Westisle Composite High School is a Canadian secondary school in, Rosebank,

Prince County Prince County is located in western Prince Edward Island, Canada. The county's defining geographic feature is Malpeque Bay, a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which creates the narrowest portion of Prince Edward Island's landmass, an isthmus ...

Prince Edward Island Prince Edward Island (PEI; ) is one of the thirteen Provinces and territories of Canada, provinces and territories of Canada. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population, but the most densely populated. The island has seve ...

. Established in 1979,M.E. Callaghan Intermediate school website
/ref> Westisle provides

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

for 10th to 12th grade students in the western part of the county. The school is administratively part of the

Public Schools Branch Public Schools Branch (PSB), formerly the English Language School Board or ELSB, is a Canadian school district in Prince Edward Island. The Public Schools Branch is an English Canadian, Anglophone district operating 56 public schools (gr. K–12 ...

, and {{As of, 2009, lc=on has an estimated student population of approximately 600. Westisle receives its students from two separate intermediate schools, Merritt E. Callaghan Intermediate School and Hernewood Intermediate School.

History

Planning

In the late 1960s, the Government of Prince Edward Island embarked upon a joint project with the federal government known as the PEI Economic and Social Development Plan. One phase of the plan focused on education and called for a reorganization of the system. The first step was the establishment of five planning boards of 15 members each. After several meetings, the planning board reached the decision to reorganize the school system of western Prince County into six elementary schools, two junior high schools, and a senior high school. In 1976, construction of Westisle Composite High School began, at the expense of discontinuing more localized secondary education that was taking place at Tignish High, Alberton High and O'Leary High schools. The decision was made to merge all of these former schools into one by then Minister of Education,

Bennett Campbell William Bennett Campbell, (August 27, 1943 – September 11, 2008) was a politician and the 24th premier of Prince Edward Island. Born in Montague, Prince Edward Island, Campbell was a teacher by profession before entering politics in 1970 ...

. Though some were against the initial change, many now feel it was an appropriate move.

Opening of the school

The official opening of the school was held on November 2, 1979. The first principal was Frank Mugglestone. The vice-principals were Lorne MacDougald and Richard Roberts (the school continues to employ two vice principals). There was a teaching staff of forty-two, two secretaries, and a custodial staff of nine members. The school's namesake "Westisle" is derived from the school being located in the westernmost portion of Prince Edward Island.

Holland College

In the beginning,

Holland College Holland College is the provincial community college for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island (PEI). It is named after the British Army engineer and surveyor Captain Samuel Holland. History It was formed by the Government of Prince ...

began to use the school to offer programs such as electronics, cosmetology, office studies, and a "Leadership Institute" to its students in the western part of Prince County. The courses at Westisle were offered on an extension basis using personnel and resources from the college's Summerside-area campuses. Night classes began in January 1980 and continued until 1997 when the college ceased use of the school, requiring community college students from the area to commute to campuses in Charlottetown or Summerside. Students can now attend Holland College in the new West Prince Campus located in Alberton.

Notable graduates

Morgan Ellis Morgan Ellis (born April 30, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing under contract with Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Ellis was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 4th roun ...

, Hockey Player

Notable staff

* Dave Cameron - former

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

head coach was a guidance counselor at Westisle

References

External links

Education of Prince Edward Island websiteWestern School Board website
High schools in Prince Edward Island Schools in Prince County, Prince Edward Island Educational institutions established in 1979 1979 establishments in Prince Edward Island