Port Moody Secondary School


Port Moody Secondary School is a public coeducational high school located in Port Moody, British Columbia. The school is notable for offering the International Baccalaureate Program and the Career Preparation Program to its students, which many students travel from other districts to participate in. There are approximately 400 students in the pre-International Baccalaureate Diploma programme and the International Baccalaureate diploma programme tracks. Port Moody Secondary is widely known in the area for sending an impressive number of students to the world's most selective universities. In the past three years, students have matriculated to schools such as: Harvard University, Princeton University, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, UC Berkeley, Dartmouth College, Boston College and Stanford University. Port Moody Secondary School also has a high acceptance rate to Canadian universities such as the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and University of Waterloo. Port Moody serves grades nine through twelve and has an enrollment of about 1,500 students as of January 2019. The school is respected for its academics, visual arts, musical arts and athletic programs.

History

The original Port Moody High School, which was located on the grounds of the current Moody Middle School, burned to the ground in 1969. A site was chosen for the new Port Moody Senior Secondary School, which opened in 1973. A mythological bird that rises from the ashes, "The Phoenix", was appropriately chosen as the school's new mascot. The team name selected was the Port Moody Blues. Built to accommodate 900 students, Port Moody Secondary has grown to a population of well over 1 300 and a staff of about 100. From 2000-2002, the school underwent renovation; the new three-story tower and gymnasium addition was completed. Enrollment at the school has dropped in recent years, due in part to the changing demographics of the neighbourhood it is located in. Port Moody also used to offer the Cambridge Latin Course.

Extracurricular activities

Port Moody is home to numerous extracurricular clubs. The Student Council hosts events to benefit the school in many ways, including the annual Spring Fling and school dance. The school is also home to the PMSS Leadership Committee which hosts the annual Talent Show and has a comprehensive leadership program called SOAR. Humanitarian groups include BLUE Force, World Vision, the Amnesty International Club, and Mission Green. The Debate Team has competed at the regional, provincial and national levels, winning the regional championship in 2012 and 2013, later coming 3rd overall in the country. Their debate team has also produced three national team members, who have gone on to win several international competitions. The school also has an excellent Improv Team which takes yearly involvement in the Canadian Improv Games.

Clubs

Port Moody has many well-established sports teams. The cheer-leading team has achieved an average standard of excellence in competition in both Canada and the United States, the senior cheer team having won the national champion title in 2007. The girls rugby team has also achieved an average standard of excellence, placing provincially for many years: 6th in 2007, 4th in 2008, 2nd in 2009, and 6th in 2010. The rugby teams have also competed in England and Australia. The senior boys soccer team won the provincial championship in 2007.

Sports teams

Port Moody has an arts program that runs the community jazz and concert bands. The school's concert band, jazz bands, vocal jazz and concert choir ensembles have competed at provincial or national levels, and the school has a multi-station MIDI lab and recording studio for the music technology courses offered. Port Moody is also the only school in the district that offers advanced art programs.

Music groups

Port Moody also both a Junior and Senior Competitive dance team that has won multiple awards for their standard of excellence.

Notable alumni