Western Technical-Commercial School

Public high school in High Park North, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Western Technical-Commercial School

Address

125 Evelyn Crescent

High Park North, Toronto

Ontario

M6P 3E3

Canada

Coordinates| 43°39′24″N 79°28′30″W﻿ / ﻿43.656742°N 79.47506°W﻿ / 43.656742; -79.47506
Information
Former names| Western Branch Technical School
Western High School of Commerce
School type| Public high school
Vocational high school
Founded| 1927
School board| Toronto District School Board
(Toronto Board of Education)
Superintendent| Sandy Spyropoulos
LC4, Superintendent
Sandra Tondat
LN19
Area trustee| Debbie King
Ward 7
School number| 5625 / 951951
Principal| Mark Koczij
Grades| 9–12
Enrolment| 1139
Language| English
Schedule type| Semestered
Colour(s)| Green, white and black
Nickname| Western Tech, Western TCS
Team name| Colts
Website| www.wtcs.ca

Western Technical-Commercial School is a high school in the High Park North neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada oversighted by the Toronto District School Board. It shares the same building with Ursula Franklin Academy and The Student School. The school was founded in 1927 and was part of the Toronto Board of Education until 1998.

Originally two schools when it was opened, Western Branch Technical School and Western High School of Commerce,[1] the present school is now the product of the merger of the two.

Western, commonly called WTCS or Western Tech, offers courses from grade 9 through 12 in Academic and Gifted levels.[2] In 2022, it was reported to have 1139 total students enrolled.[3]

## History[edit]

The main Collegiate Gothic building was constructed in 1927, with the addition being constructed in 1967–1970. The school features amenities such as a pool and two gyms, a greenhouse, a large library, and a media lab.[4]

The school has been used as a filming location for a number of movies and TV shows, including Billy Madison, Being Erica, and The Queen's Gambit.[5]

## Media[edit]

In the 2000s, Western Tech students started a newspaper titled The Hidden Agenda, with issues printed as recently as 2011 and some online activity in 2012.[6] It reported on student events and was run by students with final approval by the administration. In the 2022/2023 academic year, it was revived under the name The Horseshoe.[7]

## Athletics[edit]

The school has a wide variety of teams and intramurals, from the traditional soccer, basketball, hockey, water polo and baseball to ping pong and a Reach for the Top quiz team. Intramurals include floor hockey, volleyball, and basketball, among others.[8] Western has a full size pool, and runs Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross courses at greatly reduced prices for students of the school. Current aquatics leadership students are welcomed to assist in teaching the program.[9]

## Manufacturing Technology/Robotics[edit]

Western Technical-Commercial School offers a number of manufacturing technology courses utilizing the schools machine shop facilities. The school also has a successful FIRST Robotics team (865/Warp7).[10]

## Notable alumni[edit]

* J. P. Anderson[11] \- hockey player
* Gwendolyn McEwen[12] \- poet

## See also[edit]

* List of high schools in Ontario

## References[edit]

1. ^ Hardy, Edwin Austin (1950). Cochrane, Honora M. (ed.). Centennial Story: The Board of Education for the City of Toronto 1850-1950. Toronto, ON: Thomas Nelson & Sons (Canada) Limited.
2. ^ "Gifted". Western Technical-Commercial School. TDSB. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
3. ^ "Toronto District School Board > Find your... > Schools > Facts and Figures". www.tdsb.on.ca. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
4. ^ "About WTCS". Western Technical-Commercial School. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
5. ^ "Filming Location Matching "Western Technical-Commercial School, Evelyn Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, Canada"". IMDB. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
6. ^ "The Hidden Agenda - Western Tech's official school newspaper, by students, for students". The Hidden Agenda - Western Tech's official school newspaper, by students, for students. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
7. ^ Smolin, Kai. ""Letter From the Editor"". The WTCS Horseshoe - Winter 2022/23. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
8. ^ "Extra-Curriculars". Western Technical Commercial School. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
9. ^ "WTCS Athletics". Western Technical Commercial School. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
10. ^ "Our History". WARP7. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
11. ^ "Humberside Collegiate grad is now all-time OHL win leader among goaltenders". Inside Toronto. 17 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
12. ^ "The sad life of a soceress". Macleans. 2 October 1995. Retrieved 17 March 2021.

## External links[edit]

* Western Technical-Commercial School official website
* Western Technical-Commercial School profile on the Toronto District School Board website
* Western Technical-Commercial School Music Department
* The Horseshoe - Student Newspaper Website

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