Academic calendar
Semester 1 runs Aug 18, 2026 – Jan 26, 2027. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Balanced School Year 2025-2026Bill Crothers Secondary School Balanced School Year 2025-2026Bill Crothers Secondary School Year 2025-2026
- Semester 2 2025-2026
- Term 4 2026
- Semester 1Relevant now
- Balanced School Year 2026-2027Bill Crothers Secondary School Balanced School Year 2026-2027Bill Crothers Secondary School Year 2026-2027
- Semester 2
Campus language
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Showing 35 of 35 terms
A
- AC
- Athletic Council; a student-led group that organizes sports events, intramurals, and spirit days.
- Athletic Council
- A student-led group that organizes sports-related events and intramurals.
B
- Balanced Calendar
- The unique school year schedule that features an earlier start and additional breaks compared to standard schools.
- BC
- Common shorthand for Bill Crothers Secondary School.
- BCSS
- The standard acronym for Bill Crothers Secondary School.
- BCSS
- The standard abbreviation for Bill Crothers Secondary School.
- BCSS Athletics
- The overarching organization for the school's numerous varsity sports teams.
- BCSSAC
- Bill Crothers Secondary School Athletic Council, which organizes sports-related events and spirit days.
- Bill
- The most common shorthand name used by students to refer to the school.
C
- Colt
- A student of Bill Crothers Secondary School, derived from the school's mascot.
- Colts
- The official mascot and name for all Bill Crothers athletic teams.
- Crothers
- The common shorthand name used by students and staff to refer to the school.
D
- DECA
- The business and entrepreneurship club that participates in regional and provincial competitions.
F
- Fit
- Commonly used shorthand for 'outfit,' particularly relevant given the school's focus on athletic apparel.
H
- HOSA
- Health Occupations Students of America, a major club focused on health sciences and medical competitions.
- HPA
- High Performance Athlete, a specialized program for students competing at provincial or national levels.
- HPE
- Health and Physical Education, the core focus of the school's specialized curriculum.
- HPEC
- Health and Physical Education Council; a student leadership group that organizes athletic events and intramurals.
M
- Main Street
- Refers to Main Street Unionville, a nearby historic area with various restaurants and cafes.
- Modified
- A term referring to the school's unique academic calendar which begins earlier than other schools.
O
- OFSAA
- Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations, the provincial organization for high school sports championships.
S
- SAC
- Student Advisory Council, the primary student government body responsible for school events and spirit.
- SHSM
- Specialist High Skills Major, a program allowing students to focus on Health and Wellness or Sport.
T
- The 44
- A shorthand nickname for the school derived from its street address, 44 Main Street Unionville.
- The 905
- A reference to the York Region area code, often used to describe the local suburban culture.
- The Bill
- A common shorthand name for the school used by students in conversation and on social media.
- The Caf
- The school's central cafeteria where students eat lunch and congregate during spares.
- The Den
- The student-run spirit wear store and central hub for school merchandise.
- The Hill
- Refers to the elevated geographic area or specific outdoor spots near the school grounds.
- The Plaza
- The commercial area across from the school containing various fast-food and dining options.
- The Program
- Refers to the school's specialized athletic-focused curriculum.
- The Servery
- The specific counter area where food is purchased and served.
W
- Whole Foods
- A popular off-campus lunch destination located in the adjacent shopping plaza frequently visited by students.
Y
- YRAA
- York Region Athletic Association, the governing body for high school sports in the York Region.
- YRDSB
- York Region District School Board, the governing body for the school.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- August Start
- The practice of beginning the academic year in mid-August, a hallmark of the BCSS balanced calendar.
- Balanced Calendar
- The unique school year schedule used by BCSS, which begins in early August and features different holiday breaks than standard Ontario schools.
- bcss_cafeteria
- BCSS Cafeteria
- Bussing
- The specialized transportation system that brings student-athletes from across York Region to the school.
- Fitness Centre
- The multi-level, high-performance workout facility available to student-athletes.
- Gapps
- The YRDSB Google Apps for Education account used for all student email and cloud-based assignments.
- ILIP
- Integrated Learning Instructional Period, a dedicated block in the schedule for student-athletes to manage their academic workload.
- Integrated
- The school's unique academic model where physical education is integrated into the daily schedule for all four years.
- Integrated Athletics
- The school's unique academic model where sports and physical activity are woven into the daily schedule for all students.
- Late Start
- Scheduled Wednesday mornings where classes begin later than the standard 8:20 AM start time.
- Late Start Wednesday
- The weekly schedule adjustment where classes begin at 9:45 a.m. to allow for staff meetings or student rest.
- Mandatory Kit
- The required athletic uniform (branded t-shirt and shorts) that all students must wear daily instead of traditional school clothes.
- Mid-Term Break
- A specific one-week holiday in late October that is unique to the school's balanced calendar.
- Modified Calendar
- The specialized YRDSB schedule where the school year begins in mid-August to accommodate athlete training cycles.
- Modified Schedule
- The unique daily timetable at BCSS that incorporates training blocks and flexible start/end times for athletes.
- Pan Am Access
- The specific protocol and walking path students use to transition between the school and the Pan Am Centre.
- Performance Center
- The high-performance weight room and training facility used by student-athletes.
- PT
- Performance Training; a specialized physical education credit focused on athletic development that is a core part of the BCSS curriculum.
- Regional Busing
- The specialized bus system that transports students from across York Region to the school.
- Student ID
- The identification card required for signing out sports equipment and identifying oneself during school hours.
- Teach Assist
- The online platform used by students to monitor their grades, attendance, and graduation requirements.
- TeachAssist
- The essential online portal where students check their current marks, schedules, and attendance.
- The 1
- The YRT (York Region Transit) Highway 7 bus route used by many students to commute to the school.
- The 100s
- Refers to the classrooms and facilities located on the first (ground) floor.
- The 200s
- Refers to the classrooms located on the second floor.
- The 407
- The toll highway located immediately south of the school, frequently used as a landmark for the school's location.
- The Bill
- The common shorthand name for the Bill Crothers Secondary School building and campus.
- The Dome
- The large, white inflatable indoor sports facility used for year-round athletic training.
- The Gym
- The school's internal double gymnasium used for basketball, volleyball, and school assemblies.
- The High Performance Centre
- The specialized weight room and athletic training facility.
- The Hub
- The central Student Services and Guidance office area.
- The Hub
- The YRDSB virtual learning environment (Brightspace) where teachers post assignments and course content.
- The Lecture Hall
- A large tiered room used for guest speakers, team meetings, and presentations.
- The LH
- Short for the Lecture Hall, the primary venue for large presentations and guest speakers.
- The Loop
- The designated circular driveway at the front of the school for bus and car drop-offs.
- The Pan Am
- The Markham Pan Am Centre, a high-performance facility adjacent to the school used for PE classes and swimming.
- The Scoreboard
- The school's internal digital portal for student news, athletic schedules, and daily announcements.
- The Track
- The 400m outdoor track surrounding the turf field, used for training and track meets.
- The Triple Gym
- The massive main gymnasium that can be partitioned into three separate athletic spaces.
- The Turf
- The artificial grass field used for soccer, football, and field hockey practices and games.
- The Weight Room
- The high-performance fitness center used by student-athletes for strength and conditioning.
- The Weight Room
- The high-performance strength and conditioning center used by student-athletes.
- Training Block
- A specific period in the school day dedicated to athletic development rather than traditional classroom subjects.
- Triple Gym
- The main large-scale gymnasium facility used for basketball, volleyball, and school-wide assemblies.
- VIVA
- The rapid transit bus service (specifically the Purple or Green lines) that serves the nearby Unionville Station.
- Viva Purple
- The rapid transit bus line with a stop at Highway 7 and Main Street Unionville, serving the school community.
- YRT
- York Region Transit, the public bus system used by the majority of students to commute to the Unionville location.
- YRT/Viva
- The York Region Transit bus system, which is the primary mode of transportation for the school's regional student population.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Semester 1 runs Aug 18, 2026 – Jan 26, 2027.
- How much campus context is included?
- 35 approved campus terms and 48 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.