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.
Character Lessons From One Of Canada’s Greatest Hockey Players
Michael Fellin, Headmaster of Crescent School
Building good habits. The privilege of pressure. Learning from failure. Earlier this month, our entire school was very fortunate to hear from Hayley Wickenheiser, one of the best Canadian hockey players in history and our 2019 Stransman Speaker. Every part of her speech captivated the boys, and it also reflected the character values we are working to instil at Crescent.
With seven world championships, six Olympic appearances, five Olympic medals (including four gold), and now working as Assistant Director of Player Development for the Toronto Maple Leafs while also attending medical school at the University of Calgary, Ms. Wickenheiser’s life story is an impressive one. She described her journey from humble beginnings on a backyard rink in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan to becoming one of the world’s most acclaimed female athletes. She spoke about how what really matters in life is what we do when nobody's watching. She told the boys, “All the work that you do, day in and day out, is about building good habits. In moments of truth, those established habits come into play. We do the work when no one is watching to enjoy the moments when everyone is watching.” This is certainly how we approach character development at Crescent. Practising our character is about doing the little things well, when the stakes are fairly low, so that when we are called to make more difficult and public choices we are equipped to take on that risk.
She also reminded the boys, and particularly those who are feeling the weight of an enriched course of study, that “pressure is a privilege” because you don’t feel pressure if you don’t have people supporting you and expecting you to do your best. When asked what her greatest lesson from failure has been, she answered by describing her first Olympic experience, when her team did not bring home gold. “I went into an Olympic depression,” she said. “Everything I thought I was, was wrapped up in hockey. The greatest lesson was, you are not what you do. You are so much more than that as a person. I lost more games than I won. I just won the right ones. When you fail, you fail forward.”
As a parent myself, I know how difficult it is to let my kids experience setback. Whether they forget something at home, or leave a project to the last minute, it is tempting to solve the situation for them. However, my own greatest learning experiences in life have occurred in a moment of discomfort, followed by a period of support and reflection. (I would be happy to describe in a different setting why I triple-check my hockey bag before leaving home to play men’s league hockey.) More than ever, I believe, our boys need to experience “non-catastrophic failure” – mistakes and mishaps that lead to new insight and greater maturity. Without these, the risk is that our kids remain too dependent on us for far too long.
Ms. Wickenheiser’s visit was sponsored by The Leadership in Sports Endowment in Memory of John Stransman P’03, ’05, which was established to promote sportsmanship, leadership and good coaching practices in sports at Crescent School. The endowment allows Crescent to bring in insightful speakers each year to address students on the development of values and character through sport.
Inviting keynote speakers into our school has long been a Crescent tradition. That tradition was deepened this year by Ms. Wickenheiser’s visit. For not only did her message reinforce what we believe about sport and character, but her presence at our school reminded us all of the important role that women play in teaching and leading our boys.