New website will re-enrol students at the school, said association chair

The Mount Doug Alumni Association celebrated the school's 77th anniversary Tuesday with the launch of a new alumni website.

"The main purpose is to reconnect people so they can connect with others, add to the news section, put on events and let people know if there's going to be any reunions," said association chair Len Michaux, who is also a 1965 grad and former Mount Doug teacher. "You'll be able to see who in your graduation year have signed up and we'll have their e-mail so you can contact them."

School principal John Fawcett hopes the website will re-ignite a connection for students and teachers to the past. "It's a living, ongoing connection to our school and this is going to be a central place to keep in touch with people and share memories and stories about school," he said.

Mount Doug opened its doors on Nov. 18, 1931 on the site where Cedar Hill middle school is currently located. In 1970 Mount Doug relocated to its present site on Gordon Head Road, where Gordon Head Junior secondary had been operating. Over the years, the school has developed a reputation for academic performance.

"I think there is an academic focus here and we have teachers who are passionate about their subject areas," said Fawcett. "We also have a fairly well developed scholarship class which basically teaches kids how to apply for scholarships and what they need to do to apply for scholarships in different jurisdictions. So that really gives kids a leg up."

Ben Greene, who has taught at Mount Doug for 18 years, says he's also noticed there is an established culture of excellence that has spread throughout various aspects of the school, not just in academics but also fine arts, sports and technical education.

"With staff there seems to be (a notion of) building on that reputation. There's a sense of committing to a tradition here," he said.

A number of famous faces experienced their high school years in Mount Doug's hallways, including Oak Bay-Gordon Head MLA Ida Chong, musician and producer David Foster and NBA star Steve Nash. However, Greene remembers one in particular.

"I was certainly aware of Nelly Furtado when she was here. This being a smaller school back then I knew who she was," he said. "I didn't teach her personally but I remember her being in school plays and singing at grad. She was a friendly person, down-to-earth, had a lot of positive energy and was very talented."

In addition to reconnecting alumni, the Mount Doug Alumni Association plans to develop an endowment fund to support current students and create a formal school history, as there is no official school archive.

"I'm calling the website 're-enrolling in the school,'" said Michaux. "We're asking all former students to go to the site and register, it's free of charge. We're going to make the website the main vehicle for all former students of Mount Doug."

kschoenit@oakbaynews.com