Legal Name Change (first and/or last name)

A legal name change in school refers to the process of changing a student’s name on official documents through a court order. The process involves filling out a petition, providing evidence, and appearing in court for a hearing. It is important to seek legal advice before embarking on this process, as it can have far-reaching implications.

To change a legal name, please submit either a Birth Certificate or an Official Order of the name change to the Registrar’s Office. Once approved the Registrar’s Office will update the student’s records with the new legal name and the student will be referred to by their legal name in all educational or non-educational student records. 

Chosen Name Change (first name only and/or gender identity)

For non-legal name changes to be reflected in non-educational records, a Chosen Name Change Form is required. First names may be changed to allow students to be referred to by a name they choose, promoting respect for their individual identity and creating a more inclusive and supportive environment in schools. The chosen name will be used for all non-educational records where a legal name is not required. 

The form to change first name or gender identity on non-educational records is available via the link below, as well as in all school building main offices. 

To change a chosen first name, please follow these steps:

1. 1. Request a Chosen Name Change Form from the school building’s main office, or download and complete the Chosen Name Change Form by clicking this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d50webtizeyaq4jWbTfx4OIaHyFnHhRL/view?usp=share_link
   2. Submit the completed form to the school building’s main office administrative assistant.

Please note that legal names will continue to be used for all official education records such as diplomas, scholarships, report cards, transcripts, attendance records, and sports rosters. Chosen name changes will only be reflected in systems where a legal name is not required.

Chosen name changes are completed twice a year. Names changes can be requested from Aug. 1 – Sept 30 for the first semester and by Jan. 15 for the second semester. Requests outside of those windows will be put on a waiting list and processed as time permits, typically within 4-6 weeks.

The lists below represent where Legal and Chosen Names will be used: