Cowichan Secondary School
| Quw’utsun Secondary School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
2003 University Way , , | |
| Coordinates | 48°47′05″N 123°42′14″W / 48.7846°N 123.7040°W |
| Information | |
| Former name | Cowichan Secondary School |
| School type | Public, high school |
| Founded | 1950 |
| School board | School District 79 Cowichan Valley |
| Educational authority | British Columbia Ministry of Education and Child Care |
| Principals | Darcy Hoff Scott Jackson |
| Vice Principal | Lindy Thompson |
| Grades | 10-12 |
| Enrollment | 950 (2019) |
| Capacity | 1100 |
| Schedule | M-F: 8:55am-3:15pm |
| Campus size | 5.30 ha |
| Colour(s) | |
| Mascot | Thunderbird |
| Team name | Thunderbirds |
| Portable Classrooms on-site | 10 |
| Website | css |
Quw’utsun Secondary, formerly known as Cowichan Secondary School, is a public high school in Duncan, British Columbia part of School District 79 Cowichan Valley. Opened in 1950; in 2013, the school became a dual-campus Grade 8-12 school after Quamichan Middle School on Beverley Street was merged with Cowichan Secondary on James Street.[1] In September 2018, the Dual Campus model was dissolved and Cowichan Secondary School and Quamichan School returned to being two separate schools, leaving Cowichan Secondary as a grades 10-12 high school. On February 3, 2025, the new school, named Quw'utsun Secondary, was officially opened.[2] On April 4, 2025, the Cowichan Valley School District announced that the old Cowichan Secondary building would be used for RCMP and Sheriff Service training.[3]
Location
[edit]The school was under construction in the 1940s near the Trans-Canada Highway.[4]
Planning in 2014 considered relocating the school to the property purchased for the school's new build, adjacent to Vancouver Island University's Duncan campus and the Island Savings Centre recreation facility.[5]
In 2019, the Cowichan Secondary School Replacement Project was formally announced. In early January 2021, Urban One Builders and HCMA Architecture + Design were selected to head design and construction. The school will prioritize seismic safety and is three stories tall. The architectural features of the school is in honour the unceded Quw’utsun lands where it situates. The new building is approximately 11,975 square metres and built for 1100 students, with the ability to expand to house 1500 students with the addition of new classrooms. The construction of the school costed $86.7m, from the original $82.2m budget, and opened February 3, 2025.[6]
Arts
[edit]In 2012, Cowichan became the first school in the province of British Columbia to be invited to perform at the International Fringe Festival, the prestigious theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland[7]
Sports
[edit]Cowichan Senior Secondary has multiple competitive sports teams. These sports include senior and junior girls field hockey, girls rugby, boys rugby, and girls and boys basketball. The most high-achieving team is the girls field hockey team who frequently win provincial championship games. Most of the Senior sports are at the 3A level, except for the volleyball program, which the school is in the process of rebuilding. For the last 4 years, there has been a Junior (Grade 10) team and a Senior girls 4A team.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ 2013/14 Student Handbook (PDF). Cowichan Secondary School. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
- ^ "New Quw'utsun Secondary School opens". Cowichan Valley Citizen. 2025-02-12. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Public Announcement – April 4 – Cowichan Valley School District". 2025-04-29. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
- ^ "Cowichan Secondary School under construction 1948". CVM 1992.4.6.1. Cowichan Valley Museum & Archives. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ Degraaf, Ashley (4 April 2014). "Quamichan emerges as option B for new Cowichan Secondary". Cowichan News-Leader Pictorial. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ "From Cowichan to Quw'utsun: new $86.7M high school opens near Duncan". Victoria News. 2025-02-12. Retrieved 2025-06-28.
- ^ Andersen, Ann (9 March 2012). "Review 16 years of Cowichan Secondary at play". Cowichan News Leader. Archived from the original on 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2016-01-21.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
External links
[edit]School Reports - Ministry of Education
- Class Size[permanent dead link]
- Satisfaction Survey[permanent dead link]
- School Performance
- Skills Assessment[permanent dead link]
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