C. W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute


C.W. Jefferys Collegiate Institute is a semestered public secondary school in the Keele and Finch area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

History

The school was founded in 1965. It was named after Charles William Jefferys, a Canadian artist whose work has contributed much to education in the areas of Canadian History and Art. The first Head of the Art Department was James Meechan, a stained glass artist.
Graduation rates at the school, which had been low, improved significantly after 2015, when, as part of a school board pilot project, grade 9 and 10 classes were destreamed to create more flexibility for students. Principal Monday Gala was later recognized as an outstanding educator for this initiative.

Academics

The school offers a Visual Arts Program which draws students from neighbouring school area; many of the teaching staff for this program are practicing artists. Additionally, it is home to the ESTeM Enriched Science, Technology and Mathematics Program - a project based, hands-on, exploratory approach to the Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Technology.
The school participates in York University’s Advanced Credit Experience program, which provides co-operative learning experiences in the community.
The school also runs student success initiatives supporting "at risk" students through the Learning to 18 pilot project, "Stay Connected", mentorship and the credit recovery program offered at the school. There is also an after school activity program and a Focus on Youth summer program.
The academic and student support initiatives have resulted in an increasing number of students securing bursaries or scholarships for post-secondary education.

Athletics

In 2007 a student was shot and killed in the hallway of the school. This was the first such incident in a Toronto school.
In 2017 a student on a school trip drowned after being allowed to participate in water activities in spite of having failed the required swimming test.