The new name for the St. France Cree Bilingual School, with its new building currently under construction on 7th Street East has been unveiled. About 500 students, parents, caregivers, staff and community partners attended an event to reveal the new name, which is  awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik- St. Francis School. The name means ‘children who dance”. Awâsisak kâ-nîmîhtocik is pronounced a-wah-sih-suk gha-knee-meet-oh-chik.

A news release from Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools says the consultation process began almost a year ago, with 135 names proposed. Cree language and cultural programming at the school began in 2007, with a partnership with Saskatoon Tribal Council and it has grown to be the largest Indigenous language program in Canada with over 600 students.