Building Character

List of 4 items.

• We have emphasized character from day one.

  Since 1913, character has been at the centre of a Crescent School education.

  
  Crescent’s founder, Jimmy James, believed that it was important to establish a school that was “kinder and gentler than the fierce caning world” of the time. He wanted Crescent School to emphasize character development as much as drilling the rigorous academic standards of the day. This philosophy continues in our second century.

• An integral part of our mission and our values.

  Our focus on character development is part of Crescent's DNA. It involves a deep, uncompromising commitment to three critical areas that we believe bring out the best in boys: character-in-action, relational learning and mentoring.

  
  

  We do not have a character class at our school, nor do we do homework on this subject or test our students on it. Instead, we are a culture that has regular conversations about character where we reference our core values every day. And we are a school where everyone – from our adult population to our students – truly understands our mission.

• How we build character.

  Character conversations occur in the classroom. For instance, in disciplinary situations a teacher will ask: Which core values were not met today? Then, they will direct the boys back to demonstrating these values.

  
  

  Character development extends beyond our classrooms. It is an inherent part of the five

  co-curricular activities we call “Character-in-Action” programs: arts, athletics, business, outreach and robotics. They are where character is grown through experience, not theory.

  
  While all of these programs have experiences that are unique to them, they have core learning that is common. Each develops character through teamwork, resilience, courage, empathy and the understanding that one’s personal contribution contributes toward grander, greater success.

• Our commitment to character continues.

  Crescent’s Strategic Priorities 2020-2024 and our Strategic Academic Plan, The Crescent Way, reaffirm our commitment to character development. We continue to reflect on ways to improve how we incorporate character into our day-to-day work through our partnerships, faculty research initiatives and professional development.