By Kathryn Stocks
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Next month, Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute will be celebrating 50 years in this community and the anniversary events will be held on April 23, 24 and 25.
Anthony Hack has been the principal there for six years and he is very proud of the school. “We generally say we’re a triple-A school so the Arts, Academics and Athletics are traditionally strong here,” he said.
Mowat’s not officially identified as a performing arts school but it has excellent music and theatre programs. Its sports teams have also been a highlight over the years and the school has so many clubs that every student should be able to find one they enjoy.
Alison Brown, office administrator for 28 years, said Mowat is “more diverse than when I first started. It’s always been a really great school.”
As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, 12 distinguished Mowat alumni have been chosen to be inducted onto a wall of fame in the school. See who they are below.
Changes in education in the past 50 years include: technology, which you can see with a library full of computers; a focus on at-risk and marginalized youth; a special program for students with varying degrees of autism; more programs to support struggling students, including a larger number of co-op credits they can have for graduation; and increased expectations for what is needed to get a job. Thirty years ago, students could graduate from high school and move right into employment. Today, a postsecondary degree or diploma is needed.
Mowat has had a Prefect Council since 1996. These students are ambassadors for the school, leading the fundraising for Christmas Cheer and welcoming Grade 9 students and parents to parent-teacher interviews.
Christmas Cheer is the school’s big fundraiser and it has raised about $10,000 a year for many different causes.
The population of the school is 1,050 students, a size that has been pretty consistent throughout the years.