Bayview Secondary School


Bayview Secondary School is a grade 9–12, 2-semester secondary school operated by the York Region District School Board. It is located just north of the northeast corner of Bayview Avenue and Major Mackenzie Drive in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada. Bayview S.S. was officially opened on March 10, 1960.
Bayview S.S. is named after the street on which it is located. Its area used to be part of the Elliot farm.
According to the Fraser Institute, the school ranked 9th in Ontario in a Fraser Institute ranking of all Ontario Secondary Schools in 2016-17. The school does not offer an AP program, though it does have a renowned IB program, only open to students who live in the school area. Bayview S.S. ranked second nationally in the 2011 Euclid mathematics contest for grade 12 students held by the University of Waterloo. Bayview also consistently ranks well in Computer Programming competitions such as the CCC or ECOO.
Students of Bayview S.S. come from a variety of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In 2005, in the neighbourhood around Bayview Secondary School, about 40% of residents were of Chinese ethnic origin, 8.1% were of East Indian origin, and 5.9% were of Iranian origin.

Enrollment

Bayview S.S. had over 2000 students in September 2016. The York Region District School Board had not projected such a large enrollment at the beginning of the school year. The high enrollment was attributed to the 150 walk-in students at the beginning of the school year. Moreover, it was predicted that the student population would decrease that year because a new Catholic school was opened nearby, but enrollment went up instead of down.
Many parents were concerned that Bayview's enrollment would keep rising in the near future because new condominium buildings would be completed at the Bayview and Major Mackenzie area in 2011.
Prior to 2017, Bayview S.S. was the only secondary school in the York Region District School Board offering the International Baccalaureate Programme, resulting in the high enrollment of students. Since 2017, other schools in the school board have opened their own IB programmes, allowing the school to restrict enrollment to only schools within the school boundary. Since then, enrollment has dropped significantly as students are not allowed to attend the school if they live outside of the school boundary.

IB Programme

The International Baccalaureate Programme at Bayview is a competitive entry program founded 30 years ago that consists of approximately 110 students per grade living in York Region, who are selected based on their performance in a three-part entrance exam, their grade 7 final report card and a letter of teacher reference. This programme targets students who are well-rounded and high achievers in all aspects of school. The entrance exam is written in the November of the students' grade 8 year, and the candidates are picked by the IB coordinators and school administration by January.
Students would first enter pre-IB and if they so choose, may take the IB Diploma Programme in their Grade 11 and 12 years.
The IB Diploma Programme at Bayview S.S. includes the following: HL English A Literature, SL French B, HL History, HL Economics, SL Geography, HL Biology, HL Chemistry, SL Biology, SL Chemistry, SL Physics, SL Mathematics, SL Theatre, SL Visual Arts, CAS, and the Extended Essay, which students begin writing in their Grade 11 year and finish in their Grade 12 year. The IB Diploma Programme also includes a TOK or Theory of Knowledge course. In order to convert their 7-point IB scale marks into the percentile system in the Ontario education system, IB students are offered a mathematical conversion system. The first two years in this programme are free, but the last two years require a $3000 non-refundable fee, not eligible for a tax receipt. The school does not provide transportation for students who do not live near the school.
As of 2018, the school no longer accepts students into the IB Diploma Programme if they do not live within the school boundary. This is due to the increase of the IB Diploma Programme in nearby schools.
Virtually 100% of graduating students from the IB programme follow on with a university education. University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, Queen's University and University of Western Ontario have been some of the most popular destinations, though some graduates choose to continue their education in elite American universities, such as the Ivy League schools.

Sports

Athletic teams at Bayview S.S. include volleyball, swimming, soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee, table tennis, dragon boat, badminton, and tennis. The structure of the sports teams are that grade 9/10 students are in the "junior" team, whereas grade 11/12 students are in the "senior" team.

Extracurricular activities

Bayview S.S. is home to a variety of clubs, a Student Council and Prefect Organization, and music and drama programs. Other clubs include the Computer Club, Competitive Programming Club, Chinese Calligraphy Club, Debate Club, BAC, Relay For Life Writer's Guild, Eco-Club, HOSA, DECA, STOP, CAP, Reach for the Top, Free the Children, Model United Nations, GSA, Public Speaking, Yearbook Committee, BSS Press, Ukulele Club, Chess Club, and several bands which students can join. In spring 2012, an outdoor classroom was built using large rocks by the Eco Team.
Bayview's DECA Club was recognized by York Region as one of the top chapters in Canada, and the club broke provincial records in terms of qualifiers for the International Conference for Developing Careers. In 2016, DECA Ontario recognized the International trophy winners. In 2017, DECA Ontario recognized the international trophy winners at ICDC, with Bayview winning a fourth of the total number of trophies the province had won with 9 trophies.

School song lyrics (1960)

Here's to Bayview, strong and true,
We the students pledge to you:
In defeat or victory we'll fight our battles valiantly,
And onward through the years we'll try,
To hold the torch of vict'ry high!
Bayview, ever is our place!
We will cheer without disgrace!

Surrounding area

Bayview S.S. is located in Ward 3 of the Town of Richmond Hill. In 2005, Ward 3 had a population of 28,315. Single detached houses are the most common dwelling, comprising 79.93% of total housing in the area. Most common ethnic origins are Chinese, East Indian, Iranian. Most common mother tongues are English, Cantonese. In 2006, 47.04% of residents of Ward 3 that were 15 years and older had some amount of university education. Most of the residents in this area are middle-class families. In 2005, 42.62% of Richmond Hill households earned $100,000 and above.
Bayview S.S. has a York Region Transit bus stop directly in front of the school that takes students south to Finch Station in Toronto in approximately 30 minutes. There is also a bus stop within a nearby plaza that takes students west to Vaughan Mills in roughly 40 minutes.

Notable alumni