new beginning in so many ways,” said Diane Boyko, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools’ Board of Education Chair.

“Cree language and cultural programming at St. Frances has been part of our division’s journey toward reconciliation for years. The new building will be a very real representation of our commitment to helping Indigenous students and staff reclaim and rebuild their language, culture, and heritage.”

The Cree language and culture program at St. Frances has grown to the largest Indigenous language program in Canada, with lover 600 students from more than 50 communities and neighbourhoods. awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik – St. Francis School will continue that dedication to culture, with Cree art woven throughout the new facility.