A.B Lucas Secondary School
Front Facade
Address
656 Tennent Avenue London , Ontario , N5X 1L8 Canada
Coordinates	43°01′58″N 081°14′49″W / 43.03278°N 81.24694°W / 43.03278; -81.24694
Information
Type	Comprehensive public secondary school
Motto	In Perpetuum Optima
Founded	1963 (1963) (current facility)
School district	Thames Valley District School Board
Principal	Jeffrey Beynon (Incumbent)
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,507 (2018-19)[1]
Hours in school day	6
Campus size	5.8 acres (2.3 ha)
Color(s)	Cobalt Blue   Baby Blue
Fight song	Scotland the Brave
Mascot	Viking
Team name	Lucas Vikings
Rival	Medway Secondary School
National ranking	Fourth (2017–18)[2]
Website	lucas.tvdsb.ca
Building details
General information
Architectural style	International Style
Design and construction
Architect(s)	R.D Schoales

A.B. Lucas Secondary School is a secondary school located at the northern end of London, Ontario, Canada.

The school was named after A.B. Lucas, who was recognized for his contribution to education in London. In April 1962, Hugh Murray became the first principal. He commissioned lieutenants Terry Ferris, Jim Wylie, Don Epplet, Phil Sparling, Don Carson, Charlie Belchamber, Alex Shamas, Alan Williams, Ed Hancox and Fred Hickman. During the next few months, these men recruited more staff, acquired equipment and supplies and arranged programs.

During the years 1962–1963 some 60 north-Londoners traveled daily to Westminster Secondary School in the west end of the city. But by September 1963 the doors were opened to the first Viking recruits in grades 9, 10, and 11. The premier of Ontario, Mr. John Robarts, officially opened the school on October 25, 1963.

History and construction

By early 1960, monumental growth in north London soon established the need for the construction of a new secondary school to accommodate the new families moving into the area. Suffering economic restraint, the Board of Education was hesitant to approve growth, but eventually approved the project in an effort to reduce the strain on other schools in the city.

Robert D. Schoales, a noted regional modernist, was responsible for the design of the existing structure that would be built concurrently with Westminster Secondary School in Byron. As architect for the London Board of Education, Schoales was responsible for the design of many of London's mid-century school buildings, including Knollwood Park Public School (70 Gammage Street), G. A. Wheable Centre for Adult Education London (70 Jacqueline Street), and many others. His design incorporated an L-shaped two-story brick structure, including a stilted instrumental music wing, and auditorium. Terrazzo flooring was chosen for its durability, while glazed tile was utilised as an attractive, yet cost effective decoration for the entrance foyers. In addition to consultation work with educational boards throughout Ontario, Schoales collaborated with the Ministry of the Solicitor General, providing advice in the design and construction of correctional facilities across the province.^[3]

During the construction process, the future students of Lucas (including a large number of future Westminster students) attended Wheable Secondary School while they waited for their new school to be completed. Following the organization of the schools' administrative teams, the staff and students of Wheable attended classes in the morning while the Lucas and Westminster staff and students attended afternoon shifts, ending at 5:45 pm each day. These original students recall 'not starting classes until noon hour and then boarding the buses in the dark and arriving at their country homes in the pitch black of a winter's night.'

A.B Lucas was officially opened in October 1963, seven months following the completion of Westminster. While the building was considered impressive by both students and journalists, many of the buildings features had yet to be completed, and it would be several months before the school would become fully operational. The irritation from concrete and plaster dust constantly lingering in the air forced many students wearing contact lenses to wear only one at a time in an effort to allow the other eye to heal. Rodents meanwhile infested the lockers, using the drain holes in each locker to scavenge food from unsuspecting students' lunch boxes.^[4][5]

Sports and clubs

Clubs :

A.B. Lucas ranks high in competitive clubs and activities such as DECA, Mock Trial, Model United Nations, Reach for the Top, Science Fair, and Science Olympics.

In the past, A.B. Lucas students have been qualified to compete in DECA Provincials and Internationals, won the 2017 London, Middlesex, Oxford & Elgin Ontario Mock Trial Tournament by OBA/OJEN Competitive Mock Trials (OOCMT), and competed in CWSF (Canada-Wide Science Fair) with multiple awards.

With these club experiences, A.B. Lucas students broaden their experiences through the school board of 76,000 students as well. A.B. Lucas students represented TVDSB as Student Trustees in 2016–17 and 2017–18. In the past, A.B. Lucas students also represented the school board at the provincial level at OSTA-AECO.

Sports:

A.B. Lucas students continue to qualify for WOSSAA (Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association) and OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Association) every year in a variety of sports.

Male:

Female :

Academics and rankings

A.B. Lucas Secondary School ranked 186th out of all 738 secondary schools in Ontario in the 2017–18 Fraser Institute Ontario secondary school ranking with an overall rating of 7.2 out of 10. The school has consistently performed well, ranking 148th out of 625 in the most recent 5 years^[6]

Events

Notable alumni

• Craig Billington, Former NHL goalie
• Trevor Blumas, actor
• Logan Couture, NHL player plays for the San Jose Sharks
• Jeff Hackett, Former NHL goalie
• Nazem Kadri, NHL Player plays for the Calgary Flames.
• David Lee, CFL player for Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Deb Matthews, M.P.P. for London North Centre
• Gloria Reuben, actress
• Jamie Romak, Baseball Player for SSG Landers
• David Shore, creator of House MD

See also

• List of high schools in Ontario

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to A.B. Lucas Secondary School.

• Official website
• Viking Robotics Website