Middlefield Collegiate Institute

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Middlefield Collegiate Institute (or MCI) is a semestered, public high school in the upper middle class neighborhood of East Milliken in town of Markham, Ontario, Canada, and is part of the York Region District School Board. It is located in South-east Markham, bordered by the major arteries McCowan Road to the west, Steeles Avenue to the south, Markham Road to the east and 14th Avenue to the North. It is one of the most ethnically diverse schools in North America.^{[citation needed]}

History

Middlefield Collegiate Institute is a relatively new school in Markham, only 20 years old. The school was built in 1992 to relieve pressure from Milliken Mills High School because of the quickly expanding population of the newly developed East Milliken neighbourhood, which was formerly forest around the Rouge River. Until 2000, the school was underused, with no more than 130 students graduating each year (compared to about 450 in 2010-2011). Thanks to a large development process and an even bigger immigrant influx, the school population almost doubled in the next five years and has been steadily, but gradually climbing since then.

In 2008, Middlefield had its first major expansion, building a tech wing with six new classrooms in the Southern Wing. It currently houses the Auto, Construction, Hairstyling tech classes, and some Applied English classes and Communication Tech classes.

In March 2012, the main entrance at the Highglen and Middlefield intersections was closed because of roof leaks. This has now been fixed and the entrance has re-opened as of April 2012. Also in April 2012, Natasha Kaan, of the Guidance Department, won Teacher of the Year.

Programs

Middlefield Collegiate Institute is known to have the widest array of Tech courses in South-east York Region. MCI offers Automotive Technology, Transportation Technology, Construction Technology, Design Technology, Computer Technology, Hairstyling and Aesthetic Technology, Communication Technology, Information Technology, Business Technology and Wood Shop. Other than that, the school also provides;

• Alternative Education Program
• English as a Second Language Program
• Specialist High Skills Major in Transportation Technology and Health and Wellness
• Special Education Programs
• Co-op Education Program
• Advance Placement Programs in Science, Math and Technology

Athletics

Athletic Council

Middlefield Athletic Council, commonly known as MAC, coordinates and funds athletic events such as the athletic banquet. This club allows the students to realize the importance of physical education by promoting healthy living through school events, with the help of the student council.

Teams and sports clubs

• Badminton - Junior/Senior
• Baseball - Varsity Boys
• Basketball - Junior/Senior Boys & Junior/Senior Girls
• Cross Country - Varsity
• Cricket - Varsity Boys
• Field Hockey - Varsity Girls
• Rock Climbing - Varsity
• Soccer - Junior/Senior Boys & Junior/Senior Girls
• Slo-pitch - Varsity Girls
• Track and Field - Varsity
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Volleyball - Junior/Senior Boys & Junior/Senior Girls

Middlefield was the only York Region school to win the soccer championship two years in a row, which started with the junior boys of 2003-2004.

Intramural sports

In addition to competitive sports teams, Middlefield students have the opportunity to participate in in-school sporting events such as:

• Middlefield Intramural Hockey Association (MIHA)
• Middlefield's Basketball Association (MBA)
• Middlefield's Iron Person

Mock Trial Team

The Middlefield Mock Trial Team, led by Law teachers Mr. Glass and Mr. Draycott, have been one of the most successful teams from this school. Over the past five years, it's made the Top 6 each time, including a few silver medals, the last coming in the 2010-2011 year. Middlefield Collegiate Institute is one of the few public high schools which have made it this far in the championship, and is by far the most successful mock trial team from a public high school in Ontario.

Demographics

Students

Middlefield Collegiate Institute has one of the highest bases of ethnic minority students in North America. About 98% of the students belong to a colour minority, whether it be Asian, Caribbean, South Asian, or African. The student demographic looks like this;

• Tamil 50%
• Indian 22%
• Pakistani 18%
• Chinese 14%
• Other Asian 11%
• African/Caribbean 5%
• Caucasian 2%

Staff

About 1 in 2 staff members also belong to an ethnic minority, and the current principal, Annette Oliver, is of Afro-Caribbean descent. Of the 117 teachers and support staff in the 2010-2011 year, 53 were part of an ethnic minority. The demographics for staff is as follows;

• Caucasian 55%
• South Asian 18%
• African/Caribbean 16%
• Oriental 11%

Facilities

MCI has a wide array of facilities for its students. It has a large glass ceiling in the rotunda, which is renovated biennially, to check for possible hazards and risks, and to replace any cracked or possible dangerous glass. This glass ceiling can be seen from almost anywhere in the central section of the school, and is a staple of Middlefield culture. The ceiling also gives in light and provides it for the central wing as well, thus helping reduce MCI's environmental impact, and is one of the reasons MCI was certified a Silver Eco School.

Middlefield Collegiate Institute is atrium shaped, and from the first floor of the rotunda, can look up and see the third floor. There is also a glass elevator which provides travel between the three floors, but can only be used by staff or students who are handicapped.

• Art Labs
• Wood Shop
• Cafeteria
• Communication Technological Labs
• Family Studies Labs
• SAC Office
• Drama stage
• Gymnasiums
• Food Lab
• Guidance Office
• Outdoor - Baseball Diamond, Soccer Fields, Running Track
• Music Room
• Weight Room
• Photography Dark Room
• Library
• Hairstyling
• Auto shop

Academics

Middlefield Collegiate is in the 6% of schools in Ontario, currently ranked 37th, based on EQAO and OSSLT test results. Middlefield has an overall rating of 8.1 out of 10 for the 2011 year. Fraser Institute gave it a "Green" Rating, indicating that the overall student body is at a healthy level to succeed post-secondary. Middlefield Collegiate Institute has had one of the highest OSSLT pass rates in Ontario over the past five years, including a record 95.8% pass rate in 2009.

Feeder schools

The following elementary schools are part of the Middlefield Collegiate Institute family of schools. Every year, the Guidance Department visits each of these schools to talk to the Grade 8's about courses and enrollment:

• Markham Gateway Public School
• Armadale Public School
• Coppard Glen Public School
• Parkland Public School
• Cedarwood Public School
• Ellen Fairclough Public School

External links

• Middlefield CI
• Middlefield Profile on York Region Website

Coordinates: 43°50′51″N 79°15′59″W / 43.8475°N 79.26639°W / 43.8475; -79.26639