Kingsway College is a Seventh-day Adventist high school in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a former degree-granting post-secondary institution, having offered post-secondary education from 1916 to 1975.
History
The school was established in 1903 in Lorne Park, a community to the west of Toronto, now part of Mississauga, by Eugene Leland and his wife, and was then known as Lornedale Academy, and had eight students from Grades 1-9. By 1907, the enrollment had grown to 40 students.
In 1911, Lornedale became a high school, serving grades 7-12, which led to a need for more space and equipment. The school began looking for a new site, and the present site in Oshawa (east of Toronto) was acquired. The school was renamed Buena Vista Academy, and opened in 1912. The school quickly grew.
In 1914, it became a Union Conference school. In 1916, it became a junior college with fourteen grades, and its name was changed to Eastern Canadian Missionary Seminary.
In 1920, the school was incorporated, leading to another name change, this time to Oshawa Missionary College. During the Depression years, enrollment decreased and some programs were discontinued, following which an improvement program was implemented in 1933. Enrollment decreased again during World War II, but following the war, the college enjoyed a period of expansion, reaching 200 students by the end of the 1950s. In 1960, the Branson School of Nursing was opened at North York Branson Hospital, a hospital which at the time was owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church; this nursing program became affiliated with Oshawa Missionary College.
In 1963, the school name was changed once more, to Kingsway College, reflecting a curriculum that included a complete academic program while decreasing the implication that the school was only a Bible college. During this time, Kingsway's choir and band rose to prominence, and began touring across Eastern Canada and New England. In 1975, the Branson school of nursing was closed due to a change in nursing education policy by the Ontario government. During the 14 years it was operational, the Branson school of nursing graduated 269 registered nurses. The closure of the nursing school led to the decision to close the remainder of the college program and merge it with Canadian Union College in Alberta, leaving Kingsway strictly a high school. There were some attempts in subsequent years to restart the nursing school, but at the present time no attempts have been successful.
Enrollment rose in the 1980s to 300 students, and a number of new buildings were constructed, including the present administration building and the A.E. King Fitness Complex. In the 1990s, enrollment dropped down to 140, and financial pressures forced Kingsway to sell off some of its industries in order to survive. In 1999, the Ontario government introduced a new curriculum, which included the phasing out of OAC (grade 13) in 2002.
In the 2000s, Kingsway's enrollment recovered, rising to 200 students. During this time, the Fraser Institute began its rankings of Ontario schools, and in its first ranking Kingsway was ranked the top academic high school in the Durham Region. Kingsway's basketball teams also began at this time. In 2017, enrollment reached 270 students.
Academics
Kingsway College is a private Christian boarding high school, that offers grade 9-12 education. Approximately half of Kingsway's students live in the dormitory, while students who live nearby have the option of attending as a day student. Kingsway's boarding students come from all across Eastern Canada, and internationally. Kingsway accepts a limited number of international students each year, especially from the United States, South Korea, and China.
Kingsway is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada. Kingsway is accredited by the Board of Regents of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Kingsway follows the curriculum provided by the Ontario Ministry of Education, and students who graduate from Kingsway receive the Ontario Secondary School Diploma.
Kingsway employs 18 teachers and 27 staff, for a student-to-teacher ratio of 15:1. Courses offered include English, math, science, French, religious studies, geography, history, music, ESL, business, accounting, law, physical education, art, computer studies, marketing, and numerous other electives. As part of the requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma, all Kingsway graduates must complete 40 hours of community service prior to graduation.