Royal West Academy
Royal West Academy (commonly referred to as Royal West) is a public Anglophone secondary school in Montreal, Canada. Royal West has limited enrolment, and prospective students are only admitted after an entrance examination and an interview. It is situated on Easton Avenue in Montreal West, but its students come from all parts of the island of Montreal.
History
The grounds where Royal West is now located was once the Saint Philip's Anglican Church. In 1894, the Aberdeen School was founded. It was renamed as the Montreal West High School in 1921. Ten years later, in 1931, the building was demolished and a bigger building was built in its place. In 1951 and 1959, an extension to the main structure was built to make way for an elementary school. The extensions are what is now the West Wing.
In 1980, the elementary school was closed because of poor enrolment. The Royal Vale elementary school moved in, but was closed as well. And finally, in 1983, Royal Vale and the Montreal West High School merged to form Royal West Academy. The new Royal West Academy was different in many ways. It has a uniform and requires an entrance examination, even though it was a public school.
Areas of the School
The main structure of the building is in the shape of a long rectangle. The hallway is situated at the middle of the width of the building, parallel to the length. The classrooms are located on either side of the hallway.
First Floor
The first floor has three entrances into the school. The entrance in the centre of the school opens to Royal West's Foyer. The South entrance on Easton leads to the cafeteria and the North entrance on Avon is primarily used to access the upper floors in the morning by students arriving by commuter train or by bus. The Auditorium can be accessed by two doors in the Foyer. A passage leads towards the Girl's and Boy's Gym, and the Music Room where teacher/conductor Ginette Purdy leads the award-winning Honour Band. The first floor also houses the prefect's room, the school store, and the woodworking room.
The West Wing
The West Wing is shaped like the letter L. The first floor of the West Wing houses almost all of the French classes. Most Geography classes and some History classes are also situated here, as well as the spacious Visual Arts Room. Two stairs at either end of the L-shape lead to the West Wing's second floor. The second floor of the West Wing is the home of the English Department. Drama is also taught here. World conflict and other important social issues are discussed at the Social Justice Club, also located in the Second Floor West Wing.
The Second Floor
The stairway where the Second Floor and the Second Floor West Wing meet can be considered the aorta of Royal West, as it is usually the most direct way between two classrooms in the school. The Second Floor itself is just like the first, but without the entrances. The Second Floor is home to most of the Math Department. The Library, the Main Office and all of the computer labs are also on this floor.
The Third Floor
Similar to the two floors below it, the third floor houses school subjects available primarily to the higher grades. The Science laboratories are located here, as well as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics classes. Two Math classes are located at the North end and two History classes are located at the South end.
Curriculum
The school teaches grades 7 to 11, like most schools in Quebec. Many classes are taught in French. Grade 7s are enrolled in an enriched Integrated Science program, and participate in the mandatory Invention Convention. Students in grades 8 to 11 may enroll in the Advanced Math program.