J. H. Bruns Collegiate, Winnipeg

J.H. Bruns Collegiate is a secondary school in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada established in 1972. It has approximately 850 students in Senior 1 - 4. It offers a varied curriculum with a total of 130 courses.

History

The school was named after Brother Joseph H. Bruns S.M., who had a lengthy and renowned career as an educator in St. Boniface. He served as Superintendent for twelve of his thirty-six year career. The school opened its doors to students in the suburb of Southdale in September 1972.

Principals

• Mr. G. A. Guilbault, Principal 1972–1975
• Mr. Moe Oye, Vice-Principal 1972 - 1979, 1980–1996
• Mr. Hank Neufeld, Principal 1975 - 1980

Liberal phase

In its early years, J. H. Bruns experienced some growing pains. During this phase, the school had a differentiated staffing model. In this model, the staff was committed to an open area and team teaching approach. The community consisted mainly of parents employed predominantly as civil servants who would have preferred to be able to afford private schools but still placed a high value on education . In general, the staff did not live in Southdale. Initially, J. H. Bruns shared its gymnasium and sports facilities with the Southdale Recreation Association.

During this period, the school functioned as a middle school offering grades 5 to 8. Each year thereafter a grade was added.

• Grades 5 – 8 1972 - 1973
• Grades 5 – 9 1973 - 1974
• Grades 7 – 10 1974 - 1975
• Grades 8 – 11 1975 - 1976
• Grades 9 – 12 1976–1977

In September 1974 Grade 6 went to Shamrock School and completed their grade 8 there.

During the 1974–1975 academic year, the open area, team teaching model evolved into the TRUMP model. The TRUMP model originated in Oklahoma, USA and was named after Lloyd Trump, an American educator. J. H. Bruns was third school in Canada to adopt this model.

Many professional development trips were made to Calgary, Denver, and Minneapolis in order to perfect the delivery of programs using the TRUMP model. An important aspect of the model was the continuous progress concept. “Unit packs” were created by teachers, and the students worked at their own pace.

Another important aspect of the model was the Student Advisory Group (STAG). The STAG model meant a teacher met every day with a cross-graded group of students. The STAG teacher was responsible for the overall progress of his/her students. Thus the STAG teacher collected data from the subject teachers on these particular students. This included academic progress, attendance, and behavior data. The STAG teacher also contacted parents and conducted parent-teacher conferences for these students. The STAG teacher did not necessarily teach the student any of the courses. The STAG teacher also booked students into resource periods for extra instruction when necessary.

In the late evening of October 30, 1975, a disastrous fire occurred at J. H. Bruns Collegiate. The fire originated in the upper level of the school. As a result of the damage, classes were held in the gymnasium and the library. By the spring of 1976 classrooms were renovated, and a new wing was added to the school, which included the Industrial Arts and Human Ecology facility.

By 1976 the TRUMP model began to lose its prominence. Moreover, by the late 1970s, the philosophy of Bruns started to shift to a much more formal academic structure. Parents expressed concern about their children being prepared for university .

By June 1977, J. H. Bruns Collegiate held its first convocation exercises.

Conservative phase

The second distinct period in the history of the school occurred between 1980–1996. The administrators at the helm during this time frame were:

• Mr. Peter Janzen, Principal 1980–1996
• Mr. Moe Oye, Vice-Principal 1980–1996

J. H. Bruns still had a staff. The community continued to be mainly parents employed predominantly as civil servants.

During this time span, the semester system was entrenched. The periods were eighty minutes in duration, and a full teaching load consisted of six courses, with three in each semester. The school became highly structured, and more walls went up. The open area model was completely disbanded, and the STAG system was terminated. Homerooms met on a “needs only” basis. It was also the end of continuous progress. Discipline at the school was enhanced. The classroom was the sole focus of monitored learning.

Budget cuts began in the late 1980s and early 1990s and J. H. Bruns was severely affected. As a result, the structure of the semester system changed. The periods were now fifty-five minutes in length, with double periods of 110 minutes for each course twice in a cycle. There were also some courses that continued throughout the year, but met only every second day. The teaching load was now seven courses with a three and a half split each semester. Department heads, which had been in existence since the school’s inception, were also cut throughout the division due to budget restraint.

In addition, the provincial government mandated provincial exams in English Language Arts and Mathematics in grade 12. The government also mandated the formation of Parent Advisory Councils in every school in the province if the parents so desired.

At this juncture in J. H. Bruns’ history, the Learning Centre came into existence, In the early 1990s it was designed to assist students with learning difficulties.

The addition of the Learning Centre signaled another change at J. H. Bruns. It was no longer a strictly academic school, preparing students only for university. The school began to accommodate students with various learning capabilities.

Present: Inclusion

This brought J. H. Bruns to another distinct period in its history. The administrators at the helm were:

• Mr. Neil Johnson, Principal 1996 - 2001
• Ms Gail Atkins, Vice Principal 1996 - 2002
• Mr. Bob Town, Principal 2001 – 2013
• Ms Irene Nordheim, Vice Principal 2002 - 2005
• Ms Marilyn Thorington, Vice Principal 2005 – 2006
• Ms Karen Haluschak, Vice Principal 2006 - 2009
• Mr. Ray Houssin, Vice Principal 2007 - 2010
• Ms Patti Field, Vice Principal 2009 - 2011
• Mr. Curt Krahn, Vice Principal 2010 – 2014
• Ms Charlene Smallwood, Vice Principal 2011 – 2015
• Mr. Henri Péloquin, Principal 2013–Present
• Mr. Greg Meade, Vice Principal 2014 - 2016
• Ms Julie Côté-Marinelli, Vice Principal 2015–Present
• Mr. Joel Shimoji, Vice Principal 2016–Present

Overall, J. H. Bruns strives to accommodate students of different levels of ability. The school has now evolved from assuming that all students should be prepared for university entrance, to a reality that some students would better utilize their talents in other educational endeavours. The Learning Centre has now become a significant component of the school’s program and has been renamed Academic Prep.

At this juncture, the teacher’s role is not strictly classroom oriented. Teachers are expected to become active members of the school’s team. They are drawn in many directions and are more often called upon to be involved in many additional tasks, both curricular and extra-curricular.

During this era J. H. Bruns’ history has been affected by many outside influences. There are provincial exams, with curricular changes that emphasize outcome-based education. There are few “01” (general) courses. Technology use to enhance student learning has become a major thrust in the school.

Pierre Radisson Collegiate closed its doors to become the St. Boniface Arts and Technology Centre (now the Louis Riel Arts and Technology Centre). Students who may have been streamed out of the community to Pierre Radisson in the past for special learning programs are now integrated into J. H. Bruns. Academic Prep becomes the key to success for many of these students. Senior I to Senior II students who have learning difficulties must be accommodated and mainstreamed into the classroom in order to advance to Senior III and go on to graduate from Bruns. The government has also mandated an “open boundaries” model which has also influenced the school’s direction.

There has also been a change in the school’s timetable. The school has seventy-three minutes periods, with no double periods. A full teaching load continues to be seven classes. However, the teaching day has now been lengthened.

The Manitoba School Improvement Plan (MSIP) is also driving school change at J. H. Bruns, with many committees in place in order to facilitate this.

In the 2014-2015 school year, J.H. Bruns Collegiate submitted a hockey team to the Winnipeg High School Hockey League, they were accepted into the "B" division. They played their first game on October 8, 2014 against the Miles Macdonell Collegiate Buckeyes at Terry Sawchuk Memorial Arena. Bruns won the game 7-2. They finished the regular season with a record of 10 wins, 11 losses, and 1 shootout loss. That year, they were eliminated from the WHSHL Playoffs in the first round by the West Kildonan Collegiate Wolverines. The Broncos' current head coach is former professional hockey player Matt Hubbauer