Kincardine & District Secondary School

Kincardine & District Secondary School
Address
885 River Lane
Kincardine, Ontario, N2Z 2B9
Canada
Coordinates 44°10′37″N 81°37′39″W / 44.17689°N 81.62749°W / 44.17689; -81.62749Coordinates: 44°10′37″N 81°37′39″W / 44.17689°N 81.62749°W / 44.17689; -81.62749
Information
School type High school
Motto Virtus, Veritas, Victoria
(Excellence, Truth, Success)
Founded 1954
School board Bluewater District School Board
Principal Mark Ozorio
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 600–650 (September 2011)
Language English
Colour(s) Green      & white     
Mascot Knights

Kincardine & District Secondary School (KDSS) is a public high school in the town of Kincardine, Ontario, Canada. It is one of 11 high schools in the Bluewater District School Board.

Fraser Institute issued the school a 6.6/10 and ranked it at 294th out of 727 Ontario Secondary Schools, and as 4th best in the Bluewater District School Board after Chesley District High School, Peninsula Shores District School, and West Hill Secondary School.[1]

The school has 633 full-time students in grades 9 through 12. Originally built in 1953/54, it has been expanded with 6 additions, the last one being finished in 1989. The school colour is green and its motto is "Virtus, Veritas, Victoria," which means "Excellence, Truth, Success".

History

In Kincardine, as in most pioneer communities, one of the matters of primary consideration was the question of education. The children were at first educated at home, and then in 1851 a public school was opened. The rented frame building was on the river flats near the lake. The teacher, Mrs. Jane Nairn, had 66 students. The original school, Kincardine District High school, was erected in 1876 at the cost of $8,900. When the school opened 80 students attended at the cost of $8.00 a year for in town students and $10.00 a year for rural students.

With a new addition in 1901 the school was to be used until 1954. Later the school was moved to a small frame building on the east side of Queen Street opposite Harbor Street. Shortly afterwards it was moved to the opposite side of the street. The next location was in a log building which was later the Gentle's property. Then it moved to Russel Street just west of the Anglican Church.[2]

Kincardine High School in 1876

In 1951 Kincardine High School became Kincardine District High School when a bus system was implementing to bring students in from neighbouring communities.[2]

In 1953 construction started on a new one-storey building to include home economics, industrial arts, a cafeteria and a much better gymnasium facility. The new building opened in 1954 with an enrollment of 244 students and a staff of 10. This new school was 2421.9 m².[2]

Only five years after the opening of the opening of the new school in 1954, two classrooms were added at the north end of the building. By September 1973 seven portable classrooms and a portable library resource area were added to the school. An addition in 1973–74 doubled the size.[2]

After the renovation in 1974 the school was given the new name of Kincardine & District Secondary School.[2]

In 1980 the athletics teams received a new symbol and name. The Kincardine Redmen of the past would now be called the Kincardine Knights.[2]

In 1983 the closing of Ripley Secondary School boosted KDSS's numbers up to 799, which was a new high for the school.[2]

In 1989 KDSS added another addition to the building. The school hasn't had any new additions since 1989. The current school is 7473.4 m² on a site of 5.22ha².[2]

Ranking

The Fraser Institute issued the school a 6.6/10 and ranked it at 294th out of 727 Ontario Secondary Schools, and as 4th best in the Bluewater District School Board after Chesley District High School, Peninsula Shores District School, and West Hill Secondary School.[1] The Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-libertarian. Its stated mission is "to measure, study, and communicate the impact of competitive markets and government intervention on the welfare of individuals."

Specifications

  • 19 classrooms
  • 5 science rooms
  • 1 music room
  • 2 art rooms
  • 1 library
  • 2 gymnasiums
  • 2 technology rooms
  • 1 resource room
  • 2 special education rooms
  • 1 family studies room
  • 1 cafeteria

Feeder schools

Four main schools feed into KDSS: Huron Heights Public School, Kincardine Township Tiverton Public School, St. Anthony's Catholic School and Ripley Huron Community School (in Ripley, Ontario).[3]

2011 staff

KDSS has 45 teachers, eight Educational Assistants, and four office staff. A staff of five work in the cafeteria and five custodians keep the school clean.[4]

Athletics and clubs

KDSS has many clubs, which all meet once a week at lunch. These include:

  • Student Council - plan all school activities and events
  • Free The Children - sponsored a village in Sierra Leone; built a school and two wells; are now creating alternative income
  • Dumbledore's Army (Harry Potter fan club) - have the four Houses of Hogwarts and play Qudditch every Friday
  • PETA - promote animal rights and anti-animal abuse
  • OSAID - Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving; promote safe and responsible driving
  • Doctor Who Fan Club - watch Doctor Who at lunch every Monday and Friday
  • Christian Fellowship - talk about what it means to be a Christian in today's world
  • Green Space Team - promote being eco-friendly in the school community
  • Prom Committee - plan Prom for the current school year
  • Glee Club/Choir - sing at school events and functions
  • Drama Club - acting
  • Badminton Club - students meet after school and play badminton; considered an intramural sport
  • Link Crew - helping the Grade 9s transition from elementary school to high school
  • Math Club - write the Ontario Math Contest test, learn math outside of the classroom

Christmas Knights

Since 1997 KDSS students have gone door to door around the Kincardine community collecting non-perishable food items and new toys for the Kincardine Christmas Hamper program.

Athletics

KDSS has numerous athletics teams, which all go by the name of the KDSS Knights. Those sports include:

  • Gymnastics (co-ed, varsity)
  • Basketball (junior and senior girls, junior and senior boys)
  • Volleyball (junior and senior girls, junior and senior boys)
  • Tennis (co-ed)
  • Soccer (junior and senior girls, junior and senior boys)
  • Badminton (co-ed)
  • Rugby (junior and senior girls, junior and senior boys)
  • Swim team (co-ed)
  • Cross country (co-ed)
  • Curling (co-ed)
  • Hockey (junior and senior girls, junior and senior boys)
  • Golf (boys and girls)
  • Nordic skiing (co-ed)
  • Track & field (co-ed)
  • Swimming (co-ed)

KDSS sports teams are very successful every year. The boys' hockey team has won BAA, CWOSSA, and OFSAA, meaning KDSS has one of the best high school hockey teams in Ontario.[5]

All of KDSS's athletics are played through the Bluewater Athletic Association.

Trips

KDSS offers a Europe trip each year. The trip alternates every-other-year between a historical and cultural Europe Trip that is open to any student, and an Art History Trip which specifically focuses on European art and architecture. Only students enrolled in the Grade 12 Art History class can go on the Art History Trip.

Music

The Knights of Jazz was a jazz ensemble based at the school. In 1999, the group received a Bronze award in the Instrumental Jazz Division at MusicFest Canada.[6]

School goals and philosophy

The Kincardine and District Secondary School community will:

  • Serve the unique academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of all students
  • Commit itself to maintaining an orderly, trusting, and inclusive school by promoting diversity and equity whenever possible
  • Develop the whole person by providing support, encouragement, and opportunity
  • Create an environment where all parties can approach learning and other school activities with confidence, motivation, and success
  • Respect each other and the community at large at all times
  • Encourage lifelong learning

2011 symposium

On Thursday June 9 and 10 2011 KDSS held a symposium instead of regular classes, titled Today's Kids; Tomorrow's Village[7] The symposium presenedt students in grades 9–12 with a variety of workshops and speakers to increase their awareness of issues related to making healthy life choices now, and positive life choices when they are parents or aunts, uncles, or neighbours themselves.

Keynote speakers included:

  • Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, author who has specialized in the study of the psychology of killing, which has been termed 'killology'[8]
  • Justin Trudeau, Canadian politician and Member of Parliament (As of 2015, 23rd Prime Minister of Canada)
  • Dr. Jackson Katz, America's leading anti-sexist activist, and expert on violence, media and masculinity
  • A.R., victim of cyber and sexual assault

Social networking

To keep up with rapid growth of popularity of social networking, KDSS has created several accounts. KDSS has a Twitter account,[9] a YouTube channel,[10] and a Facebook page.[11]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Fraser Institute School Report Cards". Fraser Institute. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kincardine 1848–1984. Owen Sound, Ontario: Stan Brown Ltd. 1982. p. 370. ISBN 0-9690899-1-0.
  3. ↑ Adams, AJ. "BWDSB". BWDSB. BWDSB. Archived from the original on June 10, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
  4. ↑ "KDSS". KDSS. KDSS. Archived from the original on May 28, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  5. ↑ Adams, AJ. "cwossa". cwossa. cwossa.
  6. ↑ "1999 Festival Results". MusicFest Canada: The Nationals. Archived from the original on March 14, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
  7. ↑ Today's Kids; Tomorrow's Village
  8. ↑ "Killology". www.killology.com. Dave Grossman. Retrieved June 10, 2011.
  9. ↑ Twitter: KDSS_Knights
  10. ↑ Youtube: KDSSknights
  11. ↑ Facebook: Kincardine District Secondary School
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