In a move aimed at simplifying its branding, the French Catholic school board has changed its name.
The Conseil scolaire catholique des Grandes Rivières is the new name for the board that’s been known as Conseil scolaire catholique de district des Grandes Rivières (CSCDGR) for the past 26 years. The announcement was made on Oct. 2.
“It's mainly for marketing purposes, but even just on an everyday level, it simplifies the name to shorten it. It's just less of a mouthful,” said Catherine Mongenais, the communications officer for CSCDGR.
The original name which included “the district” was a common feature among many school boards at the time of CSCDGR’s founding in 1998, Mongenais said. In recent years, several boards have opted for name changes, prompting CSCDGR to reassess its own identity.
“We didn’t want to make a huge change. We wanted to stay true to who we are and to our heritage,” Mongenais said.
While the acronym has not changed, the “D” will now represent “des.”
The school board serves over 5,500 students across 24 elementary schools, eight high schools and three alternative education centres, with its schools spanning nearly 25,000 kilometres, from Hearst to Temiskaming Shores, including Foleyet, Gogama and Timmins.
The decision to keep “Grandes Rivières” in the new name was intentional, Mongenais said.
“We feel that it's still very defining for us. The rivers are very embedded in our regions and everyone loves them. It calls out to everyone who lives in our areas,” she said.
The process leading to this name change was not quick, Mongenais said. Discussions began about 18 months ago, involving multiple levels of consultation.
The board sought feedback from committees, parents, students, the community and neighbouring school boards. Mongenais described the journey as “lengthy,” noting that the school board received approval from the Ministry of Education in August.
In deciding to announce the change after the start of the school year, the board aimed to provide a smooth transition for students and staff, Mongenais said.
“We didn’t want to start the year right off with the announcement and everything,” she said
