We would like to acknowledge that our schools are on unceded Algonquin Territory,
and thank the Algonquin Nation for hosting us on their land.
About Our School
The Colonel By Secondary School community consists of caring students, staff, and parents working closely together to foster academic excellence and ensure high student achievement. Students have endless opportunities including the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, which is an intellectually rigorous pre-university course of studies for students in schools worldwide. It is offered to highly motivated students in the final two years of secondary school. Preparation for the final years begins with enrichment and acceleration in the first two years of secondary school.
Colonel By is recognized as a leader in Technological Innovation in education and as such offers a wide variety of opportunities to students in various fields of technology. CB offers the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) in Arts and Culture: Digital Media, an 8 course package in grades 11-12 that offers students reach ahead, enrichment, sector-specific training and experiences in the field of digital media. We host an award winning in-school television station, CougarVision, that broadcasts a daily newsmagazine show and publishes a podcast called The ByWeekly. Many of our students have chosen to go on to post-secondary institutions in the fields of media and broadcasting.
Colonel By offers a diverse and rich arts program including dance, drama, instrumental music, musical theater, and visual arts.
About Our Programs
Colonel By Secondary School has over 50 years of excellence in academics, athletics and the arts. We are a community school for students who live in our area and a system school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for students throughout the national capital region. Our school consists of caring students, staff, and families who work together to ensure high student achievement. More than 95% of our graduating students go on to post‐secondary education. Our academic program is challenging and is designed to provide our students with a strong academic foundation for further studies. We are a non‐semestered school where the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training diploma requirements form the basis of the academic program. Students are encouraged to enhance this well‐rounded education by going beyond the mandatory requirements. Nearly 75% of our students are registered in the IB Diploma Programme. This world‐renowned program is for highly‐motivated academic students who wish to earn an IB diploma in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
About Our Students
With an enrollment of nearly 1100 students, our Colonel By “Cougars” reflect the diversity of our community. We embrace the Cougar Character values of courage, respect, individuality, integrity and loyalty. We are proud of our students and their many accomplishments, both in terms of academic success and community stewardship. Colonel By students have a tradition of commitment to their personal well‐being, their school, their community, and their environment. They give generously to their communities on the local, national and international level and to date, they have raised over $1,000,000 for not‐for‐profit organizations in Canada and around the world.
In 2019-2020:
88% of our graduates were Ontario Scholars (with an 80% average).
71% of our graduates earned Silver Medals (over 90% average).
115 graduates earned their French Immersion Certificate.
161 graduating students earned IB diplomas in addition to their OSSD.
About Our Staff
Professional excellence defines our teaching and support staff. Staff demonstrate commitment to their students through ongoing professional development, IB training, computer literacy, and professional work at universities. Developed by staff at Colonel By, CougarVision, our in‐school television station, manifests technological innovation that provides teachers with local, national, and international links and partnerships. In addition to their teaching assignments, many teachers volunteer to coach our athletic teams and to supervise more than 50 clubs. This kind of co‐curricular involvement speaks volumes about CB staff’s commitment to our students and our school.
About Our Community
At Colonel By, we believe that education is indeed a partnership between home and school. Our School Council is an effective voice for parents and it has long been a strong advocate for our school. We work collaboratively to keep our families and community informed of educational issues and school activities. Meetings take place most months as per the calendar that can be found on our School Council website.
Colonel By has a long‐standing tradition of community stewardship. This tradition is based on a philosophy of partnering with our community and challenging students and their families to accept the responsibility of working together to make our world a better place.
Our Mission Statement
Colonel By Secondary School is a caring community committed to helping our students thrive as responsible, productive members of society by promoting:
- An attitude of mutual respect, support, and courtesy for all.
- A spirit of life‐long learning.
- The achievement of personal and academic excellence.
- A stimulating and challenging learning environment.
About Our Special Education Supports
The Special Education Department at Colonel By operates as a cohesive unit and collaborates with families and teachers to help all students to achieve their personal best. Our Guidance Counselors, Learning Support Teachers, Educational Assistants and Student Success Teachers meet regularly to ensure that support systems are in place for all students. In addition to accommodations for students with IPRCs and IEPs, we offer lunch‐time drop‐in help sessions, several in‐school tutorial opportunities, and workshops focused on time management, organization, study skills, and social-emotional well-being. To support post-secondary pursuits, we help students to connect with resource centers at universities and colleges to ensure continued success after high school.
Student Activities
Athletics: Badminton, baseball, basketball, cross‐country running, cross‐country skiing, downhill skiing, field hockey, football, hockey, rugby, soccer, swimming, tennis, touch football, track and field, volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, and an extensive intramural program. Offerings vary from year to year and take place in all three seasons of the school year.
Clubs, Councils and Activities: Colonel By has an active club system that includes new and long-standing offerings each year based on student interest. This list is a sample of the types of clubs that run most often: Amnesty International, Animé, Arts Council, Biomedicine, Book Club, Black Excellence, C‐Flats, Cappies, Ceramics, Chess, Debating, Eco-Club, French Speaking, Math Club, Model UN, Neuroscience, Olive Branch, Open Eyes, Politics & Philosophy, Robotics, SAGE, SLAV (Sound, Light, Audio, Video), Spanish, Christian Club, Student Council, Visual Arts, Writers’ Club, and much more. We support a safe and caring environment with positive relationships in our school community through collaborative programs and clubs. Each fall, the school hosts a club information fair that offers students the opportunity to connect with current club members to learn more about membership and programming.
About Our Facilities and Resources
Colonel By is a well‐equipped school located in an inviting park‐like setting. Our facilities include:
- Six computer labs, updated with current technology and modular set ups
- One design and technology lab
- Two visual art rooms
- Two music rooms
- A double gymnasium
- A dance studio and weight room
- A fully‐serviced Library Learning Commons