Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School

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Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School
Address
201 McDonnel Street
Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 2W1, Canada
Information
School number 935182
School board Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
Superintendent Reet Patterson
Principal Denise Severin
Vice principal Ron MacDonald
Staff 73
School type Public High School
Grades 9 to 12
Area Peterborough
Mascot The Raider
Team name Raiders
Colours Garnet and Grey
Founded 1827
Enrollment 960 (2006)
Homepage http://www.pcvs.ca/

Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School is a Public High School located at 201 McDonnel Street in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. One of the oldest public schools in the country, PCVS was founded in 1827. As of 2006, it has 960 students and 73 teachers and support staff. It is a member of the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.

Contents

[edit] History

PCVS was founded in 1827 and the current school building located in downtown Peterborough was erected in 1908. Since then it has gone through several changes and renovations. In 1929, an additional section was added. This section includes the Upper Gym, Cafeteria and Library. The building is an example of restrained Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The limestone used in the building was provided by the Longford quarries. In 2008 the school celebrated the 100th anniversay of the school building on May 17 by hosting a Gala/Reunion with entertainment talent featuring PCVS alumni including Sean Cullen, Rick Fines and Graham Rowat among others.

[edit] Courses

PCVS offers courses in a wide variety of areas. These departments include Business Studies, Family Studies, Languages, Science, Computer Studies, Geography, Mathematics, Technological Studies, Dramatic Arts, Guidance, Music, Visual Arts, English, History, Physical & Health Education and the Integrated Arts Program.

The school has shifted focus towards its drama, music and visual arts programs in order to maintain its historic location. There have been several attempts to move the school due to its age and subsequent problems with the building. The Integrated Arts Program was created as a political response to justify the school's existence.

Integrated Arts students are accepted into the program before they enter high school though an audition and interview process completed in their grade 8 year. To graduate as an Integrated Arts student, two art credits per year must be successfully completed (for a total of 8 credits), students who complete more than 10 arts credits by graduation are awarded an Arts Certificate at the Honours level.

The Integrated Arts Program offers general art courses for Grade 9, with drama, art, music, and comprehensive arts. Grade 9 Integrated Arts students must also take English and Physical Education, designed specifically for Arts students. The entire Grade 9 Integrated Arts population presents their own show each year to the student body and is open to guests outside of the school in the evening, known as the May Production. The arts courses are a little more specific in Grade 10, with Guitar, Vocal, Fashion Design, and Dance courses. Grade 10 Arts students must take a compulsory Communications Technology course. In Grade 11, a three-credit Musical Theatre class is offered (earning a Drama, Vocal and Theatre Production credit). Students must audition for vocal, dance, and acting skills. This class performs a play at the end of the semester that is open to the student body and city to see. In the past, The Oz, Grease, Sound of Music, among many other plays, have been performed. Also in Grade 11, as well as general arts courses, more dance classes are offered, a more advanced guitar and vocal class, art history, and ceramic arts. In Grade 12, a similar three-credit drama course is offered (earning English, Drama, and Drama in the Community credits), known as Theatre In The Community (TITC), where you must also audition. This class travels around the city during the day in matching TITC shirts, performing their series of skits to mainly elementary schools. Other arts courses in Grade 12 include: Studio Art (AP), Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Art History, Painting & Drawing, Music Theory, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, and Popular Dance.

A more detailed description of the courses can be found by following the link: http://pcvs.kprschools.ca/WebContent/Guidance/CrseCal/200809CourseCalendar.htm.

[edit] Campus

Peterborough Collegiate consists of many regular classrooms as well as specialized rooms for certain classes. PCVS has four computer labs as well as a Resource Centre, a library, a music room, two drama rooms and enough space for the sewing machines, video editing suites, art rooms and other special equipment for the various classes. PCVS has come under criticisms because of the age of the building and its constricted downtown location. Among other problems, the school does not have its own sports field and must use the Nichol's Oval, which is owned by the city of Peterborough.

The front of the PCVS building.
The front of the PCVS building.

There have been some complaints about a shortage of parking. Although there are some reserved parking spots for students, the majority of spaces are reserved for those employed at the school, sometimes forcing students to find parking elsewhere.

Beginning in the 1940's, the Student Councils of Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School, with the encouragement of their art teachers like Zoltan Temesy and Egon Morell, bought art works for their school. These works are currently on extended loan to The Art Gallery of Peterborough and displayed in the Margaret L. Heideman Gallery. Artists include: Andre Bieler, A.J. Casson, Lawren Harris, Arthur Lismer, Manley MacDonald and Henri Masson. Facsimilies of these paintings now hang throughout the school.

[edit] Students

  • Roughly 275 in the Integrated Arts Program
  • More than 100 participate in academic enrichment programs and activities
  • Extracurricular activities include an outstanding athletic program which produces top ranked basketball, volleyball, rowing, field hockey, and track teams
  • Home to outstanding drama and music departments
  • School choirs (PCVS Singers and PCVS Ladies Choir) and concert bands have garnered many awards
  • PCVS Ladies Choir ranked in top 10 choirs in Canada
  • Drama productions and annual musical are community highlights
  • The school is also well known for its high-tech communications technology programs, enriched physical education courses and a career counselling/co- operative education program
  • Offers peer tutoring programs in reading and mathematics, individualized instruction through our Learning Enrichment Department as well as English Second Language (ESL) classes for students who are learning English
  • Peterborough Collegiate was listed by MacLean's magazine as one of the top five high schools in Canada in the category of Student Leadership.

[edit] Notable Alumni

[edit] External links

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