Eastdale Collegiate and Vocational Institute
| Eastdale Collegiate and Vocational Institute | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
|
265 Harmony Rd N Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 6L4 Canada | |
| Coordinates | 43°54′43″N 79°50′11″W / 43.911895°N 79.836509°WCoordinates: 43°54′43″N 79°50′11″W / 43.911895°N 79.836509°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public, High school |
| Motto |
Industria et Integritas (Latin) (Industry and Integrity) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | none |
| Founded | 1966 |
| School board | Durham District School Board |
| School number | 906565[1] |
| Principal | Bill Levine |
| Vice principal |
Jeff Maharaj Michelle LeBlanc |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1582 (2009) |
| Language | English |
| Colour(s) | Navy Blue, Gold |
| Mascot | Eastdale Eagle |
| Website |
eastdale |
Eastdale Collegiate and Vocational Institute is located in Oshawa, Ontario within the Durham District School Board. The school has students in grades 9-12 and offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. Eastdale is noted for having the largest technology program in the Durham District School Board, featuring courses in construction, communications, and manufacturing technology, as well as technical design.
Eastdale Collegiate and Vocational Institute has a widely celebrated Performing Arts Program called the Eastdale School of Theatre, Music, and Dance. This program allows students from Grade 9 to 12 to focus on two areas of general arts study while completing their Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
This Performing Arts program also allows students to expand their arts experience by linking to the Ministry of Education - Ontario's Specialist High Skills Major Pathway program in Arts and Culture. Created in 2008, this Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM - pronounced "Shazaam") is the first Arts and Culture SHSM in the Durham Region. It allows students to focus on applied or performing arts while experiencing "Reach Ahead" activities. These activities include individual clinics with artists, participation in provincial and national performing groups, certification in several first-aid and artistic programs and allow their Pathway Program focus to appear on their official OSSD transcript and diploma.
Eastdale CVI is home to the Eastdale Theatre Company, an organization that began in the late 1970s to produce quality musical productions. Recent performances have included FAME (2002), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (2003), Once Upon a Mattress (2004), Grease (2005), The Sound of Music (2006), The Wizard of Oz (2007), Footloose (2008), Crazy For You (2009), The Music Man (2010), Peter Pan (2011), Back to the 80s (2012), Little Shop of Horrors (2014), and Willy Wonka, The Musical (upcoming - May 2015). During the summer of 2005, the theatre company partnered with Summerstock Calgary to organize a performance of "Guys & Dolls", which performed at Parkwood and Yonge-Dundas Square. Summerstock was an arts infused cooperative education program in which students from across Durham learned the career-based details of putting on a Broadway show. The Summerstock production was directed by Jim Senft and produced by Joan Mansfield.
The Eastdale Theatre Company remained an extra-curricular from its beginning right to 2012's "Back to the 80s". In 2013, the E.T.C. took a brief intermission. The musicals begun their second act as an accredited course. The inaugural production of this brand-new theatre programme was 2014's "Little Shop of Horrors".
Eastdale CVI has been designated as one of the original eight sites in 2009-2010 for the Artist in Residence program, an Arts Infused Learning partnership program between the Durham District School Board and the Ontario Arts Council. Arts Infused Learning is the teaching of core curriculum subject expectations through an arts medium. Artists and teachers collaborate to teach students Ministry of Education curriculum by engaging them in their interest areas within the arts and track the success of the project by collecting data regarding achievement, attendance, and engagement.
In September 2010, Eastdale CVI and Dr. F. J. Donevan Collegiate merged after lengthy public consultation by the ARC Committee of the Durham District School Board. The Elementary schools within Donevan's Family of Schools have now become part of Eastdale's Family of Schools and, as such, will participate in Eastdale's academic initiatives.
In 2011, the Eastdale Theatre underwent a massive refurbishment, including the creation of an orchestra-level control booth, additional accessible seating, creation of a workshop with access to the stage, and installation of an accessible ramp to the main stage area.
The alumni of Eastdale CVI include Canadian pair skater Barbara Underhill and Durham Regional Police Chief Michael Ewles.
Athletic History
Previous to its current focus on the arts, Eastdale, during the 1980s- offered a very strong and North American renowned football program. This program coached by Wayne Marsden, produced what some believe, was the pinnacle of Canadian football talent that to now, remains unmatched in raw talent.
Several of the players went on to play for the Oshawa Hawkeye junior program, then eventually to the semi pro and college ranks. James Burkitt, Chris Gill, Matt Kolodzie, Peter Althouse, Mike Snelgrove and Glenroy Browne were a group all finding success in the American and Canadian college programs after graduation.
From 1984 to 1986, many Highschool games vs rival O'Neil Collegiate- led to classic battles on the grid. In the DYSA championship game in 1985, A fumble by O'Neil Quarterback Kevin Levellee on the 5 yard line, led to what was a 95-yard return to the end zone, by linebacker Chris Gill. With that touchdown and following conversion by running back Matt Kolodzie- Eastdale won its first and only provincial football championship.
The teams has such rivalry, that after the game, the famous "riot at Civic Field" took place. The students from O'Neil and Eastdale stormed the field and tore down the field goal posts and then later confronted each other at mid field. The crowd became out of control and a rumble began to take shape. With over 500 Youth on the field, many feared the worst. It was at that time, John Irwin (now a famous local hard rock legendary singer in Oshawa) took control of the stadium PA system and blasted the song "Living after midnight". It immediately gained the students attention. Irwin's now famous speech to all the students, stopped the rioting as he invited the mass to find peace and not use violence as an answer. At the time, both football captions shook hands in good faith and in a sign of unity, all the students left the field together.
John has since been the lead in many local rock bands, having been featured in the band "Motorhead's" albums many times.
Jeff Magill, also, during the same time frame, led the schools field lacrosse team to 3 consecutive lacrosse high school titles, and later played for Cornell University varsity team on full scholarship. His feared intensity had him ruling the field, while scoring and average of 7 goals per game.
Also, school Alumni, Keith Kocho, captured 2 gold medals at the OFSSA senior weight lifting championships, and the proceeded into York University where he now coaches inter squad swimming.
Recently, Eastdale has not seen much focus or success in athletics, mostly because of a shift to the arts and craft funding for school programs. Today, a group of alumni and ex school athletes are trying to influence the Durham school board to allow them to take ownership and prime operating responsibility of the football, soccer and hockey programs, as the ongoing lack of attention to the programs has them in demise. Peter Crocker and Chris Armitage lead this group of alumni, and have most recently recruited several high profile graduates to help them in this challenge.
Notable Alumni
- Stefan Charles
- Garrett MacKeen
- Rowdy Ross Cousins (famous inter county wrestler)
- Scott Adams (Gospel singer and songwriter)
- Peter Lawrence (karate silver medal at Commonwealth games)
- Brent Barton (CEO at Maple Leaf foods)
- Dean Hickey (real estate mogul)
References
- ↑ "Eastdale Collegiate and Vocational Institute (906565)". Secondary School Profile. Ontario Ministry of Education. 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2016-01-28.