Earl Haig Secondary School

Earl Haig Secondary School
Front of the reconstructed school, rebuilt in 1997
Address
Map
100 Princess Avenue

Toronto
,
Ontario
,
M2N 3R7

Canada
Coordinates43°46′10″N 79°24′22″W / 43.7694°N 79.4061°W / 43.7694; -79.4061
Information
Other nameHaig State
Former nameEarl Haig Collegiate Institute (1929 - 1961)
School typePublic, High school
MottoCarpe Diem
("Seize the day")
Established1929
Sister schoolClaude Watson School for the Arts
School boardToronto District School Board
(North York Board of Education)
SuperintendentDomenic Giorgi[1]
Area trusteeWeidong Pei[2]
School number906450
PrincipalRicky Goldenberg
Grades9–12
Enrolment2,048 (2017–18)
LanguageEnglish
Schedule typeSemestered
AreaToronto
Colour(s)   Blue and white
MascotCarp
NewspaperCarpanatomy
YearbookDelphian
Budget$598,182 (2018–19)
Graduates continuing to Post-Secondary95% (2016)
Websitewww.earlhaig.ca
Last updated: 28 December 2023

Earl Haig Secondary School, formerly Earl Haig Collegiate Institute, is a public high school with 2,048 students in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In addition to being a public secondary school, the school is also host to the Claude Watson Arts Program, an auditioned arts program integrated into the secondary school curriculum.

Opened in 1929 by the North York Board of Education, the school is named after Field Marshal The 1st Earl Haig, who was commander of the British Expeditionary Force during the majority of the First World War. The school was established in 1928, shortly after Earl Haig's death.[3]

History

The school's namepiece from the original building.

The original school was designed by the Toronto architectural firm of Craig and Madill[4][failed verification] and construction started in November 1929. The building officially opened in 1930 as Earl Haig Collegiate Institute. Additions were made in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. In 1961, the school changed its name from Earl Haig Collegiate Institute to Earl Haig Secondary School. It is currently the largest high school in the Toronto District School Board and the oldest high school in the former City of North York.

The Claude Watson Arts Program began in 1982.[5] The program consists of dance, drama, music, film arts, and visual arts.

In 1996, the original building was demolished in sections to make way for a new building. This new building was designed around the original auditorium, Cringan Hall. Carruthers Shaw and Partners Limited, the same company that designed buildings at Queen's University and Upper Canada College, designed the new building and Bondfield Construction were contracted to build the school. The new 29,000 m2 (310,000 sq ft) building was officially opened in September 1997 at a cost of $30,800,000.[6]

Earl Haig Secondary School after reconstruction (main entrance).

Claude Watson Arts Program

The Claude Watson Arts Program was founded in 1982 and is integrated with Earl Haig.[5] A separate program from the open collegiate secondary school,[7] enrolment in the Claude Watson program requires an audition and is available to Toronto students outside of Earl Haig's eligible attendance area.[8] In addition to the secondary school there is Claude Watson School for the Arts for Grades 4 to 8. This elementary arts school operates on the site of the former Spring Gardens Public School property.[citation needed]

Each student takes a full academic course load and, additionally, majors in one of five arts disciplines: dance, drama, music, film arts or visual arts.[5]

The curriculum of the Claude Watson Arts Program at Earl Haig Secondary School is similar to that of the arts-only school Etobicoke School of the Arts.[citation needed]

Wavy Hall

Wavy Hall from Exterior during winter.

Wavy Hall is the name given to the glass hallway close to the main entrance of Earl Haig. The hallway was built as part of the school reconstruction in 1996. Wavy Hall is one of the most prominent architectural features of the school, and is the most immediately recognizable part of Earl Haig. It leads to Cringan Hall (the auditorium) and the music rooms.[citation needed]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Earl Haig Secondary School - General Information".
  2. ^ "This trustee-elect ousted the TDSB chair. Why his message resonated with voters". Toronto Star. 28 October 2022.
  3. ^ "Toronto District School Board > Find your School > Details > Schools > School History". Toronto District School Board. 2014. Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Craig and Madill - Architects". fostermemorial.com. Archived from the original on 19 November 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Claude Watson Secondary Arts". Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Earl Haig Secondary School". Bondfield Construction. Archived from the original on 20 November 2006. Retrieved 1 February 2007.
  7. ^ "Earl Haig Secondary School" (PDF). Toronto District School Board. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. ^ "2016 School Stories: Earl Haig Secondary School". EQAO. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.