Agincourt Collegiate Institute Explained

Agincourt Collegiate Institute
Pushpin Map:Canada Toronto#Ontario#Canada
Address:2621 Midland Avenue
Country:Canada
Coordinates:43.7889°N -79.2792°W
Motto:Ad Omnia Paratus
Motto Translation:Prepared for all things
Former Names:Agincourt Continuation School (1915-1930)
Agincourt High School (1930-1957)
Founded:1915
Superintendent:Elizabeth Addo
Trustee:Yalini Rajakulasingam
Number:4106 / 890722
Principal:David Fewson
Grades:9–12
Enrolment:1351 (2014-15)
Schedule Type:Semestered
Colours:Forest Green and white
Mascot:Lancer
Team Name:Agincourt Lancers

Agincourt Collegiate Institute (known locally as ACI or Agincourt), formerly known as Agincourt High School and Agincourt Continuation School is a secondary school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in Agincourt, a neighbourhood in the former suburb of Scarborough. It was owned and operated by the Scarborough Board of Education prior to it being amalgamated into the Toronto District School Board in 1998.

A.C.I is one of the oldest surviving secondary high schools in the former Scarborough in the north, the other being R. H. King Academy (formerly known as Scarborough High School/Collegiate Institute) in the south.

History

The school, founded in 1915 as Agincourt Continuation School to provide part of the then secondary schooling in the Agincourt area (final years or junior/senior matriculation were done in Markham High School until 1930).[1] Until 1929 it was housed on the second floor in what is now Agincourt Junior Public School building on the west side of Midland Avenue north of Sheppard Avenue.

With the opening of Scarborough High School, the first traditional high school in Scarborough, in 1922, the school was evolved into Agincourt High School in 1930, with its first permanent home opened on the east side of Midland Avenue in 1929, a three floor brick building.

After the Scarborough Board of Education was formed in 1954, the second and current building replaced the second school in 1956. Agincourt High was re-established as Agincourt Collegiate Institute in 1957.[2] The current ACI was built by the firm Craig, Madill, Abram and Ingleson. The 1929 building was demolished in 1966 to make way for the auditorium and second double gymnasium with a smaller single gym. Additional classrooms and shops were added later on.

Currently its feeder schools are Sir Alexander Mackenzie Senior Public School, Henry Kelsey Senior Public School, and Sir Ernest MacMillan Senior Public School. In September 2011, Emily Carr Public School with a grade 4 Extended French Programme which started in 2006, became another feeder school for Extended French students.

ACI is located in the region of Agincourt, one of the most ethnically diverse communities in Scarborough., 39% of the student body speaks a primary language other than English at home as often as English, and 18% of its students speak mostly or only a language other than English.[3]

Agincourt C.I. commemorated its 50th anniversary in 1965, 75th anniversary in 1990 and its centennial anniversary in 2015.

Special programs

Advanced Placement Program (CLOSED)

Agincourt CI offers the advanced placement program for physics, chemistry, biology, statistics, calculus and vectors, and French since the beginning of September 2006. However, this was discontinued after the pandemic.[4]

French Program

Agincourt also offers French Immersion and Extended French programs from Grades 9 through 12. Students have the opportunity of studying various subject areas such as français, arts dramatiques, arts visuels, éducation physique, mathématique, géographie, histoire, informatique. After accumulating the required number of credits, students receive an Immersion or Extended French Bilingual Certificate with possible honors.[5]

Music Program

ACI is well known for their award-winning music program.[6] Currently, there are 12 performing ensembles at Agincourt C.I. as well as a music technology (MIDI) program. They are:

Current Music Groups

[7]

GradeWindsStringsChoirJazz
9Wind EnsembleConcert OrchestraConcert ChoirLittle Bits O' Jazz
10Wind EnsembleConcert OrchestraConcert ChoirXperiment
11Wind SymphonySymphony OrchestraAgincourt SingersDouble Time
12Festival WindsSymphony OrchestraAgincourt SingersNorth East Jazz

Design, IT, Automotive, and Tech

Agincourt C.I. has a small, yet strong technology education department. Courses range from integrated technology to Robotics to animation/mechanical design, to computer science, to automotive technology. The school is also equipped with an in-school, 2-bay automotive workshop. In 2013, two students from the automotive classes won the Toronto Automotive Technology Competition. Agincourt is also home to their Award-winning FIRST Robotics Competition Team 1246 Skunkworks which competes at Ontario District FRC Events. The Robotics Program at Agincourt offers students an opportunity to explore the application of Mechanical Engineering at the grade 10,11 and 12 levels. A Specialist High Skills Major is offered in Manufacturing Engineering for Grade 11/12.

Specialist High Skills Major

Agincourt C.I. is one of the few schools in the GTA that offer the Specialist High Skills Major program for students with outstanding academic grades in a specialized field. Some mandatory courses such as a two credit or four credit co-op are required to graduate in the program. On completion, students enrolled in the program are honored with a red seal on their graduation diploma, representing the success they have achieved.[8]

Ottey Walk

Every year ACI holds a walk to remember Marsha and Tamara Ottey. Marsha, 19, was a track star at the school and had been awarded a track scholarship just weeks before she was murdered and Tamara, 16, was the star athlete of the ACI flag football team. [9] The two young women were murdered by Marsha's ex-boyfriend in 1995 and starting the year after, the walk was held once a year every year in their memory. Although it is unclear when it stopped, the walk has not been hosted since 2021.[10]

Notable staff

Accomplishments

Notable alumni

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Agincourt's 'Little A' school celebrates its 100th anniversary . M.insidetoronto.com . 15 September 2014 . 2016-06-25.
  2. Web site: Agincourt School Historical Plaque . Torontohistory.org . 2012-07-31 . 2016-06-25.
  3. Web site: Agincourt CI (890723). EQAO School and School Board Profiles and Reports. Educatiopn Quality and Accountability Office. 29 January 2018.
  4. Web site: Agincourt Collegiate Institute. 2020-09-08. schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca.
  5. Web site: ACI TDSB. TDSB. 28 January 2012.
  6. Web site: ACI Music. 2008-05-04. Agincourt Collegiate Institute Music Department. https://web.archive.org/web/20080420040823/http://www.acimusic.ca/. 20 April 2008 . live.
  7. Web site: ACI Music. ACI Music. 28 January 2012.
  8. Web site: Ontario Specialist High Skills Major Program (SHSM). 2017-07-19.
  9. Web site: Guilty verdict in 1995 slaying of Toronto sisters. 2016-09-26.
  10. Web site: Walk in memory of Agincourt Collegiate's Ottey sisters. 9 June 2008. Scarborough Mirror. 2016-09-25.
  11. News: Rock legend's scooping up his final game. The Toronto Star. 27 April 2008.
  12. Web site: Agincourt's principal of the year, just don't tell his students. Wocks. Matthew. 2012-02-16. The Toronto Observer. 2016-09-26.
  13. Web site: Barris . Ted . Strike up the band . Barris Beat . 22 June 2019 . 24 June 2014.
  14. Web site: Tucker . David . Jan Carinci has painted his last house . UPI Archives . United Press International . 22 June 2019 . 21 March 1981.
  15. Web site: Hollywood All Stars: Jim Carrey Profile and Images . Hollywoodallstars.blogspot.com . 1962-01-17 . 2016-06-25.
  16. News: Brown. Heath. Carter skating toward career season. 29 January 2018. The Globe and Mail. 27 November 2001.
  17. Web site: Videos: Bill Crothers, Athletics . The Bobbie Rosenfeld and Lionel Conacher Award Winners . Canada's Sports Hall of Fame . 22 June 2019.
  18. Book: Woods . Paul . Bouncing Back: From National Joke to Grey Cup Champs . 2013 . 978-1304106384 . 215 . Lulu.com . 22 June 2019.
  19. Web site: Member's Statements: Agincourt Collegiate Institute: Ms. Soo Wong . Ontario Debates (Hansard) database . Office of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario . 22 June 2019 . 30 April 2015 . It is not a surprise that many ACI students have gone on to become leaders in their community, including famous actor Jim Carrey; Michael Overs, founder and CEO of Pizza Pizza; ....
  20. Web site: Bezant . Graham . Away up there . Getty Images . Toronto Star . 23 June 2019 . 18 May 1967 . Bruce Simpson of Agincourt Collegiate seems to have gone into orbit as he sets TDIAA junior pole vault record.
  21. Web site: 'Sky the limit' for young volleyballer Sharone Vernon-Evans CBC Sports.