Richmond Hill High School (Richmond Hill, Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Richmond Hill High School is a secondary school
located in the Town of Richmond Hill
, Ontario
, Canada
. It the second oldest high school in York Region Municipality
, being established in the mid-19th century. Richmond Hill High School had a strong academic standing and reputation, often placing well in academic contests as well as provincially mandated standardized testing. In the 1998-1999 year, RHHS was ranked the #1 non-private school in Ontario, according to the Fraser Institute
, scoring a 9.8/10 ranking (academic). In the most recent Fraser Institute rankings (2009) the school ranked 10th in the province (including private and religious schools) with an overall score of 8.8/10
The school is a host to several regional special education programs, including the town's sole Gifted Program, Advanced Placement Program
, Alternative Education Program, Co-Op
, Developmentally-Delayed
Program and an Orthopedic Program
. There is also a very large variety of academic and hobby clubs open to students.
, founded on December 2, 1851. It has expanded and changed locations on several occasions including in 1853, 1872, 1897, 1924 and 1950, having had been located on Yonge St. and Wright St. in 'downtown' Richmond Hill before moving to its present location at 201 Yorkland Street in September 2000.
In 2005, former president of South Africa
n and 1993 Nobel Peace Prize
Winner F.W De Klerk visited the school, spoke to students and staff about his part in the end of the apartheid system and answered students questions during an hour long session. During his speech, he pointed to Canada as a model for multiculturalism South Africa could look to and also lauded the school for its dedication to the global community through charities, events and awareness raising on global issues.
nasiums, a fitness and weight training room, a cafetorium including a stage, a library
, six computer lab
s, a communications technology room including a green and blue screen, and state-of-the-art science labs.
The executives of the Student Council for the 2011–2012 school year:
The official web site for the RHHS Student Council is located at http://www.rhhsstuco.org/.
In addition, there are various committees in charge of special events or projects. These include:
The Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook Committee for the 2011-2012 school year is Joanna Wang, her assistant editors are Cindy Sun and Jason Lau.
that mixes international news, politics, and local events with student commentary.
Issues of the Spyglass are also published online at http://newspaper.rhhsweb.com/; the site will also some additional commentary or multimedia.
department of Richmond Hill H.S. coordinates and funds many of its own athletic activities. The Athletic Council, run by a committee of dedicated students both inside and outside of athletics, assists in coordinating many of the athletic events run at RHHS, as well as fundraising for the Department. Some of the events that take place are: Sport Games, Sport Tournaments, Special Needs Basketball Tournament, March Madness and the annual Athletic Banquet. Athletic Council consists of the following positions: president, vice president, head of tournaments, head of games, secretary, publicity, special events and photographer.
The official Web site for the RHHS Music Department and Music Council is located at RHHSMusic.org.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in the Town of Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Richmond Hill is a town located in Southern Ontario, Canada in the central portion of York Region, Ontario. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area, being located about halfway between Toronto and Lake Simcoe...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It the second oldest high school in York Region Municipality
Regional Municipality of York, Ontario
The Regional Municipality of York, also called York Region, is a regional municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Simcoe and Toronto. It replaced the former York County in 1971, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area and the inner ring of the Golden Horseshoe...
, being established in the mid-19th century. Richmond Hill High School had a strong academic standing and reputation, often placing well in academic contests as well as provincially mandated standardized testing. In the 1998-1999 year, RHHS was ranked the #1 non-private school in Ontario, according to the Fraser Institute
Fraser Institute
The Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-wing libertarian and espouses free market principles...
, scoring a 9.8/10 ranking (academic). In the most recent Fraser Institute rankings (2009) the school ranked 10th in the province (including private and religious schools) with an overall score of 8.8/10
The school is a host to several regional special education programs, including the town's sole Gifted Program, Advanced Placement Program
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
, Alternative Education Program, Co-Op
Cooperative education
Cooperative education is a structured method of combining classroom-based education with practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a "co-op", provides academic credit for structured job experience...
, Developmentally-Delayed
Developmental disability
Developmental disability is a term used in the United States and Canada to describe lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to age 18. It is not synonymous with "developmental delay" which is often a consequence of a temporary illness or trauma during...
Program and an Orthopedic Program
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
. There is also a very large variety of academic and hobby clubs open to students.
History
Richmond Hill High School is one of the oldest secondary schools in the Greater Toronto AreaGreater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
, founded on December 2, 1851. It has expanded and changed locations on several occasions including in 1853, 1872, 1897, 1924 and 1950, having had been located on Yonge St. and Wright St. in 'downtown' Richmond Hill before moving to its present location at 201 Yorkland Street in September 2000.
In 2005, former president of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n and 1993 Nobel Peace Prize
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes bequeathed by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel.-Background:According to Nobel's will, the Peace Prize shall be awarded to the person who...
Winner F.W De Klerk visited the school, spoke to students and staff about his part in the end of the apartheid system and answered students questions during an hour long session. During his speech, he pointed to Canada as a model for multiculturalism South Africa could look to and also lauded the school for its dedication to the global community through charities, events and awareness raising on global issues.
Building & site
The current school building, two stories high and measuring 180174 square feet (16,738.7 m²), was completed and opened in 2000. It contains two gymGym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
nasiums, a fitness and weight training room, a cafetorium including a stage, a library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, six computer lab
Computer lab
A computer lab, also known as a computer suite or computer cluster is typically a room which contains many networked computers for public use...
s, a communications technology room including a green and blue screen, and state-of-the-art science labs.
Student Council
The Student Council (also known as "StuCo") oversees many of the school's student-organized events, including school dances, the annual Semi-Formal, "spirit days", and the annual Carnival. It is also in charge of distributing funding and resources to school clubs.The executives of the Student Council for the 2011–2012 school year:
- Simi Solebo - President
- Mahsa Nasseri - Vice President
- Kyle Fan - Treasurer
- Katie Wang - Secretary
- Bailey Frid - Social Convener
- Jerry Zhang - Social Convener
- Yidi Xiong - Minister of Publicity
- Bobby Tzonev - Minister of External Affairs
- Alan Zhong - Webmaster
The official web site for the RHHS Student Council is located at http://www.rhhsstuco.org/.
Clubs
- Animex
- Art and Design Society
- BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
Club - ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
Club - Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
Club - Debate Club
- DECADECA (organization)DECA, also known as Collegiate DECA on the college level) is an international association of students and teachers of marketing, management and entrepreneurship in business, finance, hospitality, and marketing sales and service . DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing,...
(site) - Electronic Entertainment Club
- Engineering Club
- FAITH
- FashionFashionFashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
Show - FilmFilmA film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Club - GayGayGay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
/Straight Alliance - HistoryHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
Council - ImprovImprovisational theatreImprovisational theatre takes many forms. It is best known as improv or impro, which is often comedic, and sometimes poignant or dramatic. In this popular, often topical art form improvisational actors/improvisers use improvisational acting techniques to perform spontaneously...
Club - Investment Club (site)
- Math Club
- Mock TrialsMock trialA Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
Team (site) - Model United NationsModel United NationsModel United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about current events, topics in international relations, diplomacy and the United Nations agenda....
Club (site) - MuslimMuslimA Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
Student Association - Nature Conservancy Council (NCC)
- Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID)
- Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)
- RASA (Aeronautics and Space Association)
- Reach for the TopReach for the TopReach for the Top is a Canadian game show in which teams of high school students participate in local, provincial and eventually national trivia tournaments...
- Red Cross Youth Action Group
- RoboticsRoboticsRobotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
Club - SamulnoriSamul noriSamul nori is a genre of traditional percussion music originating in Korea. The word samul means "four objects" and nori means "play"; samul nori is performed with four traditional Korean musical instruments:* Kkwaenggwari...
(Korean Percussion) Club - STAND - Students Taking Action Now: DarfurDarfurDarfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
- Tech Crew
- World Action Council
- Writer's Guild
- Youth Alive
In addition, there are various committees in charge of special events or projects. These include:
- PrefectPrefectPrefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
s - PromPromIn the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
Committee - RHHS Spyglass (student newspaper)
- Yearbook Committee (a.k.a. Yebo)
- Science Committee (a.k.a. Sci-Co, pronounced "psycho")
Yearbook Committee
The Yearbook Committee oversees and records various school-run events, such as school dances, semi formals and spirit days, as well as significant student achievements throughout the year. The committee is in charge of the entire creative and administrative process of the construction of the annual yearbook.The Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook Committee for the 2011-2012 school year is Joanna Wang, her assistant editors are Cindy Sun and Jason Lau.
Newspaper
The RHHS Spyglass is Richmond Hill High School's official student-run, student-oriented newspaper. The paper has been a seasonally published variety tabloidTabloid
A tabloid is a newspaper with compact page size smaller than broadsheet, although there is no standard for the precise dimensions of the tabloid newspaper format...
that mixes international news, politics, and local events with student commentary.
Issues of the Spyglass are also published online at http://newspaper.rhhsweb.com/; the site will also some additional commentary or multimedia.
Athletic Council
The physical educationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
department of Richmond Hill H.S. coordinates and funds many of its own athletic activities. The Athletic Council, run by a committee of dedicated students both inside and outside of athletics, assists in coordinating many of the athletic events run at RHHS, as well as fundraising for the Department. Some of the events that take place are: Sport Games, Sport Tournaments, Special Needs Basketball Tournament, March Madness and the annual Athletic Banquet. Athletic Council consists of the following positions: president, vice president, head of tournaments, head of games, secretary, publicity, special events and photographer.
Teams and sports clubs
- BadmintonBadmintonBadminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...
- Mountain Biking Team
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Junior/Senior Boys/Girls - Cheer-leading
- CurlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
- Varsity Boys/Girls - Dragon BoatDragon boatA dragon boat is a human-powered watercraft traditionally made, in the Pearl River delta region of southern China - Guangdong Province, of teak wood to various designs and sizes. In other parts of China different woods are used to build these traditional watercraft...
- Field HockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
- Varsity Girls - FootballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
- Junior/Senior Boys - GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Ice HockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- LacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
- Ping Pong Club
- RugbyRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Junior & Senior Boys
- SkiSkiA ski is a long, flat device worn on the foot, usually attached through a boot, designed to help the wearer slide smoothly over snow. Originally intended as an aid to travel in snowy regions, they are now mainly used for recreational and sporting purposes...
and SnowboardSnowboardSnowboards are boards, usually with a width the length of one's foot, with the ability to glide on snow. Snowboards are differentiated from monoskis by the stance of the user... - Soccer - Junior/Senior Boys and Girls
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
Club - Track and FieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- Ultimate Frisbee
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
- Junior/Senior Boys/Girls - Slow-pitch - Girls
- Flag FootballFlag footballFlag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
- Varsity Girls
Music Council
The Music Council is a committee of music students who promote music spirit and organize fundraisers for the Music Department at Richmond Hill High School. The council's events culminate in a Music Banquet at the end of the school year to celebrate music success and the dedication of music students at RHHS.The official Web site for the RHHS Music Department and Music Council is located at RHHSMusic.org.
Bands, choirs and other musical groups
- Gold Band (Senior Concert Band)
- Silver Band (Intermediate Concert Band)
- Concert Band (Junior Concert Band)
- Gold Fever (Senior Stage Band)
- Clarinet Ensemble
- Flute Ensemble
- Sax Club
- String Ensemble
- Concert Choir
- Vocal Jazz
- Vocal Fusion
- The Gentlemen of R.H.H.S. (Men's Choir)
- Musical Theatre
Notable alumni
- Farley MowatFarley MowatFarley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteranVeteranA veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
, conservationist and author - Kathleen WynneKathleen WynneKathleen O. Wynne is a politician in Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Don Valley West for the Liberal Party.-Background:...
, Liberal MPP for Don Valley WestDon Valley WestDon Valley West is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1979. Its population in 2001 was 115,539....
and Minister of Transportation of OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... - Gordon KormanGordon KormanGordon Korman is a Canadian author, primarily of novels for children and young adults. He lives in Long Island's Great Neck, New York, with his wife and three children....
, children's writer - R. H. ThomsonR. H. ThomsonRobert Holmes "R. H." Thomson, is a Canadian television, film and stage actor.Thomson was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He studied at the University of Toronto, and the National Theatre School. His own play The Lost Boys was staged at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in March 2000 and at...
, actor and filmmaker