Names recommended for new public-Catholic elementary school in Cambridge
Posted Jan 26, 2026 06:49:09 AM.
Last Updated Jan 26, 2026 07:34:25 AM.
It’s been called a one-of-a-kind project, and now a new joint public-Catholic elementary school in Cambridge is close to being named.
Both the Waterloo Regional District Public School Board (WRDSB) and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board (WCDSB) have put forward recommended names for their halves of the school.
The public board has recommended their half be called Giinawind Public School, meaning “us, including you.” The name was put forward by members of the Indigenous community from several Anishinaabemowin speakers who spoke with the naming committee.
“In discussing this name for the school, the committee spoke about what the name represents and the hope that everyone who walks through its doors will feel welcomed, included, and part of what makes the school thrive,” said a WRDSB report.
Other suggested names included Pine Grove Public School and Riverstone Public School.
The board put out calls for names back in November, receiving 128 responses with 120 of them meeting the board’s naming policy guidelines.
Meantime, the Catholic School board has recommended naming their half Guardian Angels Catholic Elementary School. It came after a survey of 350 respondents from feeder schools, including St. Vincent de Paul, St. Anne Cambridge and Holy Spirit, voted in favour of the name between four options.
“The name reflects a mission to guide students with compassion and strong moral principles, helping them grow into confident, responsible individuals,” said a WCDSB report coming to the board.
The other options included St. Carlo Acutis Catholic Elementary School, St. Helen Catholic Elementary School, and St. John Henry Newman Catholic Elementary School.
Ground broke on the new school back in May 2025 and is expected to open in September. In total, the school is projected to hold around 900 students, including 519 from the WRDSB and 354 from the WCDSB.
Each school board will put forward the recommendations at their respective meetings on Monday evening.
