John Oliver Secondary School

Last updated
John Oliver Secondary School
John Oliver Secondary School emblem.png
Address
John Oliver Secondary School
530 East 41st Avenue

, ,
Canada
Coordinates 49°13′57″N123°5′37″W / 49.23250°N 123.09361°W / 49.23250; -123.09361
Information
School type Secondary school
Motto"Virtus Vincit"
(Courage Conquers All)
Founded1912(113 years ago) (1912)
School board School District 39 Vancouver
SuperintendentHelen McGregor
Area trusteeJanet Fraser
PrincipalAndrew Schofield
Grades 812
Enrollment978 [1]
Language English
Area Sunset
Colour(s)Red and blue
  
MascotJ.O. Joker
Team nameJokers
PublicationJO Canvas
Public transit access Translinkbusrapid.svg R4 41st Avenue RapidBus 8, 41, N8
Website johnoliver.vsb.bc.ca OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Last updated: November 2018

John Oliver Secondary School is a public secondary school located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street (between the Vancouver neighbourhoods of Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Riley Park-Little Mountain and Sunset). It is named after John Oliver, the Premier of British Columbia from 1918 to 1927. The school is composed of four main segments: the main building ("A" Building) containing the bulk of the learning areas, including the Auditorium and Learning Commons; a wooden building ("B" Building) affectionately nicknamed "The Barn", due to its appearance, which is closed but was previously used by the mini school and Digital Immersion students; a Drama Studio ("C" Building) which allows for several theatre and acting courses; and a concrete building — the engineering building — bisected by a breezeway, with automotive, metal, and wood shops.

Contents

Current

Front entrance to John Oliver Secondary School. John Oliver Secondary School front entrance.jpg
Front entrance to John Oliver Secondary School.

John Oliver Secondary is a school of approximately 1150 students attending grades Eight to Twelve with nearly 70 teachers. The students participate in many extracurricular activities including Music, Sports and Clubs.
The school has a multicultural student population, with a large number of bilingual students. Although the predominant populations are reflective of the Indo and Filipino-Canadian neighbourhood it resides in, many other ethnic backgrounds are represented in the school's population.

History

The school was originally called South Vancouver High School and began in 1912 as two surplus classrooms on the grounds of Lord Selkirk Elementary at 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street. The following year, when enrolment jumped from 58 to 148, the high school students moved to General Gordon School, which is today known as Sir Sanford Fleming Elementary, located at 49th Avenue and Knight Street. Enrolment continued to increase and a site for a purpose-built high school was chosen near 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, adjacent to the South Vancouver municipal hall and fire station. [2] South Vancouver's first, stand-alone high school was built in 1920, and was opened on January 21, 1921 by its new namesake, the Honourable John Oliver, then Premier of BC. By 1926, the enrolment of the school was over 900, and a second building with an additional 8 rooms was built to the west of the main building, on 43rd Ave. This new building, now called "The Barn", is still in existence today. The main part of the current school building was erected in 1950 on 41st Avenue, with the subsequent addition and expansion of technical studies shops, cafeteria and music wing during the following years. The original building burnt down on December 9, 1959. [3]

Programs and course offerings

Events and performances

John Oliver has hosted many events and productions annually.

Teams

John Oliver offers a wide variety of team sports held over the school year, usually with several separate teams for junior, senior, male, and female categories. This list is not exclusive. Teams offered are dependent on student sign up and coaches availability.

Clubs

John Oliver has a very strong student community. Part of this student community are the extra-curricular clubs and their teacher sponsors. [4]

Notable graduates

Media

American comedy-drama film, What Goes Up starring Hilary Duff, Josh Peck and Steve Coogan was filmed in John Oliver.

Gym interior and outdoor scenes in American teen drama television series, Riverdale were filmed in and outside John Oliver.

Some school scenes for Death Note (2017 film) were filmed in and outside the school.

The Netflix slasher film, There's Someone Inside Your House starring Sydney Park, Théodore Pellerin and Burkely Duffield was filmed in John Oliver. [5]

References

  1. https://studentsuccess.gov.bc.ca/school/03939007/report/contextual-information John Oliver Secondary Demographic Information
  2. South Vancouver's John Oliver High School: A Proud Record 1912–1986, edited by Eric Kelly
  3. The Story of South Vancouver and John Oliver High School, by Ken MacLeod, 2012
  4. go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/johnoliver/students/clubs/Pages/default.aspx
  5. Beg, Mirza Aaqib (2021-10-06). "Where Was There's Someone Inside Your House Filmed?". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved 2025-05-01.