Celebrations and Reflections On Prize Day
As Incoming Chair of the Board of Governors, Jamie Coulter gave this speech at the Prize Day ceremonies on June 13, 2019.
I am honoured to be speaking to you in my capacity as incoming Chair of the Board of Governors of this great place we call Crescent School. Barry Gordon, who is wrapping up a successful three-year term as Chair, asked me to step in for him this year as he is attending his daughter’s high school graduation today.
At the alumni leadership dinner in May, we recognized Barry as the 2018 Community Leadership Award winner. When Barry assumed the role of Chair, he said he wanted everything to be going as smoothly the day he left the job as the day he took the job. That he has done. The next time you see Barry please thank him for his service to the school.
Like Barry, I am a member of the Class of ’87 and also a proud school parent and, like Barry, my son, is also in Grade 10.
Interestingly, many of my Class of ’87 colleagues now have sons at the school – so much so, that events like these feel like a mini-reunion for our class. In turn, my role as Chair means I will also be representing the Class of ’87, a responsibility I don’t take lightly. As a piece of trivia, the front door of the Manor House which many of you walk through every day was our class gift to the school. Glad to see it still works!
I would like to start off by offering thanks to our great faculty whose commitment to the classroom and the myriad of extracurricular activities the school supports is a key differentiator for Crescent. The physical plant of the school is dramatically different from my time. And while I remember playing tennis on courts that use to be where the Field House is now or playing shinny hockey on Dawson Gardens on the now non-existent Lower Field, the fondest and strongest memories are of the relationships I had with a wide assortment of teachers who both inspired and challenged me.
Led by Dr. Sandy Boyes and Mr, Ryan Bell, our Lower School faculty looks after our boys in a way that has become the gold standard for Canada. Also led Dr. Sandy Boyes, along with Mr. Cranston and Ms. Patricia Alviano, our Middle School is a special place, preparing the boys for the jump to the Upper School, with all the rewards and challenges that brings. And our Upper School, led by Mr. Nick Kovacs, Mr. Rob Costanzo and Mr. Rich Prosser, is where our boys complete their transition from Boys of Promise to men of real character.
Our first-class educators work long days, many nights and not just a few weekends to ensure the boys have a special experience. The Board of Governors considers your teachers to be our greatest asset and I know you agree. Mr. Fellin and his leadership team are completely dedicated to ensuring that Crescent continues to improve while respecting the school’s mission. Both Barry and I offer our deepest thanks to them.
Please join me in congratulating both Dr. Boyes and Mr. Bell on their new roles at the school with Dr. B taking on an important new role as Executive Director, Professional Learning and Research and Ryan taking on the role of Head of Middle School. And in the Upper School, as you all know by now, Mr. Robert Costanzo is also starting a new chapter. We wish him all the best in his new role.
Barry and I share the responsibility for the governance of the school with 16 extremely dedicated, talented and experienced people, all volunteers. Every single one them serves in order to make a difference; setting the school’s strategy, monitoring finances and worry about pretty much everything that could the impact the boys and the school’s stellar reputation. We take our responsibilities very seriously and I assure you that it is no light burden. So a heartfelt thank you to my fellow governors and particular thanks to Charlotte Youngson, Doris Loo, Peter Osborne and Rob Watt who will be finishing their terms this year.
This Prize Day event is the culmination of a long year and celebrates the achievements of all of the boys, not just the ones who will be receiving awards today. I also think the day provides an opportunity for our sons to reflect on their accomplishments as well as challenges they overcame through the year. Life has a tendency to move us along quickly from one activity or change to another. And we rarely take the time to pause, think, reflect and evaluate what we have learned. However, I think there is a lot of value in carving out some time to review what we accomplished, what changed, what worked well and what didn’t. Questions you might want to ask yourselves might include:
We have a great program for you today. I am really looking forward to hearing Charlie McLean’s Grade 6 Valedictorian address in the Lower School ceremony and Zach Lechem’s Grade 8 Valedictorian address in the Middle School ceremony. The speeches from the boys are always my favorite part of this day. In the Upper School ceremony, I am really looking forward to hearing our Head Boy Kyle Chang’s parting remarks. I am sure he has something special planned for us.
Please take lots of pictures of your sons, their friends and save them for that day in the future when your Boy of Promise has graduated as a Man of Character and gone on to accomplish great things.
Enjoy your well-earned summer break and know that because school is done, you can probably get permission to stay up late tonight and cheer on the Raptors…
Thank you.
Back
At the alumni leadership dinner in May, we recognized Barry as the 2018 Community Leadership Award winner. When Barry assumed the role of Chair, he said he wanted everything to be going as smoothly the day he left the job as the day he took the job. That he has done. The next time you see Barry please thank him for his service to the school.
Like Barry, I am a member of the Class of ’87 and also a proud school parent and, like Barry, my son, is also in Grade 10.
Interestingly, many of my Class of ’87 colleagues now have sons at the school – so much so, that events like these feel like a mini-reunion for our class. In turn, my role as Chair means I will also be representing the Class of ’87, a responsibility I don’t take lightly. As a piece of trivia, the front door of the Manor House which many of you walk through every day was our class gift to the school. Glad to see it still works!
I would like to start off by offering thanks to our great faculty whose commitment to the classroom and the myriad of extracurricular activities the school supports is a key differentiator for Crescent. The physical plant of the school is dramatically different from my time. And while I remember playing tennis on courts that use to be where the Field House is now or playing shinny hockey on Dawson Gardens on the now non-existent Lower Field, the fondest and strongest memories are of the relationships I had with a wide assortment of teachers who both inspired and challenged me.
Led by Dr. Sandy Boyes and Mr, Ryan Bell, our Lower School faculty looks after our boys in a way that has become the gold standard for Canada. Also led Dr. Sandy Boyes, along with Mr. Cranston and Ms. Patricia Alviano, our Middle School is a special place, preparing the boys for the jump to the Upper School, with all the rewards and challenges that brings. And our Upper School, led by Mr. Nick Kovacs, Mr. Rob Costanzo and Mr. Rich Prosser, is where our boys complete their transition from Boys of Promise to men of real character.
Our first-class educators work long days, many nights and not just a few weekends to ensure the boys have a special experience. The Board of Governors considers your teachers to be our greatest asset and I know you agree. Mr. Fellin and his leadership team are completely dedicated to ensuring that Crescent continues to improve while respecting the school’s mission. Both Barry and I offer our deepest thanks to them.
Please join me in congratulating both Dr. Boyes and Mr. Bell on their new roles at the school with Dr. B taking on an important new role as Executive Director, Professional Learning and Research and Ryan taking on the role of Head of Middle School. And in the Upper School, as you all know by now, Mr. Robert Costanzo is also starting a new chapter. We wish him all the best in his new role.
Barry and I share the responsibility for the governance of the school with 16 extremely dedicated, talented and experienced people, all volunteers. Every single one them serves in order to make a difference; setting the school’s strategy, monitoring finances and worry about pretty much everything that could the impact the boys and the school’s stellar reputation. We take our responsibilities very seriously and I assure you that it is no light burden. So a heartfelt thank you to my fellow governors and particular thanks to Charlotte Youngson, Doris Loo, Peter Osborne and Rob Watt who will be finishing their terms this year.
This Prize Day event is the culmination of a long year and celebrates the achievements of all of the boys, not just the ones who will be receiving awards today. I also think the day provides an opportunity for our sons to reflect on their accomplishments as well as challenges they overcame through the year. Life has a tendency to move us along quickly from one activity or change to another. And we rarely take the time to pause, think, reflect and evaluate what we have learned. However, I think there is a lot of value in carving out some time to review what we accomplished, what changed, what worked well and what didn’t. Questions you might want to ask yourselves might include:
- What made this year good? Bad?
- Did I achieve everything I set out to?
- What surprised me – good or bad?
- What did l learn?
- What did I do well?
- Where did I falter?
- What do I want to change next year?
We have a great program for you today. I am really looking forward to hearing Charlie McLean’s Grade 6 Valedictorian address in the Lower School ceremony and Zach Lechem’s Grade 8 Valedictorian address in the Middle School ceremony. The speeches from the boys are always my favorite part of this day. In the Upper School ceremony, I am really looking forward to hearing our Head Boy Kyle Chang’s parting remarks. I am sure he has something special planned for us.
Please take lots of pictures of your sons, their friends and save them for that day in the future when your Boy of Promise has graduated as a Man of Character and gone on to accomplish great things.
Enjoy your well-earned summer break and know that because school is done, you can probably get permission to stay up late tonight and cheer on the Raptors…
Thank you.
