Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI) is a public high school in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, operated by Lethbridge School District No. 51 that serves grades nine through twelve. LCI was the first school in Lethbridge designated only for secondary students. It opened at its current location in 1950, but was founded in a smaller, adjacent building in 1928. Since its 1950 opening, several additions and layout changes have been made at the school. In August 2010, Chinook High School opened in West Lethbridge with over 700 students enrolled. Those that entered grade 11 in 2009 at LCI were permitted to complete their graduating year at LCI, but west Lethbridge students are now encouraged to attend the new high school, which was being built in conjunction with a western campus of Catholic Central High School, recreational facilities, and a public library.
As a result of Chinook's opening, LCI's enrollment decreased by a substantial 35% for the 2010–2011 school year and a further 11% to only 870 in 2011-2012; less than both Chinook and north Lethbridge's Winston Churchill High.
A relatively extensive academic program is offered, including automotives, construction and communication technology, fashion studies, and four language studies programs. An Advanced Placement Program is offered in several key subject areas, including mathematics, language arts, and the sciences.LCI Registration Guide 2010–2011 (PDF) Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. Retrieved on May 19, 2010. Respected instrumental music, choir, and dance programs have helped LCI become well known in Southern Alberta for offering balanced opportunities to students in both academics and extracurricular activities. Athletic teams from LCI carry the names Rams, Clippers, Colts, and Schooners, although the latter two have fallen into disuse.
History
Early years
In the early 1900s, two schools near downtown Lethbridge were named with reference to their location. Built in 1891, fifteen years prior to the incorporation of the City of Lethbridge, the first was Central School. The small school was the only one that served secondary students in the Lethbridge area. In 1909, Central School closed and secondary education classes moved into a vacated building on 5 Avenue. The school became too crowded in the mid-1920s, and a struggle began between the school board and the city to have a new school constructed.
In February 1928, construction work began on Lethbridge Collegiate Institute at the corner of 4 Avenue and 15 Street South. The institution would become the city's first combined junior high and high school. The site had previously been used for aviation activities in the city, until the opening of Kenyon Field (now Lethbridge County Airport) south of Six-Mile Coulee in the summer of 1939.Johnston pp. 11 Construction of the school at the site finished in October 1928, but a fire in the spring of 1929 ravaged the new building. Classes had to be moved to other local schools until later that year.
When LCI became too small for the city's growing population in 1950, a new building was constructed on the same block just east of the old one. Due to southern Alberta's booming population, twenty-one schools were constructed in Lethbridge between 1946 and 1965. Grades 10–12 were moved to the new building while grades 7–9 remained at their present location. The new junior high was renamed Lethbridge Junior High School, but kept the name for less than a year.Johnston pp. 44 In the latter part of 1950, the junior high adopted its new name, Hamilton Junior High School (named after a former teacher, principal, and superintendent, William Alfred Hamilton). The school kept the name for over half a century until its relocation to the rapidly expanding area of West Lethbridge as G.S. Lakie Middle School in 2003.
Next door, classes commenced on November 22, 1950 at the new LCI. With increases in student population, new sections of the building were added in 1955, 1957, 1970, and 1986. A section of Hamilton's old building was used to house Allan Watson High School for a time That high school was not operated by District 51.RECAPP Facility Evaluation Report (PDF) Lethbridge School District No. 51. Retrieved on May 10, 2010. At that time the building was being renovated to house the headquarters of Lethbridge School District 51. Allan Watson was later replaced by Victoria Park High School operated by the District.
A new grade In accordance with a grade reconfiguration in many public schools across Alberta, Grade 9 students began attending the school in the fall of 2003. Teachers, textbooks, and other classroom materials were brought in from local middle schools. The changes introduced a new term to the area: "middle school". With the middle school enrolling students for grades 6–8, the term "high school" was redefined to include grades 9–12. The changes created minor inconveniences for staff and other areas of the school. At LCI, it brought more students into a building already near capacity.
Community members believed the restructuring by the government was targeted specifically at the City of Lethbridge, a move made to force the province to build an additional Lethbridge high school. Such a project had been anticipated for at least a decade. As expected, the announcement for the new school came in 2005. Enrollment at LCI exceeded 1,600 students. In an effort to reduce numbers, students living on the City's north side who attend LCI must be enrolled in a course not offered at Winston Churchill High School.
LCI's enrollment peaked in 2005. The population of the city has steadily increased.City of Lethbridge (May 25, 2006) City population up 1.96% per cent since 2005 Press release. Retrieved on February 23, 2007. The graduating class of 2007 was the first to complete all four years of learning at the school since its founding. The convocation in May, with the day's ceremonies at the ENMAX Centre, was centred around the a theme noting the historical fact that it was the first class to spend all four years of their secondary education at LCl.
December 2007 shooting scare On December 13, 2007, a note was found handwritten in a washroom stall.
Its exact words were undisclosed, but school officials described it as "a student's intention to shoot others, as well as possibly taking their own life, on December 20." A district official responded, "at this point in time we're not planning to install metal detectors. We feel that we're taking the precautions by having a police presence." Extra staff members and local police officers patrolled the school's hallways for the week of December 17–21. Only days earlier, the words "December 18, 2007 Massacre" were found in a washroom at Paul Kane High School in St. Albert, Alberta. Officials at that school said "extraordinary security measures" were to be taken, but it was believed to be a hoax. It is unknown if the LCI incident was simply a copycat of the Paul Kane incident, but school officials in both cities requested that the perpetrators step forward; neither has done so. Both schools also made counseling staff available for any students who felt apprehensive about their safety. Though attendance was down significantly at Paul Kane on December 18 and only 300 students attended LCI on December 20, regular classes proceeded without incident.
On December 20, a similar note was found in a bathroom at W. R. Myers High School in nearby Taber, Alberta, indicating a student's intent to do harm on December 21. With a student attendance of roughly 20%, classes proceeded without incident. In 1999, a student opened fire at W. R. Myers, killing one student and seriously wounding another. In 2000, LCI was locked down after two youths were arrested and two firearms were seized.
Principal bullying accusations In the month of December, 2019, current and/or former teachers launch bullying accusations to current principal, Wayne Pallett. Teachers reported that Pallett was abusive. One unidentified teacher states "I've never had anybody look as if they're going to hit me because they look so angry, and red-faced and mouth contorted." "I have witnessed staff members of all levels crying or angry because of him and that's from teachers to support staff, to even saw him make a vice principal cry before," another former employee said. "Not sleeping, I didn't want to eat, like I couldn't, I had to force myself to eat. I lost almost 20 pounds and [was] having panic attacks," she said. When local news network, CBC, asked Pallett for a comment, Pallett denied.
Campus
LCI is a maze of hallways that is split into different wings where various subjects are taught. The school building is land-locked and bounded by surrounding buildings. Victoria Park High School resides to the west of LCI in the east part of the former Hamilton Junior High building. Businesses are to the north of the school. A church and residential homes are across the street to the south of the LCI building. The Catholic Central High School is across the street to the east.
The current layout has the campus divided into sections, seven of which are in the main building. The "A" wing, with the cafeteria, music rooms, and a small, secondary gymnasium, is the westernmost portion of the building. The "B" wing, a newer component of the building, contains mostly the English and Mathematics departments. The bottom floor of the large, southern "C" wing holds the library and two lecture theatres. The upper floors contain computer, biology, chemistry, and physics laboratories as well as several classrooms. The main "D" wing contains administrator offices, science, and social studies classrooms. The main gym and counselling department technically make up the "E" wing, though it is hardly referred to by that name. Construction technology, automotives, and the LCI Performing Arts Centre north of the main gym are the "F" wing, while a small, third floor section containing home economics is the "H" wing. Underneath the home economics area is a fitness centre housing various exercise equipment. The single-storey, peripheral "G" wing, a linear building separated by a 15-metre lane from the main building, houses a communication technology lab, electronic equipment, autobody, and an art room. The total floor area at LCI exceeds that of all the other schools in the district combined.
A concession booth close to the main gymnasium provides various snacks that can be purchased during the day and at evening sporting events. The cafeteria at the west end of the building sells food for lunch. Students are also free to leave the campus for lunch as several fast food restaurants are within walking distance. In another effort to reduce congestion, LCI lunch period is almost entirely offset from that of nearby Catholic Central High School. The school also has problems with internal overcrowding. Hundreds of students are bussed from the city's west side daily.
A lane north of the school is restricted to buses only. Students traverse the staff parking lot in the morning and afternoon to reach 13 busses, the majority of which carry students to and from West Lethbridge. Although a parking lot for staff with over 100 parking spaces is provided, no parking is officially designated for students. Competing with students from the other two area high schools also trying to park their vehicles, Lethbridge students must park their vehicles on 5 Avenue, or south on 17 Street or 18 Street.
Packed on two city blocks with five other schools, the surrounding narrow streets are difficult to navigate for parents and students with cars during the morning and afternoon rush.Schools (PDF) City of Lethbridge. Retrieved on March 9, 2007.
Academics