Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools' board of trustees has selected a name for the new Blackfalds Kindergarten to Grade 4 school.
The school, which will be located near the intersection of Vista Trail and Aspen Lakes Boulevard in northwest Blackfalds, will be named St. Veronica Catholic School.
“We are thrilled to announce St. Veronica Catholic School as the name for our new kindergarten to Grade 4 school in Blackfalds," said Murray Hollman, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools board chair.
"St. Veronica’s legacy of compassion and kindness aligns perfectly with the values we strive to instill in our students. This name will inspire and guide our young learners as they embark on their educational journey."
Families of St. Gregory the Great Catholic School students were invited to suggest names and provide rationale for those names from April until May through an online form. In total, nine different names were suggested.
According to the rationale included with the winning submission, “(St. Veronica) is the patron saint of kindness and charity. We can follow St. Veronica's lead and imitate her simple act of charity by treating others with respect and kindness and helping those who are hurt and in need. In this day and age kindness is one of the best things we can do for our children.”
A sod-turning celebration for the new school is scheduled for Oct. 17, with an expected opening date of September 2027. St. Veronica Catholic School will be designed to accommodate approximately 500 students.
St. Veronica Catholic School will be constructed to meet or exceed Alberta Infrastructure standards for new school buildings and will be built to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification, a Red Deer Catholic media release states.