Bur Oak Secondary School opened in September 2007 with only two grades. Bur Oak held its 'official' opening ceremony on May 1, 2008 followed by an open house. The school now boasts a student population of upwards of 1,500 students in all four grades. The school's official colours consist of royal blue, gold, white, and black.
Academics
Bur Oak Secondary School is noted for its strong academic performance. According to the 2015 ranking of Ontario secondary schools, Bur Oak ranks 10th out of 676 schools in the province. The school offers a unique four-year core French program with intensive focus is placed on global French culture, music and history, in addition to grammar and structure. The school also offers a Specialist High Skills Major program. As of the 2015-2016 school year, the program is offered in five specializations:
Arts & Culture
Business
Energy
Health & Wellness
Non-Profit
The program provides students with valuable skills and certifications related to their specialization and career path, and is completed in the final two years of high school.
Awards ceremony
At its annual awards ceremony in September, the school recognizes the academic achievement of students with the following awards:
Honour Roll: These recipients have earned an overall average of at least 80%.
Subject Award: These recipients have shown initiative in a specific course. However, unlike the vast majority of schools that give the award to the student earning the highest mark and the strongest performance, BOSS requires a mark of at least 75%.
Principal's Award: This award is given to the three students earning the highest academic average in each grade.
As of the 2011-12 school year, only subject awards are given each semester; the Honour Roll and Principal's Award recipients are currently determined based on their marks from throughout the whole school year instead of the previously established semester marking.
Extracurricular activities
Bur Oak Secondary School boasts a variety of student-led organizations and clubs and holds several student events throughout the year. Notably, it holds an annual back-to-school barbeque, Bossilicious in September, and a Summer Carnival in late May. In addition, the school also hosts dances, movie nights, and coffeehouses that are organized by Student Activity Council, satellite councils, academic departments, or student clubs.
Student Activity Council
Many student events are coordinated by Student Activity Council. Student Activity Council is an umbrella organization that derives its membership from the Co-Directors of the seven satellite councils:
Student Activity Council is led by two Co-Presidents that are elected popularly by students in the preceding school year. Satellite councils are led by two Co-Directors and an Executive team selected at the end of the preceding school year. Each of the satellite councils different interests within the school, some, like Music and Business Councils, organize extracurricular activities related to specific academic departments, while others, such as Community and Global Action are more focused on student engagement in community service and social justice.
Feeder schools
The following elementary schools are part of the Bur Oak S.S feeder schools:
Donald Cousens Public School
Fred Varley Public School
John McCrae Public School
Mount Joy Public School
Wismer Public School
Greensborough Public School
With the opening of Bill Hogarth SS, three schools formerly linked with Bur Oak SS were transferred:
Black Walnut Public School
Cornell Village Public School
Little Rouge Public School
Transportation
School bus
As per the criteria of Student Transportation Service, students from grade 9-12 in the YRDSB are eligible for school bus transportation if they are:
1. Living more than 3.2 km from the school
and
2. Living in a non-transit served area..
Students in a special needs program, are exempt from the policy and receive it based on a separate criteria.
Public transit
The YRT routes which stop at or near the school are:
402 - Bur Oak/Pierre Elliot Trudeau High School Special. Westbound to Angus Glen Community Centre and Library. Eastbound to Markham-Stouffville Hospital. Operates only during the morning and afternoon on school days.
102D - Markham Road. Northbound to Major Mackenzie Drive East then Southbound to Warden Station, an extra TTC fare is required when travelling south of Steeles.
129A - McCowan North. Northbound to Major Mackenzie Drive East. Southbound to Scarborough Centre Station, an extra TTC fare is required when travelling south of Steeles.
YRT fares are $4.00 in cash for a two-hour pass, student tickets are $2.85 and are purchased through PRESTO or the YRT pay app, and a student monthly pass is $117.00.
Film
In May 2016, the location was using in the filming of the 2017 movie Downsizing.
