Dunbarton High School

High school in Pickering, Ontario, Canada

Dunbarton High School

Address

655 Sheppard Avenue

Pickering, Ontario

L1V 1G2

Canada

Coordinates| 43°49′17″N 79°07′05″W﻿ / ﻿43.8214°N 79.1181°W﻿ / 43.8214; -79.1181
Information
School type| High school
Motto| Conari Quaerere Invenire
(To Try, To Seek, To Come Upon)
Founded| 1961; 63 years ago (1961)
School board| Durham District School Board
Superintendent| M. Hamid[1]
Area trustee| Emma Cunningham & Stephen Linton[2]
Principal| David Rule
Grades| 9-12
Enrolment| 1,571[3] (2023/2024)
Language| English
Colour(s)|  Red, black and white
Mascot| Spartan
Feeder schools| Altona Forest Public School

Elizabeth B. Phin Public School Fairport Beach Public School Frenchman's Bay Public School Gandatsetiagon Public School Highbush Public School Rosebank Road Public School

Westcreek Public School
Website| www.ddsb.ca/school/dunbartonhs/Pages/default.aspx

Dunbarton High School is located in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Durham District School Board. The school has students in grades 9-12 and offers a wide range of academic and extracurricular activities. Their mascot is the Spartan.

Dunbarton consists of two campuses: Main Campus and South Campus, which it acquired after the closing of Woodlands Centennial Public School. The classes in south campus include English, visual art, music, drama, and dance.

## History[edit]

All sources in the history section come from a 2020-2021 issue of the Dunbarton High School year book titled "SPARTAN TIMES" using information on pages 62 and 63 in a section titled "60th Anniversary".

### 1960s[edit]

1961: Dunbarton High School opened with approximately 300 students (14 classes) and 30 staff members.

1963: The first Dunbarton High School yearbook was published.

### 1970s[edit]

1970: The first big addition was added to the school which included the new office, resource centre, cafeteria, guidance and the west gym.

1971: The pool and tech wing were added to the school.

### 1980s[edit]

1980: The school created and accepted Dunbar as their mascot.

### 1990s[edit]

During this decade Dunbarton High School adopted the smoking ban of the area.

1991: Student population reached 2500, and approximately 30 portables existed.

### 2000s[edit]

2001: The schools weight room was added.

2003: South Campus was acquired (originally Woodland PS).

2007: Renovations were made to the exterior of the building.

### 2010s[edit]

During this decade, fellow former City of Pickering high school student Shawn Mendes, performed a concert at the school.

2014: Dunbarton High School was awarded the Greenest School on Earth award, from the U.S. Green Building Council.

### 2020s[edit]

2020: Dunbarton High School followed a province-wide movement to close schools during the covid-19 pandemic, following march break.

2020: Dunbarton High School implements a quadmester, hybrid learning model system because of the pandemic.

2021: An elevator was installed to connect the 400's, 200's (tech wing) and 100's levels.

### Schedule[edit]

Dunbarton High School's first year had the school open every day at 8:55 am and close at 5 pm (9:00 am to 3:18 pm for the periods of the school day), and had 10 periods (8 for classes and 2 for lunch). Up until the COVID-19 pandemic the school had a semester model with the school day start at 8:40 am and end at 2:48 pm, with 4 periods for classes. 6 minuets was given in-between periods, 45 minutes was given for lunch, in-between periods 2 and 3, and periods 1 and 2 as well as periods 3 and 4 switched with each other every single week. Since the pandemic the school has adopted a quadmester model. The school day lasts from 10 am to 4 pm with two periods, four blocks, two blocks for each period, and 1 hour of lunch in-between the two periods. In February 2022 the school has returned to the semester model with 4 periods for classes, the 6 minutes between classes and the 45 minute lunch was reinstated.

## Stabbing[edit]

On February 23, 2016, a mass stabbing occurred at the school. Nine people -- six students and three staff members -- were injured. A 14-year-old girl (whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act) was arrested as a result of the stabbing.[4]

## Notable alumni[edit]

* Sean Avery, retired NHL player
* Cristine Brache, visual artist, writer and filmmaker
* Rex Bromfield, writer and director
* Valri Bromfield, actress and comedian
* Shelly-Ann Brown, Olympic bobsledder[5]
* Josie Dye, radio and television personality
* Jeff Geddis, (Bryan Stiles)
* Anson Henry, Canadian track and field athlete, 2004 Athens Summer Olympics, 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics
* Nikkita Holder, Canadian track and field athlete, 2012 London Summer Olympics
* Carly Lawrence, model and season 2 contestant on Too Hot to Handle
* John Moonlight, Captain of Canada's rugby team
* Brad Phillips, visual artist, novelist and essayist
* Jaime Peters, soccer player for Ipswich Town and Team Canada
* Sean Pierson, mixed martial artist for the Ultimate Fighting Championship
* Sarah Slean, singer-songwriter, painter, and photographer
* Jennifer Wakefield, Olympic hockey player

Many of the notable alumni listed above can be found on a plaque in the 100's level of the school.

* Adil Shamasdin, professional tennis player, Wimbledon Quarter-Finalist, former top 50 in the world.

## See also[edit]

* List of high schools in Ontario

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Senior Leadership Team". Durham District School Board. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
2. ^ "Board of Trustees". Durham District School Board. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
3. ^ "Board Meeting - Monday, June 19, 2023". Durham District School Board. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
4. ^ "Eight people injured in Canada school stabbing, student held". MSN. Reuters. February 23, 2016. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
5. ^ Scarborough school shares in silver spotlight - thestar.com

## External links[edit]

* Dunbarton High School