Oakville Trafalgar High School was the second high school established in
Oakville. In 1946, the districts of Trafalgar and Oakville merged and the school's name was changed to Oakville Trafalgar High School.During
World War I and
World War II, the school field was converted into a field where students grew crops to send overseas. During this time different sports and clubs formed, with the two most popular being
rugby and
hockey. Both attracted a large fan turnout. The largest and most popular change was the allowance of dances; dances were banned in the school. 34 students, listed on the school's cenotaph, fought and died during World War II. By 1988, 80 years after it opened, the
Halton District School Board determined the OTHS building on Reynolds Street no longer met the school's needs. The superintendent said the existing building was crumbling, overcrowded, antiquated, and had no room to expand; Renovation was considered at first, but ultimately the board opted to relocate the school to a "high-tech" $18 million new facility on Devon Road. This decision was controversial in the community because of the cost and the perceived demerits of the site. Despite the friction over the years-long process to upgrade the school, the new OTHS location on Devon Road opened in September 1992. The new building, designed by local architect Andrew Bruce, features a stylized brick facade in the main atrium that mimics the roofline of the original school on Reynolds Street.
Prosthetic breasts controversy In September 2022, the school was the subject of an international controversy after a transgender teacher was filmed teaching a class wearing large prosthetic breasts with protruding nipples. The
Halton District School Board defended the teacher and said the teacher's employment was rightfully protected by the
Ontario Human Rights Code, though it stated that it was also reviewing its dress code policy.
People's Party of Canada (PPC) leader
Maxime Bernier called for the teacher to be fired. Some parents and PPC supporters protested the teacher's clothing. In November 2022, the board's dress code review recommended not adopting a stricter dress code for all employees because it could open the board up to liability for human rights violations. In January 2023, Halton District School Board reversed its position, and announced a dress code for teachers beginning in March 2023. The teacher who was the subject of the controversy has since left Oakville Trafalgar. == Relay for Life ==