Inglenook Community High School

In 1985 archaeologists digging on the school grounds uncovered clues regarding Toronto's history as a terminus of the Underground Railroad. Between 1834 and 1890 this site was the home of Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, refugee former slaves from Kentucky who started Toronto's first taxicab company.

Twin plaques have been erected at this site{{cite web|url=http://www.torontohistory.org/Pages_STU/Thornton_And_Lucie_Blackburn_1.html |title=Toronto's Historical Plaques --Thornton and Lucie Blackburn 1 Historical Plaque |publisher=Alan L Brown, TorontoHistory.org |access-date=June 20, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.torontohistory.org/Pages_STU/Thornton_And_Lucie_Blackburn_2.html |title=Toronto's Historical Plaques --Thornton and Lucie Blackburn 2 Historical Plaque |publisher=Alan L Brown, TorontoHistory.org |access-date=June 20, 2011 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and one in Louisville, KY.{{cite web |url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2T84_Kentucky_Fugitives_to_Canada |title=Kentucky Fugitives to Canada - Kentucky Historical Markers on Waymarking.com |publisher=Groundspeak, Inc. |access-date=June 20, 2011}}

Inglenook is located in the oldest continually-operated school building in the Toronto District School Board. Originally Sackville Street School, it was designed by William G. Storm.{{cite news |url=http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=6446&&PHPSESSID=ychzfqkvzape |title=Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online -- STORM, WILLIAM GEORGE |publisher=University of Toronto |access-date=June 20, 2011}} The first principal of Sackville Street School (which replaced Palace Street School at the corner of Front and Cherry Streets) was Georgina Stanley Riches, who served from 1887 to 1912.{{cite web |url=http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?BioId=41787&query= |title=Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online : REID (Reed, Read), GEORGINA STANLEY (Riches) |publisher=University of Toronto/Université Laval |access-date=June 21, 2011}} At one time the school enrolled 269 students. In 1974, Sackville Street School closed and the building became home to both Inglenook Community High School and an aboriginal learning centre, which soon moved out. The school is said to be haunted.{{cite web |url=http://www.torontoghosts.org/index.php?/20110529712/The-Former-City-Of-Toronto-Public-Buildings/Inglenook-Community-High-School.html |title=Inglenook Community High School / The (Former) City of Toronto Public Buildings |publisher=Ontario Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society |access-date=June 21, 2011}}

Inglenook gives more power to the student body than the average Toronto school.{{cite web |url=http://pi.library.yorku.ca/ojs/index.php/cws/article/viewFile/8776/7953 |title=Resistance is futile, or is it? By Robert A. Pritchard |publisher=Canadian Woman Studies / Les Cahiers de la Femme |access-date=June 20, 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/glenview/images/Bill%20212%20-%20Progressive%20Discipline%20and%20School%20Safety.pdf |title=Bill 212 -- Progressive Discipline and School Safety |publisher=Toronto District School Board |access-date=June 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914183056/http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/glenview/images/Bill%20212%20-%20Progressive%20Discipline%20and%20School%20Safety.pdf |archive-date=September 14, 2012 }} The Committee on Evaluations, Academic Standards and Admissions (CEASA) is the school's disciplinary body. If corrective measures are required, two students and teachers meet with the pupils involved and attempt to rectify the situation. There are no detentions and no letters home. Students are responsible for attendance and schoolwork, which are mandatory.

Inglenook offers a program called Outreach, typically shortened to "Reach," which is completed on Wednesdays in lieu of traditional courses. The other four schooldays each have a double period to make up for Wednesday's lost time. In Outreach, the student is expected to volunteer in the community for three hours a week. They then relate this experience to one of their academic courses by doing a tie-in project which receives a mark included in the final course grade.

After the first semester, students can also perform an equivalent of Outreach, known as Inreach. This is still affiliated with a specific course, and a tie-in project is still completed, but instead of performing volunteer work the student can pursue an interest such as learning to paint, acquiring a new language, or writing a play.

Inglenook features an open-access kitchen, which is cleaned (along with dishes from the classrooms and student lounge) by two hoppers after classes each day. Hoppers are two students who are chosen for duty on any particular day, and as it is rotational, each student will only have to clean once per semester.

The school features a public art space named the "Inglenook Gallery". There is also a student lounge with furniture and books, and most of the classrooms contain couches.

• Kevin Hearn, former member of the band Look People, keyboardist for the Barenaked Ladies. Currently has his own band, Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle.{{cite web |url=http://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/december_2001/remark.asp |title=Remarkable Teachers -- Professionally Speaking -- December 2001 |publisher=Ontario College of Teachers |access-date=June 20, 2011 |archive-date=August 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825040646/http://professionallyspeaking.oct.ca/december_2001/remark.asp |url-status=dead }}
• Jaymz Bee, former member of the band Look People, entertainer.{{cite web |url=http://www.eastenddesign.com/music.htm |title=Jaymzbee.com: Music: LOOK PEOPLE (1985-1994) |publisher=East End Designs Canada |access-date=June 20, 2011}}
• Clay Tyson, former member of the band Look People, son of Ian and Sylvia, currently a musician and recording artist.{{cite web | url=http://www.livinglegendsmusic.com/library.php?personID=4942 | title=Clay Tyson | publisher=Living Legends Music | date=2006–2008 | access-date=2011-04-19 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005012132/http://www.livinglegendsmusic.com/library.php?personID=4942 | archive-date=2011-10-05 | url-status=dead }}
• Josh Matlow, community activist, journalist and Toronto City Councillor for Ward 22, St. Paul's.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}
• Patrick "Pat" Gillett, vocals and guitar for rap rock band Down with Webster.{{Citation needed|date=June 2011}}
• Josh Raskin,{{cite web |url=http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/inglenook/pdf/admissions.pdf |title=New Admissions |publisher=Inglenook Community High School |access-date=June 20, 2011 |archive-date=September 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120914183048/http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/inglenook/pdf/admissions.pdf |url-status=dead }} director of the animated movie I Met the Walrus, nominated for an Oscar.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1156511/ |title=IMDb : I Met The Walrus |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc. |access-date=June 20, 2011}}
• James Braithwaite, pen illustrator of I Met the Walrus .
• Brandt Gordon, winner of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie for his work as Art Director for the film Grey Gardens.{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758751/awards |title=IMDb: Grey Gardens (2009) (TV) - Awards |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc. |access-date=June 20, 2011}}
• Josh McIntyre of the band Little Girls.
• DJ Bear Witness of the group A Tribe Called Redhttp://atribecalledred.com

• Education in Ontario
• List of secondary schools in Ontario

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/inglenook/ Inglenook Community High School] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205074106/http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/inglenook/ |date=2007-02-05 }}
• [https://twitter.com/InglenookCHS Official Inglenook Twitter Account]
• [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Inglenook-Community-High-School-Toronto/113679642007833 Official Inglenook Facebook Account]

{{Toronto High Schools}}

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Category:High schools in Toronto

Category:Underground Railroad locations

Category:Educational institutions in Canada with year of establishment missing