Waterloo Collegiate Institute

Infobox Education in Canada
name = Waterloo Collegiate Institute


imagesize=43.75 x 56.25
streetaddress = 300 Hazel Street
city = Waterloo
province = Ontario
grades = 9-12
url = http://wci.wrdsb.on.ca/
schoolboard = Waterloo Region District School Board
principal = Ms. Jennifer Shortreed
teamname = Vikings
mascot = Thor
schooltype = Public
enrollment = 1385
enrollment_as_of = 2008

Waterloo Collegiate Institute (also known as WCI) is a public high school in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

General information

Waterloo Collegiate Institute is a secondary school in Waterloo, Ontario. It was designed by architect Mike McCallum and opened in 1960. It normally has between 1200 and 1400 students, with an average class size of around 23. It has magnet programs in E.S.L., Extended French, Geography, and Strings instruments.

Its continual proximity with universities (Wilfered Laurier University and University of Waterloo) made it quite attractive to immigrant families who are interested in giving their children a better education. This is shown by the large immigrant population within the school. Though its specialized ESL (English as a Second Language) program may be the other cause for a large non-native population. Also, because of its close relations with those universities, there are sometimes joint educational programs. Especially in the areas of sciences [ [http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-36951.html] ] , political science [ [http://newsrelease.uwaterloo.ca/news.php?id=3017] ] , and technological design [ http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/WEB/Region.nsf/$All/0CB4FC00DDE211A9852574C50055962F?OpenDocument]

This school had been the attraction of some of the brightest teachers in the region.

Facilities/layout

The school consists of one campus and was built with an intended enrolment of approximately 1,500 students. In 1997, with enrolment exceeding the cap of 1,850, the school board decided to close Northdale Public School and annex it to WCI, creating room for an additional 300 students. ["WCI bumps students over to KCI," Liz Monteiro, The Record, September 5, 1997, p. B4.] The Northdale building became part of WCI for the 1998-99 school year. Both the main school building and the Northdale campus has between 5 and 10 portables, some for storage-based use.

In 2004 Northdale was sold to WLU, boundaries were redrawn and the excess of WCI students were sent to the newly built public school SJAM.

Clubs

Leadership: Homeroom Representatives (Student Council, Athletic and Charity Reps), Student Council Executive (ABCD), Junior Leadership

Performing Arts: Coffee Houses, Concept, Woodstock, Air Bands, Multicultural Show, Arts Festival, Special Education Film Festival

Publications: Norse Star (newspaper), Saga (yearbook), Literary Magazine, Writers' Guild

Music: Junior Bands and Orchestras, Senior Bands and Orchestras, Concert Band, Jazz Band, Spirit Band, Jazz Choir, Concert Choir, Music nights, Martisor

Clubs: Math Club, Debate Team, Math Leagues & Contests, Inter-school Christian Fellowship and Conversion Tactics (ICFCT), Spirit Club, Federal-Provincial Conference Simulation, Reach for the Top, Unity in Diversity, DECA, Japanese Animation Club, The Latin Club, Skills Canada, Dragon Boating, Robotics Club, Computer Science Club

Special Events: Dances, Assemblies, Grade 9 Party, Grad Auction, Dress-up days, Sports Nights, Movie Nights, Spirit of Waterloo, Spirit Wear, Valentine's Formal, Charity and Food Drives, Charity Golf Tournament

Athletics: Basketball, Volleyball, Swimming, Track & Field, Cross-Country Running, Field Hockey, Nordic and Alpine Skiing, Football, Curling, Tennis, Soccer, Hockey, Golf, Badminton, Rugby

pecial programs

Cisco Networking Academy

The Cisco Networking Academy is the Cisco Certified online learning course for computer networking, and computer engineering. From a completely online curriculum; students learn how to create networks, repair, build and format computers. This course is unique to Waterloo Collegiate Institute as it is the only location in southern Ontario to offer the Cisco Certified course.

Geotech Magnet

Geotechnology is the science and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing and using geographic information. Geotechnology encompasses a broad range of disciplines that can be brought together to create a detailed but understandable picture of the physical world and our place in it. These disciplines include surveying, mapping, remote sensing and use of global positioning technology.

Pre-Advanced Placement Programs

The Pre-AP Program at Waterloo Collegiate is a set of academic skills, strategies, and content used to build rigorous curricula, prepare students for success in senior Advanced Placement courses, increase academic challenges, promote independent learning, and expose students to assessment techniques useful for success at university. Pre-A.P. is not a prescribed curriculum but rather an enriched experience to enhance current curriculum standards.

Advanced Placement Programs

The Advanced Placement (AP) program consists of a number of enrichment courses and related examinations. These courses are comparable to university courses and therefore are rigorous and challenging . The AP programmer is an internationally recognized standard of academic excellence. Successful students may be granted advanced placement or credit at universities. This is a new initiative for 2004-05 at WCI only. This is not a magnet programmer like strings or extended French at WCI. Students from other school catchments areas wishing to enroll at Waterloo Collegiate to take Advanced Placement Courses must get a principal to principal transfer from their home school in order to attend Waterloo Collegiate. School board officials may or may not grant transfers to students who wish to move schools to attend non-magnet programs.

trings Magnet Program

The Waterloo Collegiate String Program is focused around the development of a broad range of musical skills, with performance being the main vehicle for learning. A high standard of performance is achieved in the classroom through the careful sequencing and integration of music theory, music history, ear training and listening skills, creative composing and arranging, in addition to authentic and exciting interpretations of original repertoire.

One of the aspects of the Waterloo Collegiate String Program is its extra-curricular String Orchestra program. Waterloo Collegiate's Junior and Senior String Orchestras had received numerous top awards at international and regional competitions. The Waterloo Collegiate String Orchestras have performed at the Kitchener-Waterloo Arts Awards, Ontario Newspaper Awards (held last year in Waterloo), Kitchener-Waterloo Kiwanis Music Festival, in addition to ongoing performances at Waterloo Collegiate’s feeder schools and surrounding homes for the elderly.

ee also

*List of Waterloo Region, Ontario schools

References

External links

* [http://wci.wrdsb.on.ca/ Home page]