Millwood High School

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Millwood High School is a public secondary school in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia that offers a post-secondary preparation program for students in grades ten through twelve. It is a part of the Halifax Regional School Board, and one of 17 high schools in the Halifax Regional Municipality. The current administration is as follows: Lachie Macintosh, Principal; Steven Gallahager and Carla Christianson, Vice Principals. Guidance Counsellors are Lori Brown and Bill White.

[edit] History

Until 1986, Sackville High School was the only secondary school in the Sackville River valley. Due to the increase in accessibility to employment and services in nearby Halifax, which was facilitated by the construction of provincial Highways 101 and 102 through the town in the 1970s, Sackville experienced a rapid growth in population. To accommodate this increase in population, Millwood High School was established in 1986 and originally served the expanding communities of Lower, Middle, and Upper Sackville, Beaverbank, and Lucasville. The school originally had two feeder schools, Sackville Heights Junior High and Harold T. Barrett Junior High, until 2000 when Harold T. Barrett Junior High students were diverted to the newly opened Lockview High School in nearby Fall River, Nova Scotia. As a result, Millwood High saw a substantial decrease in population, which ultimately had a negative impact on many academic offerings and previously flourishing extracurricular activities. Though Millwood has suffered from these changes, many student groups and teams, notably the Millwood Hockey and Curling teams, continue to enjoy success, having advanced to provincial competition on numerous occasions. Today, Millwood employs approximately thirty teachers, supplemented by two guidance counsellors, and its administration, and serves a student population of about 600.

The school has been plagued with incidents recently that have given its name and community an undeserved reputation. In 2005, there were a number of "bear-macing" incidents, where bear mace was put into the bathroom vents, and on another occasion in the hallways, which caused a school-wide evacuation on two separate occasions, both during in the same week. The school was hit with an outbreak of theft from lockers in the 2006-2007 school year. Among students, "Millweed" is a convenient play on the school name that has jokingly caught on. While there is visible smoking across the property line, and evidence of drug use, this has never been demonstrated to be any more extreme than at other schools in the region. There is a contention that the school was originally slated to be called "Lower Sackville District High School", but was changed when the as-yet-unbuilt school was given the moniker "LSD High"; however staff members from that time who were still at the school in 2008 state that they have never heard of this, and that this is a retroactive urban myth. In fact, over the years Millwood has enjoyed a reputation of being relatively quiet, and has actively engendered a persona as a "caring" school, and in fact is one where students from other areas often come to "start over". It has been said that it is common for families moving from outside the Halifax region to buy homes purposefully within the Millwood boundaries.

Despite the general feeling that Millwood High has been and is a good school to attend, it was ranked 69 out of 72 schools graded in Nova Scotia by AIMS most recent report card. In interpreting these statistics one should avoid the concept that the 72nd school is much different from the first-ranked school.

[edit] Academics

[edit] Graduation Requirements

As a school in the Halifax Regional School Board, Millwood's graduation requirements are mandated by the Nova Scotia Department of Education. Currently, the NS graduation requirements are as follows:

A minimum of 18 Credits as outlined below:

• A maximum of 7 grade 10 credits and a minimum of 5 grade 12 credits
• 3 English Credits (one at each grade level)
• 2 Math Credits
• 1 Science Credit (from Science 10, Sciences 10f, Biology 11, Biologie 11f, Chemistry 11, or Physics 11)
• 1 Science Credit (from those listed above or from Geology 12, Human Biology 11, or Oceans 11)
• 1 Credit in Canadian Studies (from Canadian History 11, Histoire du Canada 11f, or African Canadian Studies 11)
• 1 Credit in Global Studies (from Global History 12, Global Geography 12, Histoire Planetaire 12f)
• 1/2 Credit in Career and Life Management
• 1/2 Credit in Physically Active Lifestyles
• 1 Fine Arts Credit (from Art, Drama, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music or Canadian Music Studies)
• 2 Further Credits in Mathematics, Science, or Technology (MST requirement)
• 5 Open Electives The CLM and PAL requirement is changed to a full credit in Physical Education for those students who will graduate after June 2010 (This being for the most part the students who begin Grade 10 in September 2008 and later).
  
  Millwood High School is a semestered school where students can take up to four courses per semester, or eight courses per year. Typically, grade ten students take a full course load of eight credits, grade eleven students take seven to eight credits, and grade twelve students take five or six credits; however, some students choose to take more than the typical course load, especially those students whose academic records would be bolstered by further academic study or who are aiming to satisfy more demanding post-secondary entrance requirements. Since only eighteen credits are required out of a possible twenty-four credits, Millwood students (like others in NS semestered schools) enjoy a certain flexibility in their studies, often being able to compensate for classes in which they were not especially successful and still graduate "on time". Recently the school administration has begun to strongly require students to take at least 6 classes in the Grade 12 year, in response to policies now promoted throughout the Halifax Regional School Board and in the Department of Education. Graduating and leaving school mid-way through the Grade 12 year is now actively discouraged.
  
  Millwood High School has some special academic offerings, including but not limited to its French Immersion Program, Cooperative Education Program, English as a Second Language/Foreign Exchange Program, and Academic Enrichment program. Also, 2005 marked the first year that Millwood High students took part in the College Board's Advanced Placement program, with students writing examinations in English Composition and Language as well as Physics B (mechanics) to earn university credit. AP is "taking off" in the 2007/08 school year, with programs in English, Physics and Chemistry, with proposals also for Biology.

[edit] French Immersion

Millwood High School offers a post-secondary preparatory French Immersion Program, allowing students to earn an additional diploma attesting a significant degree of exposure to the French language, which is attained by completing no less than nine of the required courses for graduation in French, while taking no less than two courses in French per year. Although completion of the French Immersion does not certify absolute proficiency in the language or deem a student fully bilingual, the program does allow students to participate in various enrichment programs such as the popular government-sponsored Summer Language Bursary Program, French for the Future/Francais a l'Avenir conferences, and Canadian Parents for French Reading programs for elementary-aged students, among others. French Immersion is also a popular choice for students who aspire to work for the government of Canada or who would like to show superior academic ability. Students who complete the program are also good candidates for the Page program in the House of Commons in Ottawa. The current French Immersion course offerings at Millwood High are as follows for students who began the program in 2007 or earlier.

• Francais 10, Francais 11, Francais 12 (distinguished from French 10, 11, and 12, which are core-French courses)
• Biologie 11f, Biologie 12f
• Mathematiques 10f
• Sciences 10f
• Histoire du Canada 11f
• Histoire planetaire 12f Beginning with the September 2008 intake, the set of courses are changed. Histoire 10f replaces Mathematiques 10f so that students of all mathematical abilities can stay in the program. All students in Grade 10, English or Immersion, must take a Social Studies course, and the Histoire 10f fits that general requirement. In addition, Biologie 12f will be replaced by Art dramatique 10f, so that immersion students may pursue the Advanced Placement options in Biology that are only available in the English language program. The effect does mean that from September 2008 onwards, five of the nine immersion courses will be taken in Grade 10, with only 2 in each of the senior years. This will allow more flexibility to Immersion students as they go through Grades 11 and 12. In order to compensate for the introduction of a fifth immersion course in Grade 10 (and the consequent lack of any choice of elective) the school administration will allow Immersion students to delay taking the new Physical Education requirement course until the Grade 11 or 12 year. In its spot the students may pick an elective course such as Art or Geography or Business that would be otherwise unavailable. All non-immersion students continue to be required to take the Physical Education course (PHE, Dance, or Yoga) in the Grade 10 year.
  
  Since nine credits in French are required and Millwood only offers nine such courses, all French Immersion students much take each of these classes. The Halifax Regional School Board mandates only a few courses in the program so that in fact there are few choices outside the ones actually offered at Millwood. This can create frustration for students whose academic and career goals do not align completely with this stream of courses, causing a small number of students to have to take courses for which they do not feel academically well-suited, or causing them to make awkward schedule changes that can significantly affect the academic path of a student. However, the majority of the courses required for the French Immersion diploma are also required for general graduation, so for many students, satisfying these requirements poses little to no problem. Unfortunately, low enrollment in these courses makes creating two or more sections of the same class almost impossible, causing some inflexibility with scheduling. Because students have usually been in the French Immersion program since junior high school, they may feel a certain obligation within themselves or from parents to complete the requirements, causing them to make at least some sacrifices in other academic areas. Many students and teachers believe limited courses offerings are to blame for decreased enrollment, but others feel that decreased enrollment is to blame for the inability of the program to cater to a more varied student population.

[edit] Music Program

Millwood has a history of possessing an excellent music program, especially in the early to mid 1990s. Since the school's split with Harold T. Barrett Junior High School, the band program has seen a significant drop in students enrolled, but has still managed to organize classes and give performances. Enrollment has been the biggest factor in decreased class offerings in recent years; however, in 2005, Millwood launched a vocal music program aimed at expanding course variety, making the music program able to reach out to a more diverse student population, and was successful in forming a choir. Instrumental music is offered at all three grade levels, with specific outcomes at each level. Regular concerts are also a part of the curriculum. Students that register for instrumental music at Millwood typically have some previous musical background, especially through the Sackville Heights Junior High School music program. Choral music is a more open course, aimed at students who have an appreciation for vocal music and who would like to develop their individual singing skills as well as ensemble singing skills. Although formal training is not needed, familiarization with general musical concepts is helpful. Beginning in 2006, drastic cuts to the music program took place. The administration, citing low interest, cut Music 11 and Music 12 from its course offerings, effectively leaving many prospective students scrambling to find alternatives. In the end, some joined an afterschool "Concert Band" which travelled to Prince Edward Island, where they scored bronze. After this feat, the administration (as well as increased interest in the program.) led to the reinstatement of Music 11 and Music 12 in Millwoods' course offerings. 2007 has brought a great resurgence to Music at Millwood. Beginning in 2007/08 the instrumental music program has been taught twice per week in the mornings, prior to regular school hours. While this has meant that students must find their way to school independent of the bus system, it has on the other hand done away with conflicts in the timetable. The result is a program with students at all three grade levels and the highest overall numbers in recent years. Canadian Music Studies 11 has been introduced in 2007 and has proven to be very popular.

[edit] Cooperative Education

Co-operative Education is a credit program that allows students to explore a possible career, gain valuable work experience and learn employment skills. Students planning to attend university, community college or those considering employment directly after high school will find Co-op extremely beneficial in assisting them with career decisions. The course consists of an in-school and out-of-school component. While in class, students study employment skills, job search strategies and career planning. The out-of-school component takes place in the community where the student is placed with an employer in an area related to his or her career interest and to at least one of their regular courses. Work placements in professional, technical, business, service and social settings have been experienced. Students are accepted into Co-op through the application/interview process. Millwood High enjoys a reputation as being one of the foremost Co-op schools in the province.

[edit] Governor General's Academic Medal Recipients

Each year His or Her Excellency The Governor General of Canada awards a medal to the graduating student with the highest combined average over the last two years of high school in each high school in Canada. N.B. These names are published online by the Canadian Chancellery of Honours on the website of the Governor General at http://www.gg.ca in the official Academic Medal Recipient List, as well as in official literature available to all Canadians in the Public Archives of Canada. This list resides in the public domain, and as such does not violate any copyright or privacy law. It should not be removed from this article.

• 1988- Craig Manning
• 1989- Rebecca Taylor
• 1990- Mandi Wiswell
• 1991- Stephanie Mehlman
• 1992- Andrea Snow
• 1993- Kim Fontaine-Skronski
• 1994- Timothy London
• 1995-Tara D'eon
• 1996- Laurie Weir
• 1997- Adrian Matheson
• 1998- Douglas Paul
• 1999- Marcia Curry
• 2000- James Saunders
• 2001- Tasha Ramsey
• 2002- Meghan Campbell
• 2003- Thomas McNutt
• 2004- Megan Sample
• 2005- Christopher Murphy
• 2006- Laura Connors
• 2007- Sarah Charlton

[edit] External links

• School webpage
• School profile at Halifax Regional School Board

Coordinates: 44°47′25.8″N, 63°42′29.7″W