Old Scona Academic High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Old Scona Academic |
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Old Scona Academic High School in Edmonton
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| Address | |
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10523 84 Avenue NW
, , T6E 2H5
Canada
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| Coordinates | 53°31′11″N 113°30′07″W / 53.51972°N 113.50194°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public Secondary School |
| Motto | Ever to Excel |
| Founded | 1976 |
| School board | Edmonton Public Schools |
| Superintendent | Darrel Robertson |
| Area trustee | Julie Kusiek |
| Principal | Will Deys |
| Grades | 10–12 |
| Enrollment | 364 (2020-21) |
| Language | English |
| Area | Old Strathcona |
| Colour(s) | Maroon, Green, and Gold |
| Team name | Olympians |
Old Scona Academic, often called Old Scona or OSA, is a special high school in Edmonton, Alberta. It is a smaller school, usually with about 340 to 360 students. Old Scona helps students who love to learn and want to challenge themselves. It is known as one of the best academic high schools in Canada. The school's motto is "Ever to Excel," which means always try your best.
Contents
School History
The building where Old Scona Academic is located first opened in 1908. It was called Strathcona Collegiate Institute back then. It was part of the school system for the City of Strathcona. In 1912, Strathcona joined with Edmonton, and the school became part of the Edmonton system.
From 1909 to 1911, some classes for the University of Alberta were held on the upper floors. In 1912, the school's name changed to Strathcona High School. This high school closed in 1958.
After the high school closed, the building was used for other things. It was a junior high school until the mid-1960s. Later, it was used for adult education and special education. It also served as an extra building for MacEwan University when that college started in 1971.
In 1976, the Edmonton Public Schools decided to open Old Scona Academic High School. This new school was an academic alternative high school. It was placed in the original Strathcona Collegiate Institute building. Since June 1980, Old Scona Academic has been an International Baccalaureate World School.
Learning During the Pandemic
Old Scona Academic had two periods of online learning during the worldwide pandemic from 2019 to 2021. Even with online classes, Old Scona had the highest attendance rate among senior high schools in Edmonton. About 92% of students attended, which was much higher than the average of 72% for all schools in the district.
School Reputation
Old Scona Academic is well-known for its strong academics. In 2005, Maclean's Magazine called OSA the top academic high school in Canada. The Fraser Institute also ranks OSA as the best high school in Alberta as of 2024. In 2011, the Edmonton Sun newspaper featured it as the top-ranked high school in its report card.
How to Get Admitted
Each year, about 135 new students are chosen to attend Old Scona Academic. Many more students apply than there are spots available. Students are chosen based on a few things:
- A special admission exam makes up 45% of the application score.
- Their grades from Math 9, Social Studies 9, Science 9, and English Language Arts 9 make up another 45%.
- A character assessment from their junior high counselor or principal accounts for 10% of the score.
Programs of Study
Old Scona Academic offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. It also follows the regular Alberta Education Curriculum.
International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
When students start grade ten, they are in a pre-IB program. Later in that year, they decide if they want to take the full IB program or a partial IB program. Most students at Old Scona choose the partial IB program. Only about ten to twenty students each year choose the full IB program.
The full IB Diploma Program is a two-year program. Students must complete courses from six different subject groups:
- Group 1: English
- Group 2: A second language, like French
- Group 3: Individuals and Societies, such as History
- Group 4: Experimental Sciences, like Chemistry, Biology, or Physics
- Group 5: Mathematics and Computer Science
- Group 6: Arts
Students must take at least three of these groups at a Higher Level (HL). Besides these classes, full IB students also take a course called Theory of Knowledge (TOK). They also write a long essay called an extended essay. Plus, they need to record hours for CAS, which stands for Creativity, Action, Service. This means doing extra-curricular activities and helping in the community.
In Alberta, completing the IB Diploma program does not replace the provincial high school diploma. So, full IB students must also meet the requirements of the Alberta Education Curriculum. This includes courses like Career and Life Management (CALM) and physical education. They also need to complete ten credits of 30-level courses.
Many colleges and universities, especially in Alberta, do not only use the IB program for acceptance. For example, some require students to complete Chemistry, Biology, and Physics at the 30-level. Since the IB program only requires one science for Group 4, students might need to take the other two outside the IB program. These extra requirements can mean a lot of classes and homework for students.
Partial IB Program Benefits
Because of these demands, most students at Old Scona Academic choose a partial IB program. Even without the full IB Diploma, there are benefits to taking many 30-level classes at the IB Higher Level (HL). Many colleges see these higher-level classes, if students get good marks, as similar to introductory college classes. This means students can sometimes get college credit for classes like Biology and English. This can save them time and money on tuition later on.
Elective Classes
Since Old Scona is a small school, it has a limited number of elective classes. These can include:
- Choral music
- Instrumental music
- Jazz band
- Performing arts
- Drama
- Speech and debate
- Leadership
- Art
- Computer applications
- Computer programming
- Cyber security
These options can change each year. It depends on what students are interested in and what teachers are available. Physical education at the 20 and 30 levels is not required by Alberta Education, but it is offered as an elective. In the past, students have also taken other languages, like German and Japanese, through outside programs.
School Building
The building was designed by a local architect named Roland Lines. The first premier of Alberta, Alexander Rutherford, laid the cornerstone in 1907. The school officially opened on February 17, 1909. At that time, it was one of the largest and most modern school buildings in Alberta. It even had an advanced automatic climate control system. The building's style is called Edwardian Classical Free. This style has some decorations from the Victorian era but is more practical and simple.
The building has been renovated many times since it opened. A big renovation and restoration happened in 1997. Since then, smaller projects, like new flooring, have taken place. Modern updates, such as computer labs, Wi-Fi, and projectors, have been added carefully. The goal was to keep the building's historical look. Some old parts, like the outside fire escapes, are still there for historical reasons. However, they are not used anymore because they are too old. Many of the building's original systems were very advanced for their time. Some old parts are now on display or stored in the Provincial Archives of Alberta.
In September 2008, the school building was named a provincial historic resource. This was because of its long academic history and its important architecture. This special designation means that there are limits on how the building can be changed or added to.
Notable Alumni
Many successful people have graduated from Old Scona Academic or its earlier versions. Some of them include:
- Clarence Campbell, who was the Third President of the National Hockey League. He was also a Rhodes Scholar, which is a special scholarship for studying at Oxford University.
- Chrystia Freeland, a journalist and former Deputy Prime Minister of Canada. She was also a Rhodes Scholar.
- Garnett Genuis, who is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan.
- Lois Hole, who was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Alberta.
- Ray Muzyka, who helped start the video game company BioWare.
- William Smith Ziegler, a brigadier in the Second World War.
- Ritu Khullar, who is the Chief Justice of Alberta.
