Kingston Secondary School Snapshot
October 2020
Construction nearing completion
The construction of the new Kingston Secondary School (KSS) site is now 97.5-per-cent complete with a target of mid-November for full completion.
As the 171,000-square-foot facility, which will house students from Kingston Collegiate & Vocational Institute (KCVI) and Module Vanier, nears completion, work continues on the inside to ready the building for the move of students and staff late this year.
Custodial staff have cleaned the second and third floors and waxed all flooring on these levels. Work on installing the hard wood floors in both gymnasiums is to begin shortly. Work on the first floor continues with the completion of the library ceiling and installation of hardwood flooring in the practice gym.
A move coordinator is working on various moving logistics that includes furniture moving from KCVI, shop equipment and office equipment such as photocopiers and printers. Some of the new furniture is being moved into the building with more to come.
Work on the exterior is almost complete. The final layer of the new rubberized track was recently finished, and all the line painting is also complete. The parking lot and entrance ways have been paved and all concrete sidewalks have been poured. There remains some sodding and asphalt work still to be completed. Work on a chain link fence around the site perimeter will begin soon. Most of the landscaping including the laying of sod has been finished, and the former Queen Elizabeth Collegiate & Vocational Institute Memorial Garden located in the northern alcove has also been finished.
Construction of the KSS site was delayed in April due to the COVID-19 pandemic which further delayed opening the school to students this school year.
Student Forum inside main foyer
Library/Learning Commons
Former QECVI Memorial Garden
Principal Talya McKenna & Student Trustee (KCVI) Namirah Quadir
Rubberized track and field
Third-floor hallway
Tentative transition to new school site
Moving students and staff to the new Kingston Secondary School site is a complex operation. School and board staff are been working on various options to ensure as smooth a transition as possible.
With construction nearing completion and a projected occupancy date (when school staff can occupy the building) of late October to mid-November, the board has proposed two options for the move:
Option 1: Classes to begin for both Module Vanier and KSS students on December 15, 2020 which is the beginning of Octomester/Block 4. The last day of classes at the current Module Vanier and KCVI would be December 11, 2020. Students at Module Vanier and KCVI would have a scheduled (asynchronous) remote learning/turnaround day on December 14, 2020 to allow for the setup of physical classrooms at the new building to welcome students to school the next day.
Option 2: Classes to begin for both Module Vanier and KSS students on February 2, 2021 which is the beginning of Octomester/Block 5. The last day of classes at the current Module Vanier would be January 28, 2021. There is a PA Day January 29, 2021 designated for elementary reporting/secondary turnaround. February 1, 2021 would be a scheduled (asynchronous) remote learning day to allow for the setup of physical classrooms at the new building to welcome students to school the next day.
We expect additional schedule updates from the contractor shortly to provide additional insight into the occupancy date to determine whether Option 1 or 2 will be best to transition students and staff to the new school building.
Work on retaining historical memorabilia continues
Work to preserve items of historical significance from both KCVI and QECVI continued during the COVID-19 school shutdown.
In February, an inventory of all the objects and documents that make up the historical collections of KCVI and QECVI was completed. Queen’s Archives will be accepting the bulk of the student and school document records which have been digitized so some may be included in our online museum. Unique and iconic objects that we have the ability to store, or display at a museum standard, will go to KSS to be part of a small exhibit that celebrates and commemorates our two founding institutions.
A small committee has been working on assembling various exhibits that will cover school history as it pertains to; secondary education in Kingston, what it was like to be a student at various points since 1792, our military legacy, athletics and the performing arts. Eventually, museum standard displays will be erected inside the new KSS to showcase the strong roots both KCVI and QECVI have in our community.
Make an investment in a student’s future
Before students even begin post-secondary, and well before student assistances comes in, there are almost $700 in fees, which often determine whether or not a student can attend.
To ensure that all of our eligible students have access to a post-secondary dream, we have created the KSS Launch Fund to support all students in the next phase of their education.
Consider making a donation to help fund:
- School Supplies $50
- College Application $95
- University Application $150
- Textbooks $250
- Residence Deposit $500
- Tuition Deposit $500
- An amount of your choice
Please call 613.544.4811 if you have any questions, or for information on how to access the fund.
Kingston Secondary School Snapshot
Website: bit.ly/KSS_LDSB
Location: 145 Patrick Street, Kingston ON