Almaguin Highlands Secondary School
| Almaguin Highlands Secondary School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
21 Mountainview Road South River (Strong) , Ontario , P0A 1X0 Canada | |
| Coordinates | 45°49′07″N 79°22′09″W / 45.8186°N 79.3692°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public English Secondary School |
| Motto | This is Why We're Awesome |
| Founded | 1959 |
| School board | Near North District School Board |
| Principal | Sue Fawcett |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 550 |
| Average class size | 15-30 |
| Language | English |
| Schedule | 2 Semester, Daily Period Tumble |
| Hours in school day | 8:45-3:00 |
| Color(s) | dark green, black, & gold |
| Mascot | Highlander |
| Team name | Highlanders |
| Newspaper | Almaguin Highlights |
| Website | www |
Almaguin Highlands Secondary School[1] (AHSS) is a public high school situated between the towns of South River, Ontario and Sundridge, Ontario. The school is part of the Near North District School Board and is responsible for the education of students in grades 9-12 in the east side of the Parry Sound District (also known as the "Almaguin Highlands"), the school serves 19 small communities and townships.
Students and Athletes at AHSS are known as Highlanders, the schools colours are dark green, black, & gold.
Almaguin Highlands Secondary School was founded in 1959, the new and currently used school building was founded in September 2011.
History
The Old School
AHSS (known then as Sundridge-South River Secondary School) was originally built to replace Sundridge High School, Sundridge and South River High School, South River. In the early 1960s the building underwent a giant expansion (bigger addition then the size of the original school) to become Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, this new school also eliminated the need of Burk's Falls High School, Burk's Falls and Powassan High School, Powassan. This new school had a reach from Nipissing in the north to Magnetawan in the West and Novar in the south, including all area between.
The New School
In the mid 2000s (Around the school's 50th Anniversary) planning for a replacement high school for the area arose. This was cause to the old school having problems with asbestos as well as the building becoming dated with many repairs and upgrades needed. With the help of a government grant the new building began construction in early 2010.[2]
The new school was finished construction in September 2011,[3] causing students to be delayed by one week starting the new school year. The new school is significantly smaller in size then the old school was (New buildings capacity around 850 where the old school could hold 2000+) When it opened the school was missing bleachers in the gym, slide out auditorium seats in the cafetorium (a combination room of the cafeteria and an auditorium), a soccer field, a running track, track & field jumping pits, and only a plywood deck on the stage. During the 2011-2012 school year fundraising allowed the building of the bleachers and auditorium seats. Due to having no field students during gym classes, home soccer games, and track & field still took place at the old school, leaving the students to be bused over to the old site. During the 2014-2015 school year the soccer field was constructed, ready for use in fall 2015. Over the 2015 summer break the stage deck was also replaced to proper decking. As of right now the school is still lacking a functioning running track and jumping pits, but students are no longer bused to the old school.
Feeder Schools
AHSS is fed by the following feeder schools:
Full Feeder Schools
- Argyle Public School (K-8), Port Loring [4]
- Evergreen Heights Education Centre (K-8), Emsdale (Perry) [5]
- Land of Lakes Public School (K-8, 5-8 Extended French), Burk's Falls [6]
- Magnetawan Central School (K-7), Magnetawan [7]
- Mapleridge Public School (K-8), Powassan [8]
- South River Public School (K-7), South River [9]
- South Shore Education Centre (K-8), Nipissing [10]
- Sundridge Centennial Public School (K-7), Sundridge [11]
Partial Feeder Schools
- St. Gregory Catholic Elementary School (K-8), Powassan [12]
- Whitestone Lake Central School (K-8), Dunchurch [13]
Athletics
AHSS is a part of the Muskoka-Parry Sound [14](MPS) & Georgian Bay [15] (GBSSA) athletic areas.
Fall Sports
- Junior Boys Soccer
- Senior Boys Soccer
- Junior Boys Volleyball
- Senior Boys Volleyball
- Midget Boys Cross Country
- Junior Boys Cross Country
- Senior Boys Cross Country
- Junior Girls Basketball
- Senior Girls Basketball
- Midget Girls Cross Country
- Junior Girls Cross Country
- Senior Girls Cross Country
Winter Sports
- Junior Boys Basketball
- Senior Boys Basketball
- Midget Boys Nordic Skiing
- Junior Boys Nordic Skiing
- Senior Boys Nordic Skiing
- Varsity Boys Ice Hockey
- Midget Girls Volleyball
- Junior Girls Volleyball
- Senior Girls Volleyball
- Midget Girls Nordic Skiing
- Junior Girls Nordic Skiing
- Senior Girls Nordic Skiing
- Varsity Girls Ice Hockey
Spring Sports
- Varsity Girls Soccer
- Co-Ed Track & Field
- Co-Ed Badminton
Arts
The AHSS Drama club, known as Tartan Theatre, produces 2-3 plays each school year, and participates in the NTS[clarification needed] Drama Festival (formerly Sears Festival)..
Provincial Shows:
These shows have made it to the provincial level of their selected festival.
| Year | Show | Festival | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Salt Water Moon | Sears Ontario Drama Festival | |
| 2003 | Moon People | ||
| This is a Play | |||
| 2010 | The Women of Troy | ||
| 2013 | Lessons of Childhood | Hamilton, ON | |
| 2015 | Elephant's Graveyard | ||
| 2016 | The Comedian | Southern Ontario Youth Theatre Festival | St. Catharines, ON |
| 2019 | Macbeth |
References
- ^ "Almaguin Highlands Secondary School – Highlanders". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ nurun.com. "Hundreds reminisce at Almaguin Highlands Second..." North Bay Nugget. Archived from the original on 2018-02-14. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Almaguin Highlands Secondary School now open for business". BayToday.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Argyle Public School –". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Evergreen Heights Education Centre –". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Land of Lakes –". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Magnetawan Central School –". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Mapleridge Public School – Mustangs". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "South River Public School – Storm". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "South Shore Public School – Stingers". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Sundridge Centennial Public School – Huskies". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "St. Gregory". Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic School Board. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "Whitestone Lake Central School – Home of the Wildcats". www.nearnorthschools.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "MPS Athletics – Muskoka-Parry Sound". www.mpsathletics.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
- ^ "GBSSA". gbssa.smcdsb.on.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-13.