Vaughan Road Academy

Founding

Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute (VRCI) was the first high school built in York Township, the forerunner of the Borough of York. Construction of VRCI began in July 1926 and the cornerstone was laid by Lieutenant-Governor Henry Cockshutt in September 1926. George Evans, the first principal, served from 1926 to 1957. In April 1927, the students moved into the school from temporary quarters in portables at Rawlinson Public School.

In 1988 the school was renamed Vaughan Road Academy, and began offering advanced academic, arts and athletic programs. It began offering the International Baccalaureate program in 1998.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program allows students to earn an IB Diploma, while also earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.), which increases a student's chance of acceptance into universities worldwide.

INTERACT

The INTERACT program is for students in the school who are heavily involved in the arts or athletics program outside of school. These students have flexible schedules to accommodate their auditions, rehearsals, performances, competitions, etc. The program is mostly done in small group settings and whenever possible, the teachers can design assignments that incorporate the student's interest as well (such as a history assignment researching on the music of a certain historical era when the student is interested in music). Notable alumni of the INTERACT program include Drake, Ellen Page, Alison Pill, Mark Rendall, Tyler Nella, Matthew Ortved, and Julie and Gigi Rabnett.

Co-operative education

Co-operative education, or Co-op is a structured method of combining academic education with practical work experience. It is a four credit semester program and at Vaughan Road, it is offered in: World of Work (3) and Business English (1). The program is open to all students who are 16 years old and have completed sixteen credits. This program offers youth a chance to "try out" a career while they can still afford the chance to explore, gain and develop good work habits and experience for the future, and test their skills and knowledge learnt at school in the work place.

Empowered Student Partnership

Empowered Student Partnership or ESP was launched in October 2002. Since then 110 greater Toronto area high schools have joined, including Vaughan Road Academy. It challenges schools citywide to make a difference in their community and tackles issues through student-driven initiatives. Students work along with the Toronto Police Service, the Canadian Safe School Network, ProAction, the City of Toronto, the Toronto District School Board, the Toronto Catholic District School Board, Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest, and Conseil scolaire de district Catholique Centre-Sud to execute a safe schools initiative in their local schools and communities. Students take the steps to solve problems specific to their school with the option of utilizing programs or guest speakers, available to them through the Police Coordinator at Community Programs, Youth Services.

Athletics

Vaughan Road Academy has interscholastic and intramural teams for badminton, ball hockey, baseball, basketball, cricket, cross country running, flag football, hockey, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field and volleyball and knuckeballs.

Vaughan Road competes in TDSSAA and Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) as the Vaughan Road Vipers, which is not to be confused with a similarly named junior hockey team in Vaughan, Ontario.

In 2012, the Vaughan Road Vipers basketball team won the OFSAA 'AA' Provincial Championships. In 2004, the Vipers came second in the OFSAA 'AA' Provincial Championships.

Vaughan Vox

Vaughan Road Academy has a school newspaper known as the "Vaughan Vox", sometimes simply called the "Vox". Typically released twice a year, it is usually eight pages long and covers a range of school activities and issues.

Queer-Straight Alliance

Vaughan Road Academy has a large and active Queer-Straight Alliance. Founded in 2006 as a Gay-Straight Alliance by a small group of grade 12 students, it was reactivated in 2010. The organization works to combat homophobia in the school and to create a safe environment for Queer students and those who support them. They have hosted guest speakers, including Farrah Khan and Brent Hawkes. In 2013 the group changed its name to the Queer-Straight Alliance.

Recognition for other activities

Vaughan Road students have participated in competitions such as the annual Sears Ontario Drama Festival, where several of the top awards for 2006 went to VRA students, and the International Olympiad in Informatics, where a VRA student received a gold medal in 2005 and silver medals in 2004 and 2006. In 2013, the short film "Homecoming," produced by grade twelve students in the Vaughan Road Academy film program, was shown in the TIFF Bell Lightbox "Jump Cuts" film festival. The following year, in 2014, Vaughan film students had another film in the "Jump Cuts" festival, "Nightlight."

School motto

The school motto is a quote from the fourth book of Vergil's Georgics which describes the behavior and society of bees: In Medium Quaesita Reponunt, which means "They lay up in store for common use whatever they have gained".

The motto suggests Vaughan Road students are in the school for the purpose of searching for and acquiring the knowledge and skills which may be used for the benefit of the community at large. The word "Quaesita" suggests effort sustained over a long period of time and also the application of the mind towards the attainment of a purpose. The words "In Medium" show that the purpose is not a selfish one, that students are aiming to prepare themselves for service to society.

School song

(Originally, the words Vaughan Road Academy and V.R.A. were Vaughan Road C.I. and V.R.C.I., respectively. In 1960-1963, the words in the song were Vaughan Collegiate and V.C.I. respectively)

School architecture

VRA, or Vaughan as it is affectionately known, from above appears as a near-isosceles right angle triangle with enclosed courtyard (in which a daycare for Vaughan students' children operates) of the same shape; the overall aerial view's reminiscence of The Pentagon lending the building the moniker "The Triagon". While the school letter is predictably "V" as chosen from the Latin alphabet, the lesser-known Greek school letter, Delta, is derived from the building's shape; as in the sciences Delta denotes change.

The first wing of the school was built in 1926, the second in 1931, and the third, which closed the "L" and turned it into a triangle, in 1967.

Notable alumni