Parkside High School (Dundas, Ontario)
Parkside High School was located at 31 Parkside Avenue, Dundas, Ontario, and was a member of the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB). The school opened in 1960 and backed onto the Dundas escarpment. Parkside High School had a 2009-2010 enrollment of 700, and reported that 80% of its graduates attend post-secondary education. The school's mission statement was "Educating students to become lifelong learners and contributing citizens in a challenging, changing, multi-cultural world." The school also offered special education classes and had an ESL program.
Over the years Parkside became known for their outstanding business program and dedicated teachers. In 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Parkside High School was noted as the school with the most involved students in HWDSB according to Director Malloy's Annual Report.
The HWDSB announced on 15 May 2012 that Parkside High School would close in 2014, citing over $5 million in repair costs and almost 200 empty seats. The students attending Parkside were moved to Dundas Valley Secondary School, which will receive $15 million for renovations if approved by the Ministry of Education.[1]
Parkside closed in June 2014 at the end of the 2013/2014 school year.
Curriculum focus
Parkside had a curriculum goal of decreasing the failure rate in all classes by 3% (most courses were in excess of 85% pass rate). Parkside has developed programs such as DECA (Business Competition) courses, a science course based on crime scene investigation techniques, and Spanish classes to pique student interest.
Program Highlights and Student Support Programs
Parkside High School took part in the following programs:
- Canadian Mathematics Competitions
- Vast variety of Physical Education options, including basketball focus, navy seals and outdoor education.
- International Languages
- DECA Business courses
- Grade 9 assistance program
- Panther Pack program
- Early identification and assistance for at-risk learners
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test preparation and assistance
- Credit Recovery and Alternative Education courses
Clubs
The former Parkside High School offered the following clubs:
- Ambassadors
- Anti-racism
- Art
- Art festival
- Book
- Debating
- DECA
- Drama
- Environmental
- Faith
- Field Hockey
- French Movie
- Garden
- Gay–straight alliance
- Interact
- Literary Festival
- Math Contests
- Media
- Music
- Panther Packs
- PAVEAT
- Photography
- Science
- Sears Festival
- Yearbook
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Garden Club
- Hockey – Boys and Girls
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Water polo
Notable alumni
- Karen Bertelsen (TV Personality)
- Dianne Bos (Photographer)
- Nicola Jones (TV Personality)
- Graeme MacKay (Editorial Cartoonist)
- Colleen McEdwards (News Anchor)
- Daniel Victor Snaith (Musician)
- David Bottrill, music producer, mixer, Mainstation Music
References
- ↑ Pecoskie, Teri. "Public board will close Parkside high school". The Hamilton Spectator. TheSpec.com. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
Coordinates: 43°16′22″N 79°57′09″W / 43.27278°N 79.95263°W