J.L. Forster Secondary School
Encyclopedia
John L. Forster Secondary School, often referred to as J.L. Forster or Forster, is a high school
in the west end of Windsor
, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1922 as General Byng Elementary School, it was later repurposed as a secondary school; it also underwent two name changes, eventually being named after its first principal. It is located within the authority of the Greater Essex County District School Board
(GECDSB) and has been assessed at 2.1 out of 10 in academic performance by the Fraser Institute
.
, the original building cost CAD 250,000 to build and included ten classrooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool; the pool was the first owned by an elementary school in the area. John L. Forster was chosen as its first principal. As the community expanded, it was repurposed as a secondary school and renamed Sandwich Collegiate.
During World War II, 421 students and alumni served in the Canadian Armed Forces; of these, 32 died during the war. Those casualties are memorialized with a plaque in the main hall. In 1950, the first of seven additions was made, and in 1954 Forster retired, with the school being renamed in his honour shortly afterwards. In 1966, a fire in the auditorium caused it to undergo remodeling.
The music program was started in 1960 by Ernie Geranda, who continued to supervise it until 1980. Between 1967 and 1972, Forster's 90-member band (nicknamed The Red Coats) went to Montreal
for Expo '67, Osaka
, Japan, for Expo '70
, and Windsor, England
to perform in the Windsor Royal Music Festival for Queen Elizabeth II.
Forster was chosen to host Windsor and Essex County's
English as a Second Language (ESL) program. It also hosts the Sandwich Community Health Centre.
In August 2011, the band held a reunion. Held partially as a fundraiser to establish a scholarship for Forster students wishing to study music at the University of Windsor
, it reunited 185 former members.
, which reported that 53.2 percent of Forster students scored below average in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
and the standardized math testing. The results were rejected by John Howitt, superintendent of the GECDSB, who indicated that the large English as a Second Language (ESL) program had skewered the results.
Education in Canada
Education in Canada is for the most part provided publicly, funded and overseen by federal, provincial, and local governments. Education is within provincial jurisdiction and the curriculum is overseen by the province. Education in Canada is generally divided into primary education, followed by...
in the west end of Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1922 as General Byng Elementary School, it was later repurposed as a secondary school; it also underwent two name changes, eventually being named after its first principal. It is located within the authority of the Greater Essex County District School Board
Greater Essex County District School Board
The Greater Essex County District School Board was created on January 1, 1998 with the amalgamation of the Windsor Board Of Education and the Essex County Board of Education...
(GECDSB) and has been assessed at 2.1 out of 10 in academic performance by the Fraser Institute
Fraser Institute
The Fraser Institute is a Canadian think tank. It has been described as politically conservative and right-wing libertarian and espouses free market principles...
.
History
Forster was originally built in 1922 as an elementary school to service Sandwich. Designed by Andrew J. Riddell and named after General Julian ByngJulian Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy
Field Marshal Julian Hedworth George Byng, 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy was a British Army officer who served as Governor General of Canada, the 12th since Canadian Confederation....
, the original building cost CAD 250,000 to build and included ten classrooms, an auditorium, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool; the pool was the first owned by an elementary school in the area. John L. Forster was chosen as its first principal. As the community expanded, it was repurposed as a secondary school and renamed Sandwich Collegiate.
During World War II, 421 students and alumni served in the Canadian Armed Forces; of these, 32 died during the war. Those casualties are memorialized with a plaque in the main hall. In 1950, the first of seven additions was made, and in 1954 Forster retired, with the school being renamed in his honour shortly afterwards. In 1966, a fire in the auditorium caused it to undergo remodeling.
The music program was started in 1960 by Ernie Geranda, who continued to supervise it until 1980. Between 1967 and 1972, Forster's 90-member band (nicknamed The Red Coats) went to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
for Expo '67, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan, for Expo '70
Expo '70
was a World's Fair held in Suita, Osaka, Japan between March 15 and September 13, 1970. The theme of the Expo was "Progress and Harmony for Mankind." In Japanese Expo '70 is often referred to as Ōsaka Banpaku...
, and Windsor, England
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
to perform in the Windsor Royal Music Festival for Queen Elizabeth II.
Forster was chosen to host Windsor and Essex County's
Essex County, Ontario
Essex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
English as a Second Language (ESL) program. It also hosts the Sandwich Community Health Centre.
In August 2011, the band held a reunion. Held partially as a fundraiser to establish a scholarship for Forster students wishing to study music at the University of Windsor
University of Windsor
The University of Windsor is a public comprehensive and research university in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's southernmost university. It has a student population of approximately 15,000 full-time and part-time undergraduate students and over 1000 graduate students...
, it reunited 185 former members.
Academics
In 2011, Forster was rated 2.1 out of 10 in academic achievement by the Fraser Institute; this was the lowest score in Windsor and 705th out of 727 throughout the province. The score was based on data from the Education Quality and Accountability OfficeEducation Quality and Accountability Office
The Education Quality and Accountability Office is an arm’s-length Crown agency of the Government of Ontario, Canada, legislated into creation in 1996 in response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission on Learning in February 1995....
, which reported that 53.2 percent of Forster students scored below average in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test
The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is a compulsory standardized test for high school students in Ontario who wish to obtain the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. It was established in 2001 by the Conservative government...
and the standardized math testing. The results were rejected by John Howitt, superintendent of the GECDSB, who indicated that the large English as a Second Language (ESL) program had skewered the results.
Demographics
, Forster has 480 students, with 51 percent recent immigrants taking an ESL or English Language Development (ELD) course; the ESL program is for students who have received formal education in their native countries, while the ELD program is for those who have not. A total of 55 countries are represented.Notable alumni
- John MillsonJohn Millson (Canadian politician)John Millson is a Canadian politician and businessman. He served as mayor of Windsor, Ontario, from 1988 to 1991, later becoming president of the Windsor Raceway. In 2009 he co-founded Great Lakes Energy Limited. , he has been rumored to be a contender for Member of Provincial Parliament of West...
, former mayor of Windsor