Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School

Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School is one of five high schools in Aurora, Ontario and is one of two under the jurisdiction of the York Region District School Board. In 2005, there were approximately 1350 students from Grades 9 to 12. However, the enrolled has drastically reduced to 663 students. As of the 2017–2018 school year, enrolment increased to approximately 750 students.[2]

Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School
Address
39 Dunning Avenue

Aurora
,
Ontario
,
L4G 1A2

Canada
Coordinates43°59′27″N 79°27′45″W
Information
School typePublic
MottoMens sana in corpore sano
(A sound mind in a sound body)
Founded1888 (as Aurora High School)
School boardYork Region District School Board
SuperintendentNeil Gunathunge
Area trusteeBob McRoberts
PrincipalMelissa Schmidt
Grades9-12
Enrollment1100[1] (September 2019)
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)Double blue
MascotWildcat
Team nameWilliams Wildcats
Websitewww.drgwwilliams.ss.yrdsb.edu.on.ca
Last updated: March 2020

History

The school started in 1888 as Aurora High School in the building formerly occupied by the Wells Street Public School on Wells Street. The current building on Dunning Avenue was opened in 1952. Additions were placed on the Dunning Avenue school in 1956, 1967, and 1998. In 1961 the school was renamed The Dr. G. W. Williams Secondary School in honour of Dr. David Garnet Wolsley Williams, a local medical doctor and former trustee of the school board. The school's chief rival is Aurora High School. G.W. Williams is one of the YRDSB's International Baccalaureate candidate schools.[3]

Football

The school's football teams are known as the "Wildcats". The team was reformed in 1984 thanks to student and staff (led by Mr. Aitken) efforts. The final season played by the Senior team was in 2011 when they played with approximately a 24-man roster. They went on to win a third YRAA Tier Two Championship over Bill Carothers S.S. As of the 2012 season there is no Senior football team.

Replacement school

In 2018, the Ontario Ministry of Education approved funding to replace the current Dr. G.W. Williams school building, and to build the replacement on a site approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) northeast of the current school's location. The new school is planned to open in 2023.[4]

Notable alumni
  • Brian Stemmle - Canadian Alpine Ski Team[5]
  • Garth Gibson - Proposed the redundant array of independent disks (RAID) concept along with David Patterson and Randy Katz

See also

References
  1. "York Region District School Board - Monthly Enrolment Report" (PDF). York Region District School Board. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  2. "YRDSB Enrolment 2016-17" (PDF).
  3. "Pages: IB Program". www.yrdsb.ca. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  4. "Visioning for the New Dr. G.W. Williams Secondary School" (PDF). York Region District School Board. November 7, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  5. Canadian Ski Museum


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