Sheldon-Williams Collegiate officially opened its doors on December 4th, 1956
Originally the school was to be named Riverheights Collegiate, but before it was completed it was named to honor Catherine Evelyn Sheldon-Williams. Catherine Sheldon-Williams attended Normal School and was engaged as a teacher at Wolseley for a short time. She then undertook the management of a business office in that town, returning to the field of education with her work in the Boys' Industrial School. When that school was transferred to Regina, Miss Sheldon-Williams came with it. In 1920 she joined the Department of Education. Ever mindful of the disadvantaged boys she had worked with and of the educational need throughout the rural ares of the province, she organized the "Outpost Correspondence School" which enabled Grade eight students to continue their high school studies. It began with seven students and enrolled one hundred within a year. At first, Miss Sheldon-Williams was the entire staff, giving unsparingly of her time and talent. She was active in this work until 1929. Miss Sheldon-Williams was elected to the Regina Collegiate Board in 1920 and for the next twenty years she served on the board, winning two elections and being returned by acclamation three times. Miss Sheldon-Williams retired from active service on the boards in 1941 at the age of seventy-two. She died in April, 1949.
Few would have regarded Miss Sheldon-Williams' methods as orthodox. Her interest was in the pupil first and in education as an enrichment of life. She championed the cause of technical education. Her keen intellect, lively spirit and rare enthusiasm were all employed for the improvement of education in the province and this city. Our school is honoured and proud to bear her name and we hope that we live up to the high standards and ideals which Miss Sheldon-Williams exemplified in her life and which she undoubtedly would expect "her" school to live up to. Miss Sheldon-Williams quite rightly described her life as "an adventure in education".
Sheldon-Williams Collegiate was honored to have J. R. A. Pollard as its first principal. He put endless hours in the planning of this facility. He visited schools in Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg, searching for new ideas and better plans to enable this school to serve the students and the community. It was a labour of love and devotion that only a true educator could give. He wanted a school and a staff that provided the best opportunities so that music, drama, athleticism, shops, commercial, home economics, and especially academic excellence would be encouraged. He chose a composite school plan so that all students would have every opportunity to achieve to their fullest potential in many areas. After 60 years, the spirit and soul that Alton Pollard gave to Sheldon-Williams is still a part of all that goes on within these walls.
Today
At Sheldon, we pride ourselves on our ability to offer a wide variety of courses and instructional strategies. Through collaboration, hands-on courses, and inquiry- based learning, Sheldon students are able to develop literacy skills that they will use both in and outside of the classroom. For the staff at Sheldon, academics are more than just courses and classrooms. We want to know that when our students leave Sheldon-Williams Collegiate, they can take what they have learned and apply it to the world around them.
Opportunities for students to learn and practice new skills take place both inside and outside the classroom. Sheldon-Williams offers a rigorous academic pro
