Western Canada High School
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Western Canada High School is a public senior high school in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It has classes for grades 10 through 12. Western is located in the 17th Avenue business district of the Mount Royal community, and is thus the most centrally located public high school in Calgary. As of the end of May, 2006, Western has had extensive water & electrical damage & will be torn down & replaced. It is hoped that the original facade of the school will be preserved.
History
The original school building was completed in 1903 as a British-style exclusive high school for boys, known as Western Canada College (not a college in the North American sense of the word). It was created by "The Western Canada College Bill of Incorporating Ordinance" passed by the Northwest Territories, which Calgary was then apart of before the province of Alberta was created in 1905.[WCHS historical timeline]The private school had financial problems and was sold to the Calgary Board of Education, which gave it the present name, re-opened it as public school, and constructed additional buildings on the land.
Western was Calgary's first composite high school, providing both technical and academic courses of study. Since then, substantial renovations and additions have been done at various times. Linda Raasveldt became the first female principal of the school in 2002.
Special programs
The school provides French and Spanish language instruction, as a second language. In addition, it is one of a select number of schools in Calgary to offer French immersion, whereas most other Alberta schools only provide instruction in French as a second language. Western is one of a small number of Calgary high schools to offer an International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme in English, and is the only Calgary high school to offer the program in French. The school also offers an extensive performing and visual arts program, and offers a certificate to recognize students that have made fine arts a focus of learning at the high school level. Fewer than 20 students received the certificate in 2006.Notable alumni
- Jim Dinning - Former Alberta treasurer [Jim Dinning biography (personal web site)]
- Daniel Philip Hays - Speaker of the Canadian Senate Lau, Michael, "A century of schooling: Western Canada High School turns 100 in 2003 and alumni are planning a mega reunion complete with tunnel tours", Calgary Herald, September 28, 2000, pg. 2
- Norman Kwong - He is Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta and was the youngest person to win a Grey Cup in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of the Order of Canada. [The Alberta Order of Excellence] - Profile of Norman Kwong
- Larry Robinson - Played with the Calgary Stampeders from 1961 to 1974, winning the Grey Cup in 1971. He was the first player in the CFL to score over 1,000 points in a season.["Top-Ten All-time players from Alberta (Football Alberta)"], CANOE JAM! Sports [Stampeders player profile for Larry Robinson]
- Kinnie Starr - A singer/songwriter who was nominated for the Juno Award for New Artist of the Year in 2004. Wilton, Lisa, ["New Starr of hip-hop"], CANOE JAM! Showbiz
- Taryn Swiatek - Was a member of the Canada women's national soccer team, which placed fourth in the FIFA Women's World Cup competition in 2003. Maxwell, Cameron, ["Swiatek sets sights on China"], Calgary Sun, Canadian Online Explorer, January 27, 2002.
See also
- St. Mary's High School - The only other high school in the near by area. It also predates the province of Alberta, and it also has an IB program.
References
External links
- [Western Canada High School official site]
- [WCHS Alumni Association]
- [Western Canada College at the Calgary Public Library] - Photo of the original building.
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