User:Meters/Vimy Ridge Academy

Vimy Ridge Academy opened as Bonnie Doon High School in 1958, and from 1999 to 2011 was known by the bilingual name L'Academie Vimy Ridge Academy.

History
The school opened in 1958 as Bonnie Doon High School, and was named for the adjacent Bonnie Doon neighbourhood; although, it is actually in the Idylwylde neighbourhood.

The original two-storey building was 11,590 m2, and a  1120 m2 two-storey addition was added in 1959. A 4230 m2 three-storey addition was constructed in 1970, with an elevator added to this section ca. 1990. Minor modernizations were made to small areas in 1982 and 1984, and cosmetic modernization of walls and floors was done in 2000.

The lower floor of the three-storey section is the cafeteria and the two upper floors are used by the ballet school.

In September 1999 regular high school programming was discontinued, and the school was renamed L'Academie Vimy Ridge Academy. Programming was introduced related to Canadian Studies, in partnership with the Department of National Defence and Cadets Canada, with the goal of attracting students who either were Cadets or considering it. The Dance (Ballet) Program was also introduced in 1999, in partnership with the Edmonton School of Ballet. The city's only school pipe and drum band program, introduced with Vimy Ridge Academy's military emphasis, was shut down in 2012 due to reduced student enrolment.

The Sports Alternative Programming was added a few years later. (rewrite... sports emphasis has already started before 2012, but need to find ref for actual start date of Sports Alt Prog)

The school name was formally changed to Vimy Ridge Academy on February 8, 2011.

Full-school renovation
A $32.5 million full-school modernization started in 2015. Before the renovation the school had a total area of 16,675 square metres, including 440 square metres of decommissioned space and 2,094 square metres of partner space. The original targeted completion date was November 2016; however, Vimy Ridge Academy was one of more than 100 Alberta school construction or renovation projects whose completion dates were delayed in 2015, with Vimy's estimated completion date changed to January 2017. This preliminary completion target was later revised to June 2017, with all major work having been completed by May 2017. The work included demolishing one wing of the school, and adding a gender-neutral washroom. The school remained open throughout the renovation project.

Covid-19 outbreak
During the COVID-19 pandemic Vimy Ridge Academy was one of the first schools in Edmonton to experience multiple cases of COVID-19 following the September start of the 2020–2021 school year. The first case was reported on 14 September 2020, and by 17 September the school had two cases (considered an outbreak). By 21 September the school had six confirmed cases and was one of the first three schools in Alberta to have been placed on Alberta Health Services' COVID-19 watchlist of outbreaks of five or more cases. By 27 September there were seven confirmed cases. It was one of six schools in Alberta that were on the watchlist by the end of September. Alberta schools with COVID-19 outbreaks remain on the Alberta Health Services COVID-19 watchlist until they have not had a new case in more than 28 days. Vimy Ridge Academy's outbreak was declared over sometime before 14 November, and the school was still off the watchlist when all Alberta middle and high schools moved to at-home learning on 30 November.

Academics
Vimy Ridge's high school completion rate was 87.9% in 2015–16. This is classified as "very high", and is significantly higher than the provincial average of 76.5%. The drop out rate is classified as "extremely low" at 0.3%, compared to the provincial average of 3.2%.

The school was the first in Edmonton to participate in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award program

Programs
Vimy Ridge Academy is now an Alternative Program Site featuring Sports Alternative programming and a Dance Program. It is not a designated high school for any neighbourhoods and it does not offer regular academic programming.


 * Professional Dance (by audition only, in partnership with the Edmonton School of Ballet): 52 students
 * Sports Alternative (rigorous competitive or recreational sport-specific training): 1079 students
 * Individual Support (functional and communication skills for students with severe to profound developmental disabilities): 12 students
 * Advanced Placement: 78 students

Sports alternative programs
Vimy Ridge is the only Edmonton Public Schools (EPS) junior high and one of only two EPS high schools offering the Sports Alternative program. The programs include:
 * Baseball (AAD)
 * Softball (AAD)
 * Hockey (AAD)
 * Hockey (Okanagan Hockey Academy)
 * Lacrosse (AAD)
 * Outdoor pursuits (AAD)
 * Ringette (AAD, added in 2019)
 * Sport fit (AAD)
 * Soccer (Green & Gold Athletic Academy)
 * Dance (Edmonton Ballet) (professional dance)
 * Elite athlete
 * Golf (AAD)
 * Brazillian Jiu-jitsu (AAD)
 * Esports (AAD, added in 2022–2023)

in 2003 Junior high school hockey program moved from Donnan to Vimy, and a senior high hockey program was started. Lacrosse program started 2005. The Sport Recreation program started 2006. Ringette will be offered starting in 2019.


 * "first school of its kind in Canada to provide a rigorous academic program for students grades 7 through 12 with an emphasis on Sports Programming (baseball, elite athlete, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, sport fit), Outdoor Pursuits and a Professional Dance Program."

99/00 building details, renos etc capacity 1680

Partnerships

 * University of Alberta Green & Gold Soccer Academy
 * Edmonton School of Ballet
 * Okanagan Hockey Academy Edmonton (part of the Penticton, BC, based Okanagan Hockey Group) moved its Edmonton Bantam Prep (AAA Grades 8–9) and Midget Prep (AAA Grades 10–12)  teams to Vimy starting 2016-2017. A Midget Elite team (AAA Grade 10) was offered by 2018.
 * Academic and Athletic Development (AAD): The parent society for the Vimy and Donnan sports programs. Started 1996, prior to the loss of Bonnie Doon name. http://www.aadie.ca/
 * working note...not a partnership as such, but many of the students at Western Canada Prep Academy, Edmonton's first basketball prep academy (opened in 2021), attend Vimy Ridge.
 * hmm... per 2023 https://www.westerncanadaprepacademy.ca/program they only mention Central High, not Vimy

Athletics
Vimy Ridge competes in the Edmonton Metro High School Athletic Association of the Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (ASAA). Sports team include: cross country running, volleyball, basketball, track and field, badminton, softball, and golf. Individual students may also compete in sports for which Vimy does not have a team as individuals (wrestling, for example) or by joining teams from other Edmonton high schools.

Ironically for a sports school, the only championships found are Boys 2A Zones (i.e city) golf in 2005-6 and 2006-7. Can't seem to find the provincial championship results for golf. Recheck

Facilities

 * The school's exterior fields are Dermott District Park (formerly Bonnie Doon Campus Park). This park had a shale running track around a multi-use field, a soccer field, and a small soccer field, but was reconstructed in 2017. One of the preferred plans called for twin indoor ice arenas adjacent to the school; however, this option was not funded. The field immediately adjacent to the school was completed for the start of the 2018 school year, with the rest of the fields and the outdoor fitness equipment completed in 2019.
 * two gyms
 * climbing wall
 * lacrosse shooting cage
 * fitness centre
 * spin bike room
 * skating treadmill with artificial ice
 * hockey shooting cage with artificial ice
 * two floors of dance studios (shared with Edmonton School of Ballet)

The school also makes use of non-school board facilities such as hockey arenas and RE/MAX Field, Edmonton's baseball stadium, which was leased for use by the baseball academy in 2017 three days a week in winter and five days a week in fall and spring.

Nearby amenities

 * adjacent to City of Edmonton's Bonnie Doon Leisure Centre (outdoor tennis courts and indoor pool)
 * across 83 Street NW from Bonnie Doon Mall and the Idylwylde branch of the Edmonton Public Library
 * close proximity to the Holyrood and Bonnie Doon LRT Stations on Stage 1 of the Valley Line LRT extension.

Class sizes
A 2018 freedom of Information investigation by Postmedia News found that 57% of Edmonton Public Schools (EPS) high school classes were larger than recommended by the Alberta Commission on Learning's guidelines, and that 12% of EPS's high school classes had more than 35 students. Vimy Ridge Academy had one class which was large enough to warrant mention in the report, an English 20-1 class with 41 students.

Alumni

 * Kaetlyn Osmond (2013), Olympic and World Championship gold medalist figure skater, three-time senior Canadian champion (the first while she was attending Vimy Ridge)
 * Dillon Simpson, hockey player in the National Hockey League
 * Keegan Lowe, hockey player in the National Hockey League

Faculty
In addition to their teaching qualifications most faculty members have majors, dual degrees, or second degrees in sports-related areas. Many have participated in high level athletics as players, coaches, or managers.


 * Nathan Dempsey, hockey player in the American Hockey League and the National Hockey League
 * Kurtis Mucha, Edmonton Oilers emergency goalie backup, University of Alberta Golden Bears CIS Goaltender of The Year 2012-13, two CIS championships
 * Jimmy Quinlan, coach and former National Lacrosse League player