At last week’s Yurok Tribal Council Meeting, the Del Norte Unified School District (DNSUD) announced a name change for the Margaret Keating Elementary School in Klamath. The new name of the school is ‘O Me-Nok Learning Center Elementary School.
Dr. Walt Lara, a Tribal elder said, “ I support the name change and like the name they came up with. I’m glad we are returning the name of the village. It’s the right thing to do.”
Yurok Tribe Language Program Manager Victoria Carlson, a parent who teaches language at, ‘O Me-nok shared the name change signifies “…DNUSD support and recognizes the Indigenous Yurok community and ancestral territory of our tribe.”
The school occupies the O Me-nok village site, incorporating the name.
‘O Me-nok Learning Center is the largest public school on the Yurok Reservation. More than 60 percent of the student body are Tribal citizens.
Next week’s Triplicate will honor and recognize Margaret Keating, retired Del Norte Unified Certificated teacher and administrator whose name adorned her beloved school and the children she so selflessly served.