Goose Bay Dependents School History
Opened: 1956
Closed: 1968
Goose Bay Dependents School opened in 1956 for grades one through twelve. The school was located on Goose Air Force Base in Labrador, Canada. The base was the home of the 95th Strategic Wing. About 12,000 military personnel and families were located on the base. The school consisted of five buildings, four of which were for the elementary section.
The school mascot was the Flyers. The first yearbook, Flight, was published in 1958. The school newspaper was ICE-O-LATED Press.
The 1964 school yearbook reported that about 1000 students attended the school in grades one through twelve. There were four sections of first and second grades, three classes for third through fifth grade and two sixth grade groups. The elementary principal was Tony Sertich and there were nineteen classroom teachers as well as several specialists.
The secondary school had approximately twenty staff with almost 150 students in grades seven and eight and the same number in grades nine through twelve. The high school principal was Duane Walter. Extracurricular activities for the secondary students included student council, girls’ pep club, a photo science club, art club, crafts and hobbies club, Future Teachers of America, annual staff and newspaper staff. There were active band and drama programs. The sports program for boys included varsity and junior varsity basketball, baseball, hockey and wrestling. Girls participated as varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders.
For school year 1964-65, the high school had a new principal, Charles Johnson and Mr. Sertich remained as the elementary principal. New clubs added included Future Homemakers of America, a Letterman’s Club and National Honor Society. Soccer and basketball were added for girls. There was a coed swim team. The school now had two bands and a chorus.
The next school year there were three band levels and several new clubs. These included Future Nurses of America, a science club, chess club and Campus Life Club. Additionally, students were library and office assistants.
Mr. William Whittaker became the high school principal for school year 1966-67 while Mr. Harold Penstone was the elementary principal. Men’s gymnastics was added to the sports program. The school also had its first ski club and drill team.
The 1967-68 school administrators were Robert McKanna, high school, and Dean Brown, elementary school. Distributive Education was added to the curriculum. A Glee Club, chef’s club and junior high service club were new activities.
In 1967 the wooden building that contained the secondary grades burnt down and a separate new high school was built and opened in 1968.