Wexford Collegiate Institute

Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts is a public secondary school, highly respected for its strong emphasis in the arts, and for its outstanding visual and performance art programs. It is owned and operated by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The school is located in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. The school was built in 1965, just north-west of Lawrence and Pharmacy Avenue.

Overview

Each students in Wexford takes between 6-8 courses a year. The school is semestered, meaning that the courses are taken over two semesters in a year, to a maximum of four courses a semester.

Admissions

The admission policy for Wexford differs from the general admission policy set out by the Toronto District School Board. Unlike other TDSB highschools, that allow admission to students living within the school's area, and admission to students who live outside the "homeschool" area through a process called optional attendance, only "homeschool" students, and students applying to one of Wexford's 3 special arts programs, may attend the school.

Programs

Visual Arts Program

The Art Centre at Wexford offers a Special Series Package with a total of 12 credits over 4 years, a great preparation for post secondary art at college or university or for a career in art. The art staff consists of 9 teachers, each a practicing artist, who provide expert instruction and sincere personal attention. The art centre has 9 large studios, each specifically equipped to deliver a specialised course.

[http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/wexfordci/visual_arts.htm]

Wexford has had specialised art courses for over forty years. It has been voted one of the best arts-based highschools in the continent and has received praise for providing a strong background for those wishing to pursue a career (in art)

Performing Arts [Drama Focus and Musical Theatre]

Because of their ties to the professional film, television, and theatre community in Toronto, the Wexford staff arrange workshops for their students conducted by some of Toronto’s leading artists. This can only help to give the Wexford students the strongest background possible.

These ties to the professional community have also given professional opportunities to some talented Wexford students in film, television, musical theatre and radio jingles. We have established over the past three years a great relationship between our Music Theatre students and the Hospital for Sick Children’s Telethon produced by CFTO. We were invited back for a seventh year in 1997. In 1993 we had four "spots" on the telethon, including the final number which we shared with CoIm Wilkinson (The Phantom) and Michael Burgess (Les Miz, Man of La Mancha). The Music Theatre students also performed a video with Donny Osmond, (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat) and in 1994 shared the stage with Micheal Bell, (Showboat) now on Broadway.

In addition, the students have performed live both on CBC and TSN networks, live on stage at the New Yorker Theatre, recorded the original song "Keep the Spirit Alive" for the special Olympics, performed at the Celebrity Sports Auction, performed with Robert Pilon at Casa Loma for CEO’s from all over the world including the President of Sony, Jane Fonda and Ted Turner; along with the Leahy’s and Andre Philipe Gagnon; Wexford Music Theatre entertained 5,000 representatives from all over North America at the Metro Convention Centre and most recently appeared along with the cast of Rent at Mel and Marilyn Lastman’s Inaugural Ball.

Notable Alumni

* FeFe Dobson - Singer.
* Mike Mandel - Hypnotist/Performer
* Wayne Dillon -Professional Hockey Player NHL WHA
* Nina Dobrev - Actress
* Brent Townsend - Canadian wildlife artist and creator of the Toonie for the Royal Canadian Mint.

External links

* [http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/wexfordci/ Wexford Collegiate Institute Website]