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.
At our recent Town Hall, I referenced the top questions that I have been asked over my five years as Headmaster. In addition to the likelihood of a hockey rink on campus, and what keeps me up at night, I am often asked, “What is different about a Crescent education?” There are many ways to answer this question, including the quality of our faculty and staff, the focus of our administrators to lead in a time of change, the commitment of our parent community to support the school as partners, and the contributions of our students to enhance school life for all. The list goes on. Sometimes these features are called our “secret sauce.” However, there is not anything secret to how great schools operate in support of their mission. Rather, it is made explicit in how people show up each day.
A favourite book of mine is The Difference by Subir Chowdhury, one of the world’s most recognized experts on organizational strategy and corporate quality. He argues that world class organizations of all types have something in common: what he calls the STAR principles, the qualities of straightforwardness, thoughtfulness, accountability and resolve. These four principles, he argues, rest on mindset. In the opening pages, he asks a very important question: in your home or workplace, what would you do if you found a toothpick on the floor? This simple but provocative query speaks to the type of mindset that we have for the things we encounter in life. Do we care to pick the toothpick up or are we indifferent?
A caring mindset is evident each day in great schools. It appears when people go the extra mile to help someone, to contribute something that may directly benefit others, to “put yourself in another person’s shoes.” Recently, I observed students in each of our three divisions who employed this mindset. During the Lower School lunch, a Grade 3 student dropped his plate on the floor, causing it to break and his food to spill. Without direction, a Grade 6 student stepped forward, grabbed napkins, a broom and dustpan, and helped clean up the mess. That same day, during Middle School lunch, a new boy was eating alone at a table. Again, without any intervention, a group of boys who have been at Crescent for a few years invited him to join them. Finally, during Upper School lunch, I watched as a group of boys offered to help a Mentor group that was short-handed that day with their table clean-up duty, again without the instruction to do so.
It is often easy to focus on the big things at a school like Crescent: programs with competitive cachet, people with raw talent and potential, or plans with the greatest net impact. However, it is often the little things that matter more: students, staff, parents and alumni who make daily choices that are in step with our core values of respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion. Growing up, I was always taught to “sweat the small stuff,” whether it was sorting flyers for my first paper route, shoveling my driveway after a big snowfall, or stocking pop bottles “like toy soldiers” for my store manager. In fact, one of Crescent’s greatest features is the mindset to care, to ask for and give help, and to leave the school better than we found it. Perhaps there is no quality our world needs more today from our young men and from us than to live our school’s values and mission.