After 24 months of construction, the school allowed students to attend classes on September 1, 2011. However, the school officially opened on September 22, 2011. École McTavish is named after Douglas Craig McTavish and Cassia McTavish. Douglas Craig McTavish was the first Fort McMurray Public School Board Superintendent. He was hired to build the first school and he literally did that by using logs. After completion, McTavish left but soon returned in 1913 with his bride, Cassia. Cassia, a pioneer in her own right, taught 13 students in the region for five years without pay. In 1914, Mr. McTavish made the first school tax assessment. For his fortitude, Mr. McTavish was later appointed Justice of the Peace. École McTavish's atrium wall features a 20 foot by 14 foot actual 1912 picture of the first log school with Douglas Craig and Cassia McTavish standing beside it. In September 2018 the school expanded to include Grades 10-12, complete with renovations to the current building and a large addition to the existing school totalling $30 million.
School Site
The core school area is 8804 square meters. The initial capacity is 800 students which doubled to 1600 students with the high school expansion in 2018. The school houses over $750,000 in solar panels, an indoor greenhouse, and outdoor gardens as part of our environmental initiatives. The building also features a theatre with lighting and sound, a state-of-the-art dance studio, three gymnasiums, two separate learning commons areas, welding and automotive facilities, technology suites for animation and coding, culinary arts facilities, and daily hot lunch service.
Curriculum
The school follows the national curriculum. Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts are the four core subjects. There are also optional courses like robotics, cooking, recreational leadership, music, etc. In the 2017-2018 school year, McTavish's sports teams won 16 out of a possible 20 Junior High City Championships in sports, including basketball, volleyball, badminton, track and field, and cross country. The school's Robotics teams have travelled to international competitions, and have also had great success across Alberta. Their Music programming includes Concert Band, Jazz Band, Glee, Show Choir, Guitar, and annual Musical Productions. The Band and Choir has travelled to Disneyland, Ottawa and Montreal, Edmonton and New York City. Musical Productions have included Beauty and the Beast Jr., Annie Jr., Seussical Jr., The Wiz, Aladdin Jr., and Into the Woods.
