Chinook High School is the largest school operated by LethbridgeSchool District No. 51. The public high school is one of four in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, that serve grades nine through twelve. Completed in 2010, it was the first public high school to open in the city in 50 years; Winston Churchill High School was the last. It is also the only secondary school on the city's west side. Classes began on the afternoon of Monday, August 30, 2010, and a grand opening followed on September 17 at a final, on-budget construction cost of $45.3 million. The school was built at a 20 hectare site as part of a $94.3 million Community School project which also included a Catholic Central High School West Campus, Crossings Branch Library, and the Crossings Leisure Complex. The first principal was Clark Bosch, formerly of Winston Churchill High School. A high number of the first staff and athletic directors were formerly of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, The school features a 350-seat theatre, with similar amenities to the Genevieve E. Yates Memorial Centre in south Lethbridge, as well as a large gymnasium with arena style lighting.
Athletics
The school is currently in its ninth year of operation. Chinook offers a choice of 11 different sports. They include, football, volleyball, basketball, rugby, baseball, curling, track and field, cross country, golf, badminton and slo-pitch. Of these 11 sports, only 9 are ASAA recognized. Baseball and slo-pitch are not recognized because of the inability to play these sports in 5 out of the 8 zones due to the weather.
Nearby Amenities
The school neighborhood was planned to include the Crossings Leisure Complex. It will enclose an ice arena complex; an aquatics centre with water slides, lazy river and whirlpools; a multi-sport field house with fitness centre, indoor track, and gymnasiums; and child minding area with indoor playground. Also under construction are a number of nearby leased commercial properties in the neighborhood known as The Crossings.
CHS Sound
The school has a vast arts department including guitar, rock and pop, drama, dance, and art. Throughout the school year the guitar, rock and pop, drama, and dance classes will have concerts within the school's media center. In order to run all of these shows, an audio technicians, lighting personnel, and backstage managers are required. A group of three students who work under the CHS Sound name help in all three of these tasks, but mainly in the audio technician positions, to help with these shows.
