Wolseley School, 511 Clifton Street. (GOOGLE STREET VIEW)
The Winnipeg School Division has announced that Wolseley School will officially be renamed Little Bluestem School, effective for the 2026–27 school year.
In a release, WSD says the new name was overwhelmingly supported by the school community and is inspired by little bluestem, a native prairie grass found along Omand’s Creek in the Wolseley neighbourhood. The name is intended to reflect the area’s natural history and its longstanding connections to Indigenous and Métis communities.
A shortlist of potential names was developed before the final selection was made.
“The depth of learning and engagement throughout this process has been meaningful,” said Matt Henderson, superintendent of Winnipeg School Division.
“Student voice was at the heart of this work-learning about history, culture, and community, and helping shape a name that reflects who they are and what they value.”
The school, built in 1921, was originally named after Col. Garnet J. Wolseley, a British general associated with 19th-century colonial military campaigns. The renaming process was undertaken as part of the division’s efforts to remove the school’s connection to that colonial legacy, which also influenced the naming of the surrounding Wolseley neighbourhood.
The WSD Board of Trustees says the new name honours both the neighbourhood the school serves and the values reflected within the school community.
