Contemplating a school named after a painter. That’s A Y Jackson Secondary School. It stands as a testament to art and education. This Toronto high school, located on 50 Francine Drive, bears the name of A. Y. Jackson. He was a Canadian painter. More specifically, he was a founding member of the Group of Seven.
A Y Jackson Secondary School opened its doors in 1970. The North York Board of Education initially ran it. Today, the Toronto District School Board oversees its operation. The school originally served grades 10 to 13. In 2016, it expanded to include grade nine and a gifted program.
A Y Jackson’s mission is clear. It aims to develop students into informed decision-makers. The school strives to create caring global citizens. This is achieved through varied programming and a focus on excellence.
Academically, A Y Jackson offers three Specialist High Skills Majors. These are in Biotechnology, Business, and Information Communications Technology. The school also provides dual credit courses with Seneca College. These courses cover Forensic Science, Marketing, and Composition and Creativity. A Y Jackson also supports gifted students from North York and Scarborough. Impressively, in 2021-2022, A Y Jackson ranked first among TDSB schools. It had 93.2% of students achieving the provincial math standard.
Beyond academics, A Y Jackson boasts a diverse range of sports teams. Aquatics, badminton, basketball, and cross country are offered. Curling, flag football, table tennis, and soccer are also available. Students can participate in ultimate frisbee, track and field, and volleyball. Ice hockey and slo-pitch round out the athletic options.
Club life at A Y Jackson is vibrant. In 2021-2022, the school hosted 52 clubs, councils, and ensembles. These include groups related to the arts and STEM fields.
A Y Jackson’s student population is diverse. A significant portion of students have lived in Canada for five years or less. Around 92% speak a primary language other than English. As of 2020, 14% of students were in the gifted program. Twenty-five percent come from lower-income households.
Several notable individuals attended A Y Jackson. Henry Lau is a singer, musician, actor, and former member of Super Junior-M. Alex Lifeson is the guitarist for the rock group Rush. Sorel Mizzi and Daniel Negreanu are professional poker players. Merrill Nisker, known as Peaches, is an electronica musician. Monita Rajpal is a CNN International news anchor. Joshua Liendo is a swimmer known for winning 2nd place in the 100m butterfly in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Gerald Eaton is a producer and lead singer of The Philosopher Kings.
A Y Jackson Secondary School is more than just a school. It is a community. It’s a place where students grow. They learn and prepare to become global citizens. It stands as a proud legacy of education in Toronto.