St. John's-Ravenscourt School

St. John's-Ravenscourt School (commonly referred to as SJR) is an independent, co-educational, university-preparatory school founded in 1820. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the school delivers an enriched curriculum from Kindergarten through Grade 12. Elizabeth II, as Queen of Canada, is the royal patron of the school. The school offers a boarding option starting in grade 8.

St. John's-Ravenscourt School
Address
400 South Drive

Winnipeg
,
Manitoba

Canada
Coordinates49.8433°N 97.1221°W / 49.8433; -97.1221
Information
Established1820
Head of schoolJim Keefe
GradesK-12
Enrolment850-1000 students
LanguageEnglish
Colour(s)Green and Gold   
MascotBald Eagle
Team nameEagles
Websitewww.sjr.mb.ca

History

The organization that became St. John's College School was founded in 1820 by Rev. John West as the Red River Mission School for the children of early Selkirk settlers and select aboriginal children.[1] The school was originally built in Selkirk on the banks of the Red River, and then relocated by Rev. David Thomas Jones to Winnipeg, on the west bank of the river near present-day St. John's Park. In 1834, there were 20 boys and 21 girls attending the renamed Red River Academy.[1]

The Academy was purchased in 1849 by the Bishop of Rupertsland, David Anderson, and was renamed St. John's Collegiate.[2] In 1866, the school's name was changed to St. John's College School. Its campus was expanded to include buildings on Main Street and Anderson Avenue, which stood as a landmark until their demolition in the early 1950s.

In 1929, Norman Young became the first headmaster of Ravenscourt. Young had been encouraged by a group of Winnipeg businessmen, who promised that their sons would attend. Ravenscourt school was originally located at Armstrong's Point on the Assiniboine River.[3] In 1934, it was relocated to a house built by Colonel R.M. Thomson.[4] The unfinished home was located in Fort Garry on the banks of the Red River. The new facility was soon expanded to include the Richardson Gymnasium, the first gym in Western Canada to sport a basketball court.

In 1950, the Board of Anglican churchmen that as a group governed St. John's College decided to close the school. This decision upset the alumni of the school, and the alumni sought a way to continue their school. It was finally decided that St. John's College School would be amalgamated with Ravenscourt. The two schools became St. John's-Ravenscourt.[5]

After the flood of 1950, many new facilities were added to the school, notably an arena and a junior school building. In 1971, the school made the decision to readmit girls to the school.[6]

In November 1981, Her Majesty the Queen granted her patronage to the School, and one year later gave permission for the creation of scholarship in her name to mark the event of her patronage.[4]

In 2004, kindergarten classes and a music room were created for the junior school, and girls were allowed into junior school. In 2014, the new Richardson Senior School and Riley Fitness Centre were opened. The renovation project was done by Bockstael Construction in association with Stantec Architects.[7]

Curriculum

On the national stage, SJR is the host of the annual Canadian National Public Speaking Championship; internationally, SJR has won 15 of the 32 World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships (WIDPSCs) thus far - more than any other school - with their most recent first place overall finish at WIDPSC 2014.[8]

Tuition

There is a tuition, and depending on grade and/or boarding, prices range from $16,890 to $49,440.[9] The school has financial aid for those who are unable to pay the full tuition.

Notable alumni

St. John's-Ravenscourt School has produced 18 Rhodes Scholars,[10] as well as numerous otherwise notable alumni, including:

Athletics

Athletics are an important factor in the SJR community. Soccer is the School's most popular sport in terms of participation, with twelve recreational teams from U9 through U16, four Varsity teams and two CAIS traveling teams. Ultimate Frisbee is another popular sport at SJR, with traveling teams, and recreational teams. Ice hockey, another popular sport at SJR, is played in Dutton Memorial Arena. [11]

Other popular sports include rugby, volleyball, basketball, and badminton.

Notes
  1. Manitoba Historical Society. "St. John's Ravenscourt School". http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/organization/sjr.shtml
  2. Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. "Anderson, David". http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?BioId=39461
  3. Manitoba Historical Society. "A Walking Tour of Armstrong's Point". http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/05/armstrongpttour.shtml
  4. Thomson A, Lafortune S. Handbook of Canadian Boarding Schools. Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1999, p 241
  5. "The St. John's-Ravenscourt School Incorporation Act". Retrieved 2007-02-05.
  6. Thomson, A. "Secondary Education in Manitoba in 1994". https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/dspace/bitstream/10219/187/5/Manitoba.pdf
  7. "St. John's-Ravenscourt Senior School and Fitness Centre". Bockstael Construction. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  8. WIDPSC. "Hosts / World Champions". World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  9. "A Private Independent Co-ed school in Winnipeg, Manitoba".
  10. "St. John's-Ravenscourt School FAQs".
  11. "Max Hockey School". http://www.maxhockey.ca

References
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