Walnut Grove Secondary School

Walnut Grove Secondary School
Communiter Discimus - Together We Learn
Address
8919 Walnut Grove Dr Langley, British Columbia, V1M 2N7 Canada
Coordinates	49°09′56″N 122°38′28″W / 49.16553°N 122.64117°W / 49.16553; -122.64117Coordinates: 49°09′56″N 122°38′28″W / 49.16553°N 122.64117°W / 49.16553; -122.64117
Information
School type	Secondary school
Founded	1991
School board	School District 35 Langley
Superintendent	Suzanne Hoffman
Principal	George Kozlovic
Grades	8-12
Enrollment	2400 approx.
Language	English, French Immersion, Spanish, Japanese, Introductory Italian
Area	Walnut Grove
Colour(s)	Dark green, White and Black
Mascot	Wally the Gator
Team name	Walnut Grove Gators
Website	www.wgss.ca

Walnut Grove Secondary School (WGSS) is located in the community of Walnut Grove in Langley, British Columbia. It has an enrollment of almost 2000 students, making it the largest school in Langley and one of the largest schools in the Vancouver region. As of 2009, it was the seventh largest school in the province of British Columbia. The athletic programs, led by their mascot Wally, are among the highest ranking in the province.^[1]

The school has undergone two significant capital projects since its inception, including the latest in 2001 with a new multipurpose room, classrooms, and student common spaces.

WGSS is also the location for many scenes from the Disney movie 16 Wishes.

Principals

• September 1991 - December 2006 : Mary Wright
• January 2007 - February 2010 : Barry Bunyan
• February 2010 - December 2012: Jim Darby^[2]
• December 2012 – Present : George Kozlovic

Athletics

Walnut Grove's athletics department competes at the "AAA" level. WGSS's senior boys basketball team is consistently ranked top 10 in the province as is its juniors. Walnut Grove also competes in boys and girls volleyball, boys and girls' rugby, ice hockey and a very successful track and field program. The Walnut Grove Gators basketball team enjoys an intense rivalry with another Langley school, the Brookswood Bobcats.

BC Boys AAA Provincial Basketball Championships

From March 15–19, 2011, the Walnut Grove Gators Senior basketball team participated in the 66th annual BC Boys AAA Championship, after advancing through the 2011 Fraser Valley AAA Zone Tournament.

In 2012, the Gators Senior Boys Basketball Team lost the BC Boys AAA Championship in the dying seconds to Terry Fox Secondary School. The final score was 73–72.

In 2013, the Gators Senior Boys Basketball Team avenged their loss winning the Provincial Championships over White Rock Christian Secondary. Jadon Cohee was named tournament MVP following the win.

WGSS Cairn

The WGSS Cairn: a testament to student creativity

The WGSS Cairn was installed in late summer 2014, preceding the start of the school year. Installed, after months of diligent hard work, by inspired WGSS students, it is meant to showcase the Gator Spirit of WGSS. The installation was a multidisciplinary effort utilizing artistic, scientific, and social skills learned in the WGSS pedagogy. It exemplifies the nurturing nature of the school environment in which students can excel and aspire beyond the basic requirements of public education; it exemplifies the idea that public education is a springboard from which a child leaps from to navigate the world in a critical and mindful way.

Fine Arts and Performing Arts

Walnut Grove Music Department

The Walnut Grove band program is split into three sections: Junior Concert Band (grade 8), Intermediate Concert Band (grade 9), and Senior Concert Band (grades 10-12), under the direction of Shane Fawkes. Along with the Concert Band, the music department also features a Junior-Intermediate Jazz Band (Grades 8 and 9), a Senior Jazz Band (Grades 10-12), and one of the district's only Drumline. Walnut Grove also boasts excellent vocal groups, including the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Vocal Jazz. The department also allows the students to take a Music Composition course, including AP.

Notable alumni

• Dallas Smith (singer) - Default (band) Alternative and Country Artist, Webpage:^[3]
• Tara Teng - Miss B.C. World 2010, Miss Canada 2011, Miss World Canada 2012

References

Schools in Langley City and Township of Langley, British Columbia
Secondary schools	Aldergrove Brookswood D. W. Poppy Fraser Valley Adventist Academy Langley Fine Arts Langley Fundamental Langley R. E. Mountain Walnut Grove
Middle or junior high schools	Betty Gilbert H. D. Stafford Langley Fundamental Middle School
Primary or elementary schools	List of all elementary schools
Other schools	Langley Education Centre