Hello ÉSCB families,

As we continue our first school year together at École Sage Creek Bonavista, we are grateful for the strong sense of community that has already taken shape. With students and staff well settled into learning and routines, we are pleased to share an important update regarding the official naming of our school. 

The process of naming our school began last year, prior to the school opening, through a public consultation that invited students, staff, families, and community members to share their voices. Through this process, there was strong and resounding support to name the school in honour of the late Honourable Justice and Senator Murray Sinclair, an esteemed leader and advocate for truth, reconciliation, and education in Canada. 

Anishinaabe ceremonial protocols were observed following Justice Sinclair’s passing, including a period of one year during which the community refrained from formally naming the school out of respect for the family. That period has now passed, and plans are officially underway. 

We are pleased to share that we have now met with the family, who are excited and supportive of the school being named in honour of Murray Sinclair. We are deeply grateful for their guidance and for the opportunity to move forward together. 

As part of this journey, we also had the opportunity to meet with Niigaan Sinclair, who shared reflections about his father and the values that guided his life’s work. He spoke about how Justice Sinclair always carried his message with humility and believed deeply in schools as places of possibility. Reflecting on the opening of the school, Niigaan shared that “My father always believed that any school centred around love and community facilitates an opportunity for children to be empowered and encouraged to become anything they want to become, what they are meant to be. Seeing these values embedded in a school named after him is not only exciting but a step in the direction of truth and reconciliation.” 

We are honoured to confirm that the school will be formally named École Mazina Giizhik, in tribute to the Honourable Justice Murray Sinclair. Mazina Giizhik is his spirit name and means “The One Who Speaks of Pictures in the Sky” in Anishinaabemowin. 

The official naming ceremony will take place on May 6, and we look forward to marking this meaningful milestone together as a school community. Additional details will be shared as plans are finalized. 

Justice Murray Sinclair’s legacy as a leader in law, education, and reconciliation aligns deeply with the work already happening in our school. He often reminded us that education is the key to reconciliation and encouraged us to “dare to live greatly, together.” These values are reflected not only in our learning but also in the design of our school, where imagery of the sky and its stories symbolize belonging, shared values, and hope for the future. 

We are also grateful for the continued guidance of the LRSD Council of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. Council Grandmother Chickadee Richard is working alongside the Sinclair family, the school division, and our community to ensure this naming process is approached with care, learning, and respect. 

Thank you for being part of a vibrant and growing school community. We look forward to celebrating this important moment together. 

 École Sage Creek Bonavista/ École Mazina Giizhik Administration