Widdifield Secondary School

Infobox_Education_in_Canada
name= Widdifield Secondary School
streetaddress= 320 Ski Club Road
city= North Bay
province= Ontario
postalcode= P1B 7R2
areacode= 705
phone= 472-5711
fax= 474-4223
url= [http://www.nearnorth.edu.on.ca/secondary.asp?school=Widdifield%20Secondary%20School Widdifield]
schoolboard= Near North District School Board
superintendent=Kelly Brown
affiliation= none
principal= Lucio Pavone
vice-principal=Donna Breault, Larry Lanctot
schooltype= High school
grades= 9-12
language= English
mascot= Wildcat
teamname= Widdifield Wildcats
colours= Red and Blue
founded= 1965
enrollment= ~900
enrollment_as_of=2007

Widdifield Secondary School (WSS) is located along the Ski Club Road area of North Bay, Ontario. It is a member of the Near North District School Board.

Widdifield's motto is "Mens Quaerens in Corpore Sano," loosely meaning "An inquiring mind in a sound body." Athletes and students at Widdifield are known as the Widdifield Wildcats, and the school colours are red and royal blue.

The school was founded in 1965. Because of the extensive area of the school zone, 35% of the 900 or so students are bussed.

Widdifield is widely known as North Bay's Arts school, as it carries many unique arts related programs and runs a program known as Arts Nipissing, which gives a special certificate to students who complete a sufficient number of courses in the arts. Widdifield has very strong Visual Art, Dance, Drama and Music programs, and Arts Nipissing helps bring them all together, encouraging students to excel in multiple arts disciplines. In addition to the Arts, WSS has developed an active Communication Technology and Computer Engineering program, with a focus on involving junior students (Grades 9 & 10) in project based, challenge learning initiatives. Widdifield's Cooperative Education program boasts students in placements from Pediatrics to Masonry and Chiropractic; from Animal Hospitals to Aircraft Maintenance and Gourmet Food Preparation.

The school was named after Joseph Henry Widdifield born in 1845 who was a physician and a Liberal member of Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing York North

port record

* Alumni distinguished at National and Olympic level in sport
** Dave Steeper, Gymnastics National Team
** Greg Duhaime, numerous National and Olympic Track and Field Teams. Once ranked 5th in the world. Former Canadian record holder in the 3,000m steeplechase (8:18)
** Mark Dunn – Olympic Beach Volleyball Team
** Mike O'Shea, presently in the CFL--2005 was his 13th year, his eighth with the Toronto Argonauts.
** Barb and Nancy Olmstead – Olympic Paddling Medallists
** Greg Peroff – National Ski Team
** Steve Omischl – Olympic and National Freestyle Ski Team Member
** Taylor Milne - Olympic team member and 2008 national track and field 1500m champion. Also the greatest thing to ever happen to the hamlet of Corbeil
** Meredith Richardson - Ms. Bodybuilder Canada
** Steve Walkom – Former NHL referee, now Senior Vice President and Director of Officiating.
** Mike Yeo - Hockey Coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins (N.H.L)
** Ken Richardson, former St. Louis Blues player.: "(NDA is Nipissing District Athletics)": "(NOSSA is Northern Ontario Secondary School Athletics)": "(OFSAA is Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations)"
* Football
** Junior Champions, NDA: 1967
** Junior Champions, NDA: 1981
** Senior Champions, NDA: 1988 (Mike O'Shea, player)
** Senior Champions, NDA: 2001 (Mike O'Shea in attendance)
** Junior Champions, NDA: 2002
** Senior Champions, NDA: 2005
** Junior Champions, NDA: 2006
** League MVP Chris Hebert 2007
* Boys Basketball
** Macdonald Trophy, Junior Champions, NOSSA "AA": 1974, 1977, 1983, 2000
** Macdonald Trophy, Senior Champions, NOSSA "AA": 1979, 1982, 1997
* Girls Volleyball
** DeMarco Bros. Trophy, Junior Champions, NOSSA "AAA": 1966, 1970, 1973, 1979, 1982-1985, 2001, 2002
** Senior Champions, NOSSA "AAA": 1974-1976, 1980, 2001, 2002
** Junior Champions, NOSSA "AA": 1996, 2004
** Senior Champions, NOSSA "AA": 1996-1999, 2001, 2003, 2004
* Boys Gymnastics
** NOSSA Team champions: 1971-1975. 1976 shared award with E.S. Algonquin.
** NOSSA individual championship was won by a Widdifield student: 1975-1978.
** Competition discontinued, 1982.
* Girls XC Skiing
** Junior NDA Champions, 2006
** Junior NOSSA Champions, 2006
* Boys XC Running
** Pretty much won everything - Taylor Milne
** Beer Mile, 1996 - present
** Senior NDA Champions, 1998
** Senior NOSSA Champions, 1998
* Boys Track & Field
** Senior 4x400 m Champions, 1999 (Best costume...can't beat turquoise and purple unitards)
* Girls XC Running
** Junior NDA Champions, 2005
** Junior NDA Champions, 2006
** Junior NOSSA Champions, 2006
** Junior OFSAA Champions, 2006

Drama

*Widdifield's "The Company"
** International Thespian Society Festival, 2005. The Company's production of "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" traveled to this massive, annual, drama festival, which was held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
** Sears Ontario Drama Festival, 2005. Widdifield's production "Chagall" won second place for "Outstanding production", Northern Regional Showcase. Kimberly Bean and Leigh Elliot won Awards of Merit for their roles as the Teachers.
** Other notable productions include "Black Gardenias" (winner of six Sears Ontario Drama Festival Awards), "Bugsy Malone", and "Silver Age."

External links

* [http://www.nearnorth.edu.on.ca/secondary.asp?school=Widdifield%20Secondary%20School Widdifield Secondary School website]
* [http://esip.edu.gov.on.ca/english/profiles/school_info.asp?ID=B28037&schoolid=953385 School profile page]