University of Toronto Schools

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Coordinates: 43°40′1″N 79°24′8″W / 43.66694°N 79.40222°W / 43.66694; -79.40222
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University of Toronto schools
Address
Map
371 Bloor Street West

Toronto
,
Ontario
,
M5S 2R8

Canada
Coordinates43°40′1″N 79°24′8″W / 43.66694°N 79.40222°W / 43.66694; -79.40222
Information
School typePrivate
MottoVelut Arbor Ita Ramus
(As the tree, so the branch)
Established1910
FounderGovernment of Ontario and the University of Toronto
School boardIndependent
PrincipalMichaele Robertson
Teaching staff50+ [1]
Grades7-12
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment626 (2006)
LanguageEnglish
HousesAlthouse, Cody, Crawford, Lewis
Colour(s)Blue
Team nameBlues
NewspaperCuspidor
YearbookThe Twig
Tuition$15,900 (2008-2009)[1]
AffiliationUniversity of Toronto
AlumniSee below
Nobel laureates2
Websitewww.utschools.ca

The University of Toronto Schools (UTS) (founded in 1910) is an independent private secondary school in downtown Toronto, Canada for academically-gifted students throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

Admissions

Most students enter in Grade 7 through a two-stage competitive examination. The first stage consists of a multiple choice exam, with approximately 300 participating [1]; those who pass this test in the top percentiles (usually 200 students) are invited back for a second written exam and an interview. Ultimately, 110 candidates are chosen from more than 300 applicants each year [citation needed]. On average, for the first year (F1) there are five classes each of which consists of 22 students. For admission in subsequent grade levels, applicants are admitted through a less formal process, albeit one just as rigorous. Candidates must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants and may apply to enter either Grade 7 or the upper school (Grade 9 and above).

Academics

UTS is attended by students from grades 7 through 12, with 78 students per grade in classes graduating before 2001, 104 students per grade in classes graduating before 2009, and 110 in classes graduating thereafter.

UTS is well known for its enriched courses and specialized curriculum [2], which are designed to challenge and educate at a higher level than at most public and many independent schools. Because potential UTS candidates are required to pass a rigorous entrance examination to attend the school, its curriculum is accelerated on the assumption that its students assimilate information faster. For this reason several higher-grade subjects are taught at lower grade levels. For example, Grade 10 students can take an enriched version of Ontario’s Grade 11 courses in introductory physics, biology, and/or chemistry. As well, effort is made to enrich classes with extra material and more in-depth discussions.

UTS offers Advanced Placement courses, but does not have an International Baccalaureate program. In addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, graduates earn a UTS Diploma, which signifies the completion of certain specialized courses, among them Latin and Romance of Antiquity, and attesting to an attainment level beyond the provincial standards.

UTS's rate of student achievement is commensurate with its selective admissions policy, both in academics and in extracurricular activities. Virtually all UTS students go on to university following graduation [3]: in 2004, the University of Toronto, McGill, Queen's, Waterloo, McMaster, and UBC were the most popular destinations, accounting for more than two-thirds of graduates; of the rest, a majority attended U.S. universities (primarily Ivy League and other "top tier" US institutions). The school's alumni include 20 Rhodes Scholars and two Nobel Prize winners.

Grade System

UTS's grade level nomenclature differs from that used commonly in Ontario high schools. This nomenclature has varied somewhat over the many years, and is due in part to a curriculum whose courses do not fit neatly into the provincial grading system, and in part to what had until the elimination of Grade 13 in Ontario constituted a six-year course to seven grade levels. The grade level nomenclature, with rough equivalents, consists of:

  • Foundation One (F1): Grade 7. Formerly known as Foundation Year (F) or 7/8
  • Foundation Two (F2): Grade 8. Formerly known as Form I or Grade 9
  • Middle Three (M3): Grade 9. Formerly known as Form II or Grade 10
  • Middle Four (M4): Grade 10. Formerly known as Form III or Grade 11
  • Senior Five (S5): Grade 11. Formerly known as Form IV or Grade 12
  • Senior Six (S6): Grade 12. Formerly known as Form V or Grade 13

This is now equivalent to those of other high schools, however, in some subjects, the whole of UTS is ahead a grade (e.g., Grade 8 students attending UTS take Grade 10 History; such subjects include science and history).

Extracurriculars

Each student is placed in one of four Houses (Althouse, Cody, Crawford, and Lewis, all named after former Headmasters, with the exception of Cody, which was named after a former University of Toronto president); several "competitive" House events are held throughout the year. The house system is only one facet of an unusually rich extracurricular life at UTS, however, and activities range from the school newspaper and yearbook – Cuspidor and Twig (along with its offshoot, the Twig Tape) – to champion sports teams and clubs, from chess to photography and from Investment Club to multiplayer gaming club. UTS students organise the annual Southern Ontario Model United Nations Assembly, the second-largest Model United Nations conference in Canada for high school students. The school has in recent years been a two-time winner of the Reach for the Top National Trivia Championship and has won the Ontario Student Classics Conference for thirteen years running.

Clubs

There are quite a variety of clubs within UTS. There are from Wargames club to Ping Pong to hip hop to soccer club and everything in between. Almost every student participates in at least one club and they have a great time. The clubs teach the students important skills in life such as getting along with peers.

Events

There are several other events during the school year such as Arts and Music Week, classics conference and more. Arts and music week is a week when UTS students display their art work and show off their music skills. Either in their music class, in small bands, solo, or in an extra-curricular group. In my experience in the last two years arts and music week have been great. There were many good events such as the art work displayed in the UTS gym, battle of the bands where students form into small groups and play the song of their choice on stage in the auditorium, there is also fajita lunch which the student council organizes (informally know as STUD COW). The student council brings ingredients to make fajitas to sell while there is music being played by students. Also there is junior and senior music night when the senior classes and the junior music classes play their songs.

Classics conference is another important part to UTS culture and school year. Students are in m3 and up that take latin compete with other students in athletics, such as running, creative performances, such as skits and plays, and latin readings and more.

House System

An important feature of UTS's extracurricular life is its house system. Each beginning student is initiated, usually during the F1/S6 trip to Camp Couchiching, to one of four houses, each of which is represented by both a symbol and a colour. Althouse's colour is red; its mascot and symbol is an alligator. Cody's symbol is a paw print and its colour is blue; its mascot is a cougar. Crawford's symbol is a sword and its colour is yellow; its mascot is a Golden Knight. Lewis's symbol is a Viking helmet and its colour is green; its mascot is a Viking.

Although most teachers are also a part of the house system, the system is run predominantly by students from the senior grades, from whom each house elects a Prefect, Deputy Prefect and Literary and Athletic Reps annually. Lewis, in addition, has the gonfaloniere, who promotes house spirit. The house system serves particularly to boost student spirit and school morale, and a number of events are held each year to this end which, though competitive, are designed to be fun. Points are awarded to each house based on participation and performance at each event, and Literary and Athletic Pennants -- the Academic Pennant no longer exists -- are awarded to the winning houses each year by summing up points in relevant events.

House Events

  • Camp Couchiching weekend in mid-September, which began in 1970 as an annual New Student-Senior Student event by then-principal Don Gutteridge, and was set permanently at Couchiching from 1974 under the guidance of then-Guidance-Counsellor Clare Pace. Each House's executive designs its own initiation activities, although some traditions -- such as coloured Jell-O, facepaint, a necklace designed by the House executive, and a sort of House membership card -- are mainstays. A game of 4-way House soccer usually follows the initiation; other events include initiation of students who entered the school later, a skit competition, a dance, a campfire sing-a-long, a morning run, and House cheers during meals.
  • Camp Ahmek is a three-day excursion to Algonquin Park in Northern Ontario for Grade 9 (otherwise known as 'M3') students. It is a start-of-the-school-year event where students learn to live in the wild and develop leadership skills, and to have fun. This annual event began in 2007.
  • Camp Wanakita is a two- to three-day excursion to YMCA's Camp Wanakita in Haliburton. It is an event that typically runs during the week before March break and is led by select Grade 11 students for Grade 7 and Grade 8 students, who go to the camp at separate times. Events always are winter-themed, ranging from toboganning to using snowshoes. Students are divided into cabin groups and develop a team name to be used for the Skit Night. Recently, Skit Night has been cancelled, detracting from the overall experience of the camp, and caused a stir within the student body. Currently those in charge of Wanakita want to restrict people involved in Culture Show from being allowed the chance of becoming a counsellor, again causing dissent within the student population.
  • House Cross-Country Run, one of the school's oldest traditions -- eighty-one boys competed in the first race, held in High Park on 10 November 1916 -- and now the opening House event each year. Students are dismissed early to participate; the lower school runs first and upper school about ten minutes afterward, with many teachers joining as well. Students who choose not to run often participate as marshals, directing runners or providing first aid. This event was cancelled in the 2005-2006 school year due to increased liability concerns which occurred when the school separated from U of T. The event was cancelled again in 2006-2007 due to unfavourable weather conditions but then later held on HOUSE ISLAND DAY.
  • Four-Way House Soccer, where each House sets up pylons to mark a goal area in a corner or area of the field; four or more balls are usually in play although, technically, only one goalie is permitted per team. The winning team is that with the least goals allowed, not the team with the most goals scored.
  • House Swim Meet, usually in late March in the University of Toronto's Benson Building (a sports complex); each House is allocated a line in alphabetical order beginning from the gallery, and each of both Junior and Senior races is a four-person relay. Races include the 4x25, Decrescendo (100-50-25-25), medley relay, inner-tube race, 4x25 T-shirt race (the shirt is passed on for each swimmer to wear), X-race (flutter boards, pool noodles, etc.), puck dive, teacher race or relay, and House Executive race.
  • Other House Intramural sporting events, in which House points are awarded both for victory and for participation. Such events include volleyball, basketball, and floor hockey.
  • House Family Feud, an after-school event mirrored on the television show and based on a poll distributed earlier throughout the student body, and House Jeopardy, held in the late fall/early winter and similarly television-inspired event. House Jeopardy was last held in 2007-08, and House Family Feud was last held in 2007-08.
  • House Lip Sync, an after-school event in the early/mid-fall which last took place in 2007-2008, and Backwards Spelling Bee, not held for several years, but requiring backwards spelling to the rhythm of audience clapping.
  • House Murder Mystery, a school-wide game of Clue using the school premises as the game board. Teams of two, three or four are given the lists of suspects, murder weapons and locations and then sent off to a starting location, where a waiting House executive member provides a clue to cross off and a cryptic location to head to (e.g. "the windowless room") in exchange for the correct answer to a trivia question. This event last took place in the school year of 1998-1999, and is now re-entering the plethora of literary House events again in 2006-2007.
  • House Island Day, a school-wide event where the whole school population spends a day at Toronto Island.
  • House Food Drive, an event that takes place over the course of a few weeks. Students compete in their Grade-Houses (e.g. S5 Crawford) and try to bring in as many servings of food as they can, all of which is donated to a Toronto food bank. The winning Grade-House is awarded school-wide recognition and a prize for their efforts. Sometimes, they are also awarded pizza lunches.
  • House Kabooki, a brand new event recently held in 2008. It is a combination of Taboo, Charades, and Pictionary. It was also the 2008 House Mystery Event.

Grade Specific Events

New F1s go on both Couchiching trips and Wanakita trips. F2s go on Wanakita only. M3s go to Camp Ahmek. M4s go to Washington. S6s go to Couchiching with the F1s. Recently Washington was restricted for the American History students only to the dismay of the Art students that were told they were to go to Washington as well, making the Washington Trip not grade specific but subject specific (since almost all of the M4s took either Art or American History or both). This caused a major controversy among the students this year, and issues were brought up about how the school makes decisions that affect a large portion of the student body without any input from the student body. This idea was further amplified with the recent Wanakita issue.

History

UTS was founded jointly by the province of Ontario and the University of Toronto in 1910 as a laboratory school of the Faculty of Education. As originally conceived, UTS was to be a collection of several schools, at least one of which was to be for females[4].

1910-1920

The school won the first ever Memorial Cup in 1919, as the best junior ice hockey team in the country. They defeated the Regina Patricias in two games, by scores of 14-3 and 15-5. The school was Eastern Canadian Champions, the same year, defeating the Montreal Melvilles 8-2 in a single game playoff. Future NHL defenceman Dunc Munro played for this team.

1950-1960

In 1957, the House System was established.

1970-1980

In 1973, realizing that the rest of the school's original vision would never materialize, a decision was made to admit girls into the school. This represented a key turning point in the school's history.

1990-2000

In April 1993, the New Democratic government of Ontario announced the withdrawal of public funding from the school, leading to a dramatic rise in tuition costs, and prompting the mobilization of all its constituencies to make up the loss. A large bursary fund now helps one in five UTS families, but as the tuition continues to rise, there are concerns that fewer eligible students will have access to the school in the future.

2000-present

UTS has remained a part of the University of Toronto's Faculty of Education and its successor, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), until the beginning of 2004. A controversial agreement signed with the University at that time established the school as an independent ancillary body within the University commonwealth. The school was threatened by the TDSB (Toronto District School Board) to change the daily schedule so that the number of hours of education could meet ministry requirements.

Trivia

  • Principal: Michaele Robertson
  • Vice-Principals: Dorothy Davis, Rick Parsons, Philip Marsh
  • Enrollment: approximately 626 (equal number of boys and girls)
  • Staff: 57, four of whom hold doctorates.
  • Used as a location for significant exterior and interior shots for the 2006 film Take the Lead, but the school was only credited in the DVD director's commentary.

Notable alumni

External links

Further reading

  • Advani, Asheesh. With Pardonable Pride: The University of Toronto Schools. Unionville: Addwin Publishing, 1991. (ISBN 0-9695185-0-1)
  • Chapnick, Adam, ed. Through Our Eyes: An Alumni History of UTS, 1960-2000. Toronto: University of Toronto Schools Alumni Association, 2005 (pdf).
  • Lane, Byron. University of Toronto Schools: An Academic History of the Era of Province-Wide Standardized Matriculation Testing in Ontario. Toronto: Byron Lane, 2005.
  • Wong, Jan, The Chinese are being UTS-ified. Globe and Mail, 27 November 2007.


  1. ^ a b University of Toronto Schools. Quick Facts. Accessed March 16, 2008.
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