White Oaks Secondary School

White Oaks Secondary School
Location
1330 Montclair Drive Oakville , Ontario , L6H 1Z5 Canada
Coordinates	43°27′48″N79°42′05″W / 43.46333°N 79.70139°W / 43.46333; -79.70139
Information
School type	Public, High school
Founded	1965 (1965)
School board	Halton District School Board
Superintendent	Colette Ruddock
Area trustee	Kelly Amos
School number	953121 [1]
Principal	Anthony Crofts [2]
Grades	9–12
Enrolment	2257 [3]  (2025–2026)
Language	English, [4] French immersion
Colours	Blue and Gold
Mascot	Wildcats
Website	wos.hdsb.ca

White Oaks Secondary School (WOSS) is a secondary school located in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

The school has north and south campuses, across the road from each other. The north campus used to be attended by students who had different levels and types of capabilities than those of the south campus. The school now acts as a whole, and students can take classes at North or South campus. The north campus offers hands-on technical programs such as hairdressing, child care, autobody and carpentry, as well as classes for students with a wide range of disabilities, and English Language Learner programs (ELL), and is the location for recognized Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP) and the Ford Academy of Manufacturing Sciences (FAMS). White Oaks also offers French at the immersion level, as well as the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme. ^[5] In the Fraser Institute's report on Ontario schools for the 2019–2020 year, the school was ranked 21 out of 739 secondary schools with an overall rating of 8.6/10. ^[6]

History

White Oaks Secondary School was formerly a World War II bomb shelter constructed in the early 1940s as part of local civil defense efforts. The structure was designed for durability rather than long-term civilian use, featuring reinforced concrete, narrow corridors, and limited natural light.

Following the end of the war, the bomb shelter was converted into a secondary school with minimal structural renovation. As a result, much of the building’s original infrastructure remained in use, contributing to its distinctive layout and aging facilities. The site’s origins as a bomb shelter are frequently cited in discussions of the school’s condition and design.

Notable alumni

• Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to walk in space, spent four years at White Oaks Secondary School before attending Milton District High School for his OAC. ^[7]
• Mike Vanderjagt, ex-NFL kicker, graduated from White Oaks Secondary School.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Shane Told, the lead singer of the Post-Hardcore band Silverstein.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Glenn Milchem, drummer for popular Canadian band Blue Rodeo. ^[8]
• Tony Mandarich, NFL Green Bay Packers #1 Draft Pick graduated from White Oaks Secondary School ^[9]
• Geri Hall, actress on Canadian comedy show "This Hour has 22 Minutes", popular TV commercial actor. ^[10]
• Arda Ocal, Host of "Right After Wrestling" on The Score Television Network.^{[ citation needed ]}
• Diana Matheson, midfielder for Canada's women's soccer team. ^[11]
• Mark McEwan Chef, Entrepreneur, host of Top Chef Canada^{[ citation needed ]}
• Kinley McNicoll, former soccer player ^[12]
• Rob Zamuner, former NHL hockey player ^{[13] [14]}
• Dan Lett, actor^{[ citation needed ]}
• Scott Wilson (ice hockey), former NHL hockey ^{[15] [16]}
• Madeline Schizas, Canadian Olympic figure skater ^[17]
• Shawn Stasiak, chiropractor, motivational speaker and retired professional wrestler ^[18]

See also

• Education in Ontario
• List of secondary schools in Ontario

References

1. "White Oaks High School (953121)". Secondary school profile. Ontario Ministry of Education. 2011-04-01. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
2. "White Oaks Secondary School - Contacts".
3. "School Details". Halton District School Board. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
4. "White Oaks SS (953121)". School profile. Education Quality and Accountability Office. 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-26.
5. White Oaks Secondary School
6. "Report Card for White Oaks High School". School report cards. Fraser Institute . Retrieved 2024-05-16.
7. The Spectator. Hamilton, Ont.: Oct 16, 1999. pg. N.6
8. "Reconnect with friends from Classmates Test High School, find reunions, view yearbook photos and more". Classmates.com.
9. Mandrich, Tony (January 2009). My Dirty Little Secrets - Steroids, Alcohol & God: The Tony Mandarich Story. Loving Healing Press. ISBN   9781932690781.
10. "Geri Hall makes pitch to Canada's political leaders". www.insidehalton.com. 24 September 2008. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
11. "Diana Matheson on X". July 2012. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
12. "Kinley McNicoll". Archived from the original on July 16, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
13. "Each one has earned their place in history". 24 February 2007.
14. "Oakville Sports Hall of Fame". www.oshof.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-05.
15. "Oakville's Wilson ready for next chapter in hockey career". 11 April 2014.
16. "Scott Wilson Stats and News".
17. Beaver, Steve LeBlanc Oakville (2018-01-17). "Oakville's Schizas recovers to finish 6th at nationals". InsideHalton.com. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
18. "SLAM! profile". Archived from the original on January 1, 2013.

External links

• Official website