Preston High School, located on the bank of the Grand River in Cambridge, Ontario, first opened in 1934. Feeder schools are William G. Davis Senior Public School, Clemens Mill Public School and Silverheights Public School in Cambridge and Doon Public School in Kitchener. It is one of sixteen secondary schools in the Waterloo Region District School Board. In 2007, approximately 300 students entered grade 9 and the total enrolment was 1253, which is a below average number compared to other schools in the Waterloo region. For the 2018-2019 academic year, the administration includes Paula Bender as principal and vice principals Ryan Gibb and Phyllis Macleod.
Curriculum
Preston has programs available in: English, mathematics, science, health and physical education, languages, geography, history, family studies, business arts, visual arts, dramatic arts, music, and technological studies. Preston was previously an officially designated magnet school for enhanced academic students, but now the "Enhanced" program is only available to students who live within the school's catchment area.
Facilities
Preston High School's facilities include 58 classrooms, a small cafetorium, 2 gyms—one single, one double—a library, 6 technological studies rooms, 2 art rooms, 6 computer labs, and a music room with 3 practice rooms. A new science wing with four science labs and a computer room was added in September 2004. The library was also renovated in 2018-2019. The back campus includes a playing field for football, field hockey, and rugby with access to a smaller practice field. There is also a tennis court. The track and field team practices on a regulation size cinder track. Beside the Grand River and near the school is the Linear Trail, a 3.5 km community trail which the cross country and track and field teams use. Two ice surfaces, the Preston Auditorium and the Homuth Arena, are within walking distance.
Athletics
Preston's sports consist of football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, curling, ice hockey, rugby, golf, soccer, tennis, slo-pitch, wrestling, cross-country, track and field, and field hockey. Football is one of the biggest sports at Preston. The senior football team have been successful over the years and have won the title of WCCSSA Champions in 2003, 2004 and 2006. However, in 2007, Preston was upset by Galt Collegiate Institute in the playoffs semifinals. In the 2012 season the Panther's Junior football won the WCSSA championship, defeating the Jacob Hespeler Hawks. Preston won the WCSSAA Championship for Boys Hockey in 2015 beating the Grand River Renegades 2-1, capturing their first title since 1996. Preston has also had success with their cross-country, badminton, and curling teams. They have won many awards in these sports and sometimes the teams make it to WCCSSA and CWOSSA.
Arts
Preston High School has consistent achievement in the Arts departments. Each year, students in visual arts participate in the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery's student-only "Expressions" exhibit, and those in the photographic classes contribute to PhotoSensitive projects. In Drama, Preston's Improv Team has finished within the top 3 teams in the Guelph/Niagara Region for the past 10 years in the Canadian Improv Games, and placed top 10 and top 5 overall in Canada in 2005 and 2009 respectively. Preston has also seen great success at the Sears Ontario Drama Festival, frequently moving onto the Regional showcase, and receiving awards of merit and excellence for their productions. The music department offers many traditional big band instruments, with a new addition of acoustic guitars. Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Jazz Band, and Concert Choir are all extracurricular opportunities. These groups compete in the Georgian Bay Regional MusicFest, and the Ontario Vocal Festival. The school is also the first in Waterloo Region to start an online high school radio station licensed by . Listeners can stream to hear various student-run shows and podcasts.
Global Outreach
Global Outreach is a program in which students do charity work in different countries. It is run by the Geography Department and all their work is non profit.
