A Coquitlam high school known for academics, sports and the arts is celebrating 25 years.
And former staff and students are invited to the party.
Pinetree Secondary, located at 3000 Pinewood Ave., opened on Oct. 29, 1997, and a celebration is being held to mark the last quarter century.
"It’s a chance for former students and staff to meet people and see how everyone has evolved over the years," said principal Jeremy Clarke.
An open house is planned for Friday, Nov. 18 from 6–9 p.m.
Visitors can:
- check out classroom displays
- enjoy food, including cupcakes made by the home economic department
- listen to music performed by the jazz band
- see some of the haunts they frequented when they were teenagers
"There has always been a sense of community," said Clarke, who has been the top administrator at the school for more than six years.
Clarke said the school has only had four principals to date and many former students come back as teachers.
School pride for academics, sports
There are also some long-serving teachers who are called "the originals" who taught at the school when it opened, including Colleen Lee, a Japanese language teacher, and Paul Kerr, a social studies teacher.
Another long-serving Pinetree educator is Yvonne Chan, who teaches science and chemistry.
Clarke said academics have always been a priority at the school and many students did well in math competitions; Pinetree also offers Advance Placement and Honours courses for ambitious students.
However, the school has also produced some top volleyball and basketball teams, as well as tennis and badminton players.
For those who went to Pinetree, meeting and mingling in the large foyer was — and still is — popular, as well as chatting with one another outside, staying warm in the multi-purpose room/cafeteria or playing video games in the Mac lab.
"Students are always able to find a place where they feel comfortable," said Clarke.
Now enrolling about 1,500 students a year, Pinetree Secondary once held 1,800 students at its peak in the early 2000s.
