One of the top independent schools for boys in Canada, Crescent School spans 37 acres in midtown Toronto. Now in our second century, we provide rich and diverse experiences and opportunities for boys in Grades 3–12 to learn, grow and thrive. Character has always been at the centre of a Crescent education supporting our mission, Men of Character from Boys of Promise.
Since 1913, Crescent School’s focus has been on character development. It is part of our DNA and involves a deep, uncompromising commitment to three essential areas we believe bring out the best in boys: relational learning, mentoring and character-in-action. A school that truly understands what makes boys tick, Crescent is here to meet your son’s development needs every step of the way.
Finding the right school for your son is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Thank you for considering Crescent School. We invite you to apply through our online application form. Learn more about us by attending an Open House or taking a virtual tour. We look forward to welcoming you to our campus.
A Crescent education is exciting, fulfilling and broad. Our curriculum is taught by highly motivated, supportive teachers who understand that establishing a relationship with your son unlocks the door to learning and engages him in his character development. Your son will be celebrated for both his work and his work ethic as we guide him academically and emotionally on his journey to becoming a Man of Character.
Character-in-Action programs are Crescent's co-curricular activities that provide boys with ample opportunities to develop character outside the classroom. Through clubs and teams in the arts, business, robotics and athletics, your son will discover new interests and build his leadership skills. And our outreach programs will allow him to gain compassion for others both in our community and abroad.
The generosity of our Crescent community provides vital support for our campus development, signature academic and co-curricular programs, and Student Financial Assistance. Contributions, no matter what their size, allow us to deliver the best possible education for our boys and help ensure that we continue to fulfill our mission: Men of Character from Boys of Promise.
Crescent School doesn’t slow down when regular classes are out. We offer a Summer Academic Program available to all high school students, as well as summer camps for children 4 to 13 years old. Our Successful Start program is a special academic prep program exclusively available to Crescent students.
Employment at Crescent School is an opportunity to build a rewarding career and belong to a dynamic community where all are respected for their contributions. Our employees share a commitment to excellence that has made us one of the top schools for boys in the world. An equal-opportunity employer, we offer competitive compensation and benefits and believe strongly in workplace accessibility.
Last month, I wrote about a harrowing encounter with my neighbourhood coyote; a moment that gave me real pause. Well, after a few weeks of hiatus, he came back the other day. While I was planning to write on a different subject this month, I decided to make a pandemic “pivot” and tell you about part two of my coyote experience.
Earlier this week, Heather and I were out for our usual morning walk with our dog, Chewie. As we made our way along snowy sidewalks and turned the corner of our street, there in the distance was the coyote. This time he was far closer to our home and far more intent on assessing the situation. There, in the dark morning hours, we stood still eyeing each other. I started to make strange sounds, trying to frighten off our friend. But to no avail; instead of running away, he ran toward us.
I recall a split-second choice. Do I engage or run the other way? While I was tempted to show this coyote who was in charge, I also felt obliged to get home safely to my family and show up to work unharmed. Meanwhile Heather and Chewie, more intelligently, had already gone the other way. And so, I decided to hoof it as fast as I could to catch up. After giving my best 40-yard dash, I was relieved to see over my shoulder that the coyote had given up the chase.
In life, there are countless moments that require either a fast or a measured response. According to Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist and Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, two systems drive the way we think and make choices: system one is fast, intuitive, and emotional; system two is slower, deliberate, and logical. In his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow, he writes about mental shortcomings that often guide decision-making. These can be things like looking for causality when it doesn’t exist (assuming “x” means “y”), drawing on expert intuition (“in my professional opinion”), planning through fallacy (“if I build it, they will come”), and being overly optimistic (“our competition will never be able to...”). In short, whether confronting a coyote who is hungry, or leading a school during a health crisis, it’s essential to avoid such shortcomings in our thinking.
We are now living through the second surge of a global pandemic. There are many things we still don’t know. When will school return to normal? What will be the long-term economic, social, and educational impacts? However, there are many things within our control. We can learn from our student and staff experience. We can determine the physical and fiscal resources needed to support and sustain our future academic program. We can decide what we will bring forward and what we will leave behind. These really important steps require all of us to lean in, think slow, avoid missteps, and be brave. This is exactly what we are up to right now at Crescent. We are advancing our new four-year school strategy in a deliberate and measured way to focus on our boys’ learning, our staff development, our master campus plan, and our future legacy. Stay tuned for more information at an upcoming Town Hall, early in 2021.
And if you come face-to-face with a rabid coyote? I suggest the exact opposite approach – think fast!