Centennial Secondary School (Coquitlam)
| Centennial Secondary School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
570 Poirier Street Coquitlam, British Columbia, V3J 6A8, Canada | |
| Coordinates | |
| Information | |
| School number | 4343076 |
| School district | School District 43 Coquitlam |
| Principal | Rob Zambrano |
| Staff | 135 |
| School type | Public high school |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Campus | Open Campus |
| Mascot | Centaur |
| Colours | red/blue/white |
| Established | 1966 |
| Enrollment | 1700 (20 November 2008) |
| Homepage | School site |
Centennial Secondary School is a high school located in Coquitlam, British Columbia, established in 1967, the centennial year of Canadian Confederation. It is part of School District 43 Coquitlam. Centennial has approximately 1600 students and is structured on a semester system. In addition to academic programs, it offers special programs such as Football, Computer Game Design, Culinary Arts, Automotive Technology, a Hockey Academy, and Experiential Studies. The school will close in 2015 and be replaced by a smaller building closer to the grassy field.
History, programs, athletics, clubs, and organizations
Centennial Secondary School was built in 1966, a year before the centennial of Canada's founding. It was completed one year after adjacent Vanier Elementary opened in 1965. It's running track was completed soon after on an empty grassy field.
The schools sports teams include badminton, basketball, cross country running, field hockey, field lacrosse, football, golf, gymnastics, rugby, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. In addition, Centennial is one of two schools in the district that are piloting a hockey academy for the 2009-2010 school year.
Centennial's music department offers concert and jazz bands and choirs. The theatre department offers varying programs including Shabooya (theatresports), Metfest, Rock House, and Coffee House. The music department works together with the theatre department to put on a major production every year. The 2009 production of "Grease" was well received by the local community and all shows were sold out prior to the production dates.[1]
There are many student-run and teacher-directed clubs and organizations at Centennial, including After School Discussion Groups, Amnesty International, The Aquatic Conservation Team, The Art & Design Club, The Book Club, Bubble Cents (a bubble tea club), The Business Club, Dare To Care, The Debate Club, Drag Racing, Dragonboat, Eurotour, The Games Club, The Gavel Club, Grad Council, Kids Help Phone, Leadership, Luthiers, The Manga Club, Math Crew, Pete's Place, Recycling Group, Red Cross, The Salmon Club, Skiers & Snowboarders, VOX, The Writer's Society, and World Vision.
Since the 2009-2010 school year, Centennial (along with Riverside Secondary in Port Coquitlam) has been offering a hockey academy program to boys and girls. The program gives students three hours of course time on ice a week and two hours of off-ice instruction for four credits towards graduation. While hockey programs are common throughout other school districts in North America, this academy represents the first of its kind in the Tri-Cities.[2]
On January 31, 2013, Centennial reduced its number of vice principals to two, likely because of the low number of students currently enrolled in the school. It is unknown if this is permanent.
Construction of new school, demolition of old one
On January 12, 2012, a presentation of a proposed high school was revealed. The new school will be built for a smaller population as the population of school age children in the catchment area is predicted to decline. There will also be a soccer field built on the land where the current school still exists, as well as a second gymnasium next door to the original one of the demolished school. At the same time, the parking lot will also undergo a revision to incorporate this. In the new school there will be an Art Plaza, a "super lab" that will be shared by all areas of the science department. The school is being designed and built to meet LEED standards. Environmental conservation, energy efficiency, and an emphasis on use of natural lighting are part of the design. Construction on the new school is expected to start in late 2012, hoping to seek completion in 2014. As of mid-2012, the portables are being emptied out and construction on the new school will begin as soon as all portables are removed from the site. For the 2012-13 school year, three portables have been installed in front of the school due to limited space for classrooms inside the building. With the portables gone, construction on the new school is expected to begin January 2013, according to the School Survival Guide. Delaying furthermore, the construction is to hopefully start after Spring Break. After even further delays, construction finally began in October 2013. It is to be completed by the 2014-15 school year, if earlier.
Notable alumni
James Moore, Conservative cabinet minister and Member of Parliament for Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, graduated from Centennial in 1994.[3]
Former FA Premier League goalkeeper Craig Forrest attended Centennial School. Forrest appeared in 263 games for Ipswich Town, 30 games for West Ham United, and 3 games for Chelsea. Forrest also earned 56 caps for the Canadian national soccer team, the most of any goalkeeper in team history, and earned the most clean sheets in the country's history. Forrest was elected to Canada’s Soccer Hall of Fame in 2007.[4][5] Current Canadian national soccer team midfielder Jeff Clarke and Canadian women's national soccer player Brittany Timko also both attended Centennial School.[6][7]
Juno Award-winning rock musician Matthew Good graduated from Centennial School in 1989, and became lead singer for the Matthew Good Band, one of Canada's most successful alternative rock bands in the 1990s. Centennial School was featured in the "Alert Status Red" video, and its cheerleading squad recorded for "Giant".[8] The Matthew Good Band was dissolved in 2002, and Good has since pursued a solo career and established himself as a political activist, blogger, and author of a book of previously-published manifestos.[9]
Alex Stieda graduated in 1979, was an MVP on the Varsity Volleyball team and was the first Canadian and North American to earn and wear the Yellow Jersey in the 1986 Tour de France.
Brent Pierce, who graduated from Centennial Secondary in 1987, was on the Greg McAulay team that won the 2000 Briar (Canadian Curling Championships). He then participated at the 2000 Ford World Curling Championships. In 2009, Pierce was at the Briar again as the third on the Sean Geall team [10]
Former National Basketball Association player Lars Hansen played his high school basketball at Centennial School. He was a member of the Seattle SuperSonics 1979 NBA Championship team, and was elected to the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008.[11]
Model and host of MTV Select and G4techTV Amanda MacKay also attended Centennial School where she started her journalism career writing for the school's student newspaper.
Playboy Playmate and actress Dorothy Stratten attended Centennial High School. Stratten was Playmate of the Year for 1980. She appeared in several movies, including Peter Bogdanovich's "They All Laughed", before she was murdered by her estranged husband. Stratten was portrayed twice in biographies of her life, by Jamie Lee Curtis in Death of a Centerfold: The Dorothy Stratten Story, and by Mariel Hemingway in "Star 80".[12]
Movies/TV
Centennial High School was used in the filming of an episode of Psych, Season 3 Episode 2, titled "Murder? … Anyone? … Anyone? … Bueller?"[13]
Scenes from Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem and American Pie Presents: The Book of Love were also filmed at Centennial.
References
- ↑ The Coquitlan Now:Centennial students channel a '70s vibe 4 February 2009
- ↑ Tri-City News: Coquitlam school district to offer hockey academies 17 April 2009
- ↑ Moore, James. "Biography page". Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ↑ CSA: Forrest Named Honorary Chair of WYC 2007 Retrieved on 4 May 2005
- ↑ CSA: Forrest to Soccer Hall of Fame 4 December 2006
- ↑ PaulStalteri.com: Jeff Clarke Retrieved on 15 March 2009
- ↑ CSA: Brittany Timko Retrieved on 12 February 2009
- ↑ Canadaka.com: Matthew Good Retrieved on 12 February 2009
- ↑ Good, Matthew (2001). At Last There Is Nothing Left To Say. Insomniac Press. ISBN 1-894663-08-X.
- ↑ The Province: Geall wins B.C. curling Retrieved on 16 February 2009
- ↑ Canada Basketball: 2006 Hall of Fame Inductees 9 January 2008
- ↑ American Legends: Dorothy Stratten Retrieved on 13 February 2009
- ↑ McMurray, M. (Director). (2008). "Psych" Murder?... Anyone?... Anyone?... Bueller? . United States: USA Network.
External links
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