Turner Fenton Secondary School
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| Turner Fenton Secondary School | |
|---|---|
| File:TFSS-south-Night.jpg | |
| Address | |
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7935 Kennedy Road South , , L5V 3N2 | |
| Information | |
| School type | high school |
| Founded | 1993 merger (1972, 1974) |
| School board | Peel District School Board |
| Superintendent | Scott Moreash |
| Area trustee | David Green Steve Kavanagh Rick Williams |
| Principal | Bob Garton |
| Grades | 9-12+ |
| Enrollment | 2,323 (September 2005) |
| Language | English, Extended French |
| Colour(s) | Royal blue, black, white, and silver |
| Mascot | Trojans |
| Team name | Turner Fenton Trojans |
| Affiliation | Public |
| Website | http://www.turnerfenton.com/ |
Turner Fenton Secondary School is Peel Region's largest high school, located in Brampton, Ontario. The principal is Robert Garton. It operates under the Peel District School Board.
Feeder schools include Peel Alternative School North (formerly IndEC North), Cherrytree Public School, Derry West Village Public School, Fletcher's Creek Sr. Public School, Helen Wilson Public School, Hickory Wood Public School, Parkway Public School, Sir Wilfrid Laurier Public School, William G. Davis Sr. Public School and Roberta Bondar Public School.
Programs
Turner Fenton is a diverse school, even by Greater Toronto Area standards, due to the varied array of programs it offers. At least eleven educational programs are available:
- Special Basic Level Program
- Vocational, Basic Level Program
- Applied and college level course
- Academic, university and university/college-level programs
- International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
- English as a Second Language, English Learning Development
- Extended French
- Chef Training Program, dubbed "Recipe for Success", a dedicated hospitality/chef training program
- Section 23, based out of the Cuthbert House (open Custody program for young male offenders) and Invictus (closed custody program for young female offenders, closing fall 2005)
- Store Front, an alternate work-based program
- Grades 11 and 12 Regional Enhanced program (which will be suspended in 2008)
The school also works with the William Osler Campus, a Peel Board facility for those admitted to hospital for terms longer than 14 days. Turner offers a Learning Strategies Course, and Specific Learning Disabilities services. A Regional Enhanced Program program ran at the school, until the end of the 2004-2005 school year. The school also offers a number of different beneficial programs, including an International Baccalaureate Program. Turner Fenton was the largest high school in Ontario as of 2006.
Sports, Clubs, and Traditions
Turner Fenton participates in Model UN events, in 2005 representing Cambodia and Kenya, and in 2006 representing The United States of America. In previous years, the school represented China, France, and Somalia. Turner Fenton consistently places high among Ontario schools for fundraising for the Terry Fox Run, although its totals are often eclipsed by one of its "feeder" schools, W.G. Davis Senior Public School, which, in 2005, raised over $23,000 from a school population of just over 550.
Due to its proximity to the recently constructed Powerade Centre, the OHL's Brampton Battalion hockey team members who have not yet completed high school are assigned to this school during the hockey season, returning to their home schools afterwards.
Athletic achievements
The Turner Fenton cross country team, winners of twelve straight ROPSSAA championships in the "overall team" division, pulled out another stellar performance October 25, 2003 at the Heart Lake Conservation Area. A solid showing that provincial OFSAA championships was highlighted by Santa hats for the Senior Boys team. The badminton team is also quite decent, having won a total of four medals in the 2005 season. The girls doubles team seems to be the strongest, winning both ROPSSAA gold in seniors and juniors in the year 2007. The boys Lacrosse team won the 2006 ROPSSAA championships and went on to appear the OFSAA finals in St. Catharines, Ontario. Also the boys Baseball Team won 2006 ROPSSAA TIER II Championships. During the Late 80's and early 90s, the Trojan football teams dominated the Peel Gridiron. The senior varsity football team continues to produce some of the best football players in Brampton. Until recent years, the school's archery team has also performed at high levels in both ROPSSAA and OFSAA tournaments winning first place on multiple occasions, most recently in 2004. The wrestling team also has a strong history with many ROPSSAA and OFSAA placings as well as team [overall] ROPSSAA wins. In addition, Turner Fenton's Quiz Bowl DECA team just brought in the gold this year at the Provincials and went on to win silver at DECA Internationals.
Music
The music department is thriving at Turner Fenton Secondary School, with no metals disappointment at the renowned Music Fest in 2003, and an invitation to the Nationals for 2004. As the department continues to conjure its much deserved recognition, sheer numbers of enrollment have allowed the school to introduce the very popular IB level music courses. After school, students participate in the Senior Wind Ensemble, and Music council.
Turner Fenton hosts an annual event, Trojanfest, assembling local aspiring bands in a one night performance for the school. Providing an effective media for aspiring bands, and a convenient venue for those who wish to see their favourite acts, Trojanfest is a Turner Fenton tradition that serves both audience and participants. Other traditional events include Bistro Shows (hosted by the IAC) and Turner's Got Talent. The two events have spawned acts from numerous talented students of the school, including the prominent Hip Hop group, Brownitude Underground. The duo frequently performs at all of these shows and have even recorded songs especially for Turner Fenton, including the sports-based song, "The Trojans Anthem", a hard-hitting dedication to the senior football team, which they are both apart of. The Integrated Arts Council also hosts the annual "Arts Banquet" which features performances from many of the musical and dramatic acts from around the school.
Culturefest
CultureFest is an annual event held at Turner Fenton Secondary School. The festival is entirely student-run and comprises live performances, educational booths and workshops, as well as a marketplace of international foods spread over two days and one community night. The festival has existed under a myriad of monikers over the years, and was most recently stylized as "CultureFest," with a distinctive capitalization of the second component of the word.
Every year, CultureFest assumes a specific festival theme or focus. The latest incarnation was the "Five Continents, One Vision." theme for the 2007 festival, which took place on April 25, 2007 and April 26, 2007. This year, CultureFest was profiled by several prominent media agencies, including the CBC, the Brampton Guardian, and Rogers Cable. A videorecording of CultureFest 2007 is available here.
Conferences
Turner Fenton students are renowned for their commitment to not only the school community, but also the community at large. Each year, scores of students and staff collaborate their efforts to plan leadership and skills development conferences. Noted conferences include the annual START (Students: The Active Risk Takers) and SOAR (Suddenly/Student Opportunities are Reachable) leadership conferences for high school and middle school students respectively. Additionally, the school hosts the International Baccalaureate Mentorship Conference (IBMC), intended to introduce new Grade 9 Middle Years Programme students to the high school atmosphere. TFSS students are also noted for high involvement in the Peel Student Presidents' Council and the OSSSA.
Turner Fenton Robotics Team
Turner Fenton's active robotics team has participated in Canada and US FIRST competitions.
- 2001 - 17th place
- 2002 - 1st place, winner of the last SPAR Aerospace Award.
- 2003 - 13th place out of 26 teams, disqualified
- 2004 - 4th place out of 75 teams at US First Robotics, eliminated in the quarter finals
History
Turner Fenton Secondary School is composed of two buildings, dubbed North Hall and South Hall. Until 1992, the two buildings were each schools in their own right, the North being J. A. Turner SS, and the South being W. J. Fenton SS. W. J. Fenton was the first of the two to open in 1972, built by Val Mitchell Construction. C.A. Smith built J. A. Turner Secondary in 1974. Both buildings were designed by architect Don E. Skinner Thughliphe.
The rooms of the "new" North Hall are numbered 100s and 200s on the first floor and second floor, respectively; the South Hall rooms are numbered 300s on the first floor and 400s on the second floor. The portables are 500s. Each faculty department generally has its own section of the school. English, Math, Science, Business/Tech, the Library and Main Administration are in the North building. History, Moderns (French and other language studies), Geography, Arts (Dramatic, Visual, Digital, Culinary and Cosmetic). Some exceptions do apply however: Music classes are located in the North Hall although part of an integrated Arts department. Similarly, Biology classes are in the South Building. Administrative offices are split between the two buildings, with certain Vice Principals and Guidance Counselors located specifically in the South hall. The school also has two cafeterias, the North Hall cafeteria being the larger of the two. The South Hall cafeteria is less popular, but provides a different atmosphere for students. Additionally, as the South Hall was equipped to serve Culinary arts teaching, the cafeteria in the South Hall's servery allows students to volunteer to make/serve food.
Following the merger of the schools in 1992, the school was referred to officially on its main outdoor signage as 'Turner Fenton Secondary School,' however had also adopted a secondary brandname 'Turner Fenton Campus' used on school letterhead. In the early-2000s, the school board forced Turner Fenton to standardise its name, because the school had not filed the proper forms upon its creation in 1992.
Some other changes were also made to the already large school. On September of 2007, construction workers had fenced off an area between north hall and south hall to extend the school. Construction was coming to an end by the end of the 2007-2008 school year and on September 2, the new section was opened to all staff and students. The school now has new lab rooms and english classrooms. As well, math teachers were upgraded to a newer and much larger office to accomodate all the teachers. Now, the teachers may actually be able to fit into the office at the same time. The newer division also came with two new staircases and a beautiful large window from one of the staircases that looks onto the parking lot. In addition, trees and plants were also added to the parking lot and the side of the school to make it more appealing. This makes the school larger than before and almost impossible to see all your friends on your walk to class.
Violence and threats
Over the past few years, violence at Turner Fenton has plummeted compared to three years ago. Although there is still violence in this school it is extremely rare. The following are two of the most recent violent events.
On the afternoon of Monday 20 March 2006, a group of five or six young males severely beat a fellow young male. They used a crowbar to inflict head injuries, according to police reports. The attack took place in the parking lot of a furniture store next to the school, in the Orion Gate mall, and it is as of yet unknown whether the victim knew his attacker, or if any were Turner students. As of 21 March 2006, the student was clinging to life in hospital.[1]
An Atlanta resident looking to know how to remove hot pepper sauce stains stumbled across a web page of "instructions" on how to blow up a school, specifically Turner Fenton. The website creator, known only as "DiLiTHiUM", was supposedly a yearbook committee member and AV club member, thus having access to the boilerroom.[2] School and police officials didn't take the threat seriously at first. The site, whose text appears on many sites, has not been updated since 2001, and was 10- to 15-years-old when discovered. Acting Inspector Gary Martin of the Peel Regional Police told The Brampton Guardian "It was a high school prank between him and a couple of buddies in a computer club. He doesn't know how it ended up on the Internet." The business owner drove directly to the police station to apologise for the "fuss", and police were satisfied enough not to charge him.[3]
Vandalism
Throughout Turner Fenton, distinct and unnecessary vandalism is seen, specifically in the washroom stalls. Most are reference to gang or organized groups, which seems threatening to the school environment. In addition, vandalism in school lockers also seem evident throughout both North and South buildings. Explicit messages written inside lockers are passed on from semester to semester. Not many precautions are taken for averting further disturbance in the school environment through vandalism. Depite the prominent occurrence of the problem, due to the lack of specific enforcement against these crimes vandalism continues in Turner Fenton.
Lanyards
The school was a part of a test project for the Peel Board, regarding the usage of ID lanyards. The card and lanyard combination was introduced in 2002, as an optional garment. However, by the time they were enforced in 2003, most students and faculty had had enough of the practice, even if they had initially supported it. During the 2004-2005 school year lanyards were enforced starting in November, 2004. Any student who was caught not wearing a lanyard would be issued a sticker which would identify them as a student. In addition, the student would be written up as 'forgetting lanyard'. After 5 times of being written up, the student would be suspended. Up until February 2008, lanyards have not been strictly enforced. As of this time, if you forget your lanyard you are forced to wear a bright orange lanyard.As well, as of September of 2008 the school has changed the lanyard to a royal blue colour to represent our school colours.
Radio Station
J.A. Turner Secondary School (present-day North Hall) previously housed a radio station in the projection room near the cafeteria. The room contained various alternative rock demo CDs and tapes, some of which were marked with the call letters CFNY-FM, which refer to Toronto's Edge 102 radio station.
In the 1980s the radio station was called RAT, Radio Active Turner. The play list was primarily alternative, sharing many songs with CFNY, and there were frequent faculty concerns over lyrics.
Notable alumni
- Charles Allen, Olympic hurdler and sprinter
- Shawn Ashmore, actor (X-Men, X2, Terry)
- Aaron Ashmore, actor
- Navdeep Bains, Member of Parliament
- Rick James, swimmer and medallist.
- Jason Spezza, NHL hockey player
- Christine Magee, co-founder and current president of Sleep Country Canada
- Anna Mather, NDP candidate
- Allison Higson, swimmer and Olympic bronze medallist in the 1988 Seoul Games.
References
- ^ Hoy, Hilda (20 March 2006). "Brampton teen clings to life after attack". Toronto Star.
- ^ The Star: Website tells how to blow up school
- ^ "1990s prank ends up on the Internet", The Brampton Guardian, 18 June 2006.