Kelvin High School - History

History

The school was founded in 1912 as Kelvin Technical High School. The name was later changed to Kelvin High School, because of the increasingly academic focus of the school and the shift in the term "technical" in an educational sense. The school is named after the mathematical physicist and engineer William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin.

Several Kelvin High School students fought in World War II. More than fifty were killed in battle. This inspired the 2005 documentary, The Boys of Kelvin High: Canadians in Bomber Command, which was produced by Clifford Chadderton, a distinguished Canadian Forces infantry commander and Kelvin High School alumnus.

The original 1912 school building was replaced by the current one in 1964. The French Immersion Program was introduced to the school in 1978 and the International Baccalaureate Program was introduced in 1981. In the 1991-92 school year, the Kelvin High School Charter, which contains the rights of those who attend Kelvin, was ratified by the students.

During the mid 1990s, Kelvin underwent some changes in its academic structure. Originally, the school taught only grades 10-12. Grade 9 was added at the beginning of the 1995-96 school year, which significantly increased the student population. As per Department of Education guidelines, special education students were also integrated in that year. In the 1996-97 school year, Kelvin High School introduced semesters into its schedule.

An addition, which includes two art rooms, two classrooms, and a computer lab, was constructed in 2002-03. Other minor construction projects were also completed in that year. A second gym for the school is listed as the Winnipeg School Division's top priority.