| Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School | |
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| Address | |
| 201 McDonnel Street Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 2W1, Canada |
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| 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.
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History
PCVS was founded in 1827 and built in 1898. Since then it has gone through many changes and renovations. In 1905, the cornerstone was put in place and in 1929, the additional section was added. This section includes the Upper Gym, Cafeteria and Library as well as most of the school as it stands today. The building is an example of restrained Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. The limestone used in the building was provided by the Longford quarries.
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.
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.
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.
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 16 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 on of the top five high schools in Canada in the category of Student Leadership.
Notable Alumni
- Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-CEO of Research In Motion
- Walter Theodore Brown, Head of Yale Department of Religion, Principal and President of Victoria University
- Robert George Hall Cormack, Professor of Botany (University of Alberta, member of the Royal Society of Canada)
- Seán Cullen, comedian
- Sir Frederick William Alpin Gordon Haultain, the first premier of Canada's North-West Territories
- Hugh Kenner, Canadian literary scholar, critic and professor
- Dr. Herb Lee, founding member and past president of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College
- Bruce Landon, Professional Hockey Player (goalie)
- Lester B. Pearson, 14th Prime Minister of Canada
- Gordon Roper, Chair of English at University of Trinity College (Toronto), senior founder of Massey College
- Graham Rowat, Broadway actor
- Serena Ryder, singer/songwriter
- Clara "Clibby" Verrian, Talent agent and founder of Faces & Places Talent Agency
- Jesse Wade Young, professional basketball player
