Crescent School Past & Present - Summer 2016

past &present A magazine for the Crescent School community

Enriching the Crescent experience through student financial aid

MeN of Character from Boys of Promise

summer 2016

BY ALUMNI

FOR ALUMNI

Share the Crescent experience and sustain the legacy You know how important Crescent School was to your life. You are part of a legacy that has been creating Men of Character for more than a century.

Now you can help more boys be part of the Crescent legacy. Your donation to By Alumni For Alumni will provide needs-based financial aid to extraordinary boys, with a preference for sons of alumni.

ALUMNI

Donate today: crescentschool.org/alumnigiving

on the cover Student financial aid benefits all Crescent boys. Story on page 14.

Past and Present is Crescent School’s official magazine, published twice a year for the entire Crescent community.

Produced by Crescent School’s External Relations Department

Crescent School 2365 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M2L 1A2 416-449-2556 info@crescentschool.org crescentschool.org Stay connected with Crescent School throughout the year: facebook.com/ crescentschool1913 twitter.com/ Crescent_School linkedin.com/company/ crescent-school

Contents Message from the Headmaster................2

Sharing the Principles of Wellbeing.......21

Showing Our Character............................4

Worth Waking Up For............................21

Staff and Faculty News ............................6 Saying Farewell to Retiring Staff..............7

Message from the Chair of the Alumni Executive................................................22

Staff Profile: David Shaw..........................8

Reunion Inspires Generosity..................23

Team 610: A Season of Effort and Emotion....................................................9

Reunion Highlights.................................24

Crescent Parents: Learning About Youth Mental Health.........................................10

Alumni Profile: Jeremy Millard ’95.........28

Athletic Achievements...........................12 Design Chris Simeon September Creative Communications Printer Mi5 Print & Digital • Summer 2016 Past and Present

Student Financial Aid: Benefiting the Entire Crescent Community...................14 Making Meaningful Gifts to Crescent....20

From the Archives..................................26

Alumni Events.........................................29 Life After Crescent.................................32 In Memoriam..........................................35 Lowndes’ Last Word...............................36 1

Message from the Headmaster

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hen I think about promise, I think about human potential, possibility, talent and skill. In Crescent’s case, I think about students and staff who have something about them just waiting to be grown, developed, honed and nurtured.

For me, as a school leader, parent and person of faith, I do not think of promise in a limited sense but in the fullest sense possible. As such, I think of promise as having no socio-economic, ethnic or religious limitation.

At the heart of our new strategic plan is a commitment to make Crescent more reflective of the Toronto of today. In the broadest sense, this is a tremendous opportunity for us to deepen our mission to locate promise in boys. For the past decade, we have appropriately tailored our

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academic program to develop character, especially through the lens of our core values: respect, responsibility, honesty and compassion. While this work will continue and expand to include other domains of character – performance and civic – we also need to shift attention to the other key aspect of our mission: promise.

Over the past two years, I have made a point of listening carefully to the Crescent School experience of students, staff, parents and alumni. This has required me to meet with hundreds of constituents across our community, both locally and abroad. I have been especially struck by the reflections that intersect with one another. One common musing has been the lack of diversity in the School, in both its people and

programs. Our alumni, in particular, have expressed to me how stark a contrast there is between the backgrounds of those who attend Crescent School and the diversity they encounter at university or in the workplace. As well, they have challenged me to think about how students must “get out of the bubble” so that a greater range of experiential learning can happen before graduation. Part of how we can do this is by expanding our academic program to include more local, national and global experiences led by teachers from a wider variety of professional backgrounds.

However, an equally important commitment is for our students to learn from, lead and socialize with peers from a broader set of personal circumstances.

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Today, more and more universities and employers are committing to diversity.

The Hay Group, a leading global management consulting firm, recently reported that, due to rapidly changing demographics and societal challenges, “successful organizations will need to develop an increasingly diverse work force to ensure an adequate pipeline of talent … of all ages and from a variety of cultural backgrounds … and more than ever before, leaders will have to learn how to manage work force diversity.”

Leading educational institutions are also realizing this trend and have been building campuses that are increasingly open and accessible to the very best students regardless of need. The University of Toronto holds Canada’s largest endowment, fully supporting over 40% of its entire student body on financial assistance. Meanwhile, postsecondary student financial aid has also become a hot political issue. In February,

the Ontario Government announced that it will pay for tuition for students from families with annual incomes less than $50,000, starting in the 2017/2018 school year. Other provinces are soon to follow suit.

A generation ago, a university education was for the select few – typically, students from privileged backgrounds.

Times have changed. Today, our boys are competing for spaces and learning alongside all types of students, regardless of background, at top university programs. Should a Crescent education not prepare our boys for this lived reality?

Aside from the many moral, pedagogical and philosophical arguments for diversity through financial assistance, there is the human argument. Perhaps this was best captured by our Head Boy, Cooper Midroni, at a recent assembly. He stated,

“Because of financial aid, we are able to bring in boys who undoubtedly benefit this community. And that is quite easy to see, and very easy to understand. But it takes a careful eye to also recognize the long-term picture of financial aid at Crescent School. As time passes, tuition will only increase. This is the product of attending a School that prefers to live on the cutting edge of boys’ education, technology and facilities. To offset this, in the big picture, financial aid should be used to take the edge off tuition across the School, to make tuition affordable for more and more people. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been asked many times to talk about financial aid at the Dentonia Luncheon, the Alumni Golf Tournament, but none so important as now, as I talk about it in front of the entire Upper School. And the reason that I can speak on these topics has nothing to do with who I am. It’s not because I’m Head Boy, it’s not even because I can speak well.

“ This is a tremendous opportunity for us to deepen our mission to locate promise in boys.”

It’s because I am supported by financial aid at Crescent. Without past movements towards financial aid, I actually would not be here today.”

You see, Cooper is not only the first Head Boy to receive financial assistance; he is the first among his peers to stand up and challenge our School to think more passionately and strategically about it. It is what makes him a truly outstanding Man of Character. How many more Boys of Promise reside in a city of over six million? I suspect there are a few more for us to get to know and welcome to our School.

In truth we stand and grow.

Michael Fellin, P’24 Headmaster

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Showing Our Character

Mural Celebrates Crescent Brotherhood When our Grade 12 art students had the opportunity to create a 20-foot mural, it didn’t take them long to choose a theme.

Creating the mural took several weeks (and a lot of green paint). Now everyone who visits the Upper Loggia near the Middle School/Upper School Library is reminded of the brotherhood that unites all Crescent boys.

A Warm Welcome for Syrian Refugees A partnership between Crescent and Havergal College is helping Syrian refugee families make an easier transition to life in Canada. The student-run Dignity For All group has raised nearly $50,000 for refugee settlement programs since October 2015. They also hosted recreation days for refugee families at Crescent and Havergal.

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Connecting Across Canada for Global Dignity Day

Public Speaking Champs Two Crescent boys earned excellent results in the public speaking contest hosted by Sterling Hall School in April. Dylan Zeigler won first prize in the Grade 8 category, and Nicholas deVilla-Choi placed second in the Grade 7 category. Well done, boys!

Crescent School played an important role in Global Dignity Day last October. Rwandan peace activist Emery Rutagonya spoke to our Grade 7 and 8 boys in our Centre for Creative Learning, and his inspiring message was broadcast through a live feed to schools across Canada. Global Dignity Day is an international event that instills the value of dignity in young people through school workshops.

Taking Care of Business at DECA Three Crescent business team members placed among the top 10 teams at the DECA International competition in April. Competing against 200 other top participants from around the world, Ryley Mehta finished fifth and Joseph Sumabat and Auston Xing finished sixth overall in their respective categories – a very impressive result.

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Staff and Faculty News Prime Minister’s Teaching Award for David Grant David Grant P’14, Crescent’s Dean of Studies, has been honoured with a Certificate of Achievement from the 2015 Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence. This award recognizes 35 outstanding teachers across the country whose innovative use of information and technology helps students meet the challenges of 21st century society. This is the second time in as many years that Crescent School’s faculty has been recognized with this honour. Lower School French teacher Sylvia Duckworth received a national Certificate of Excellence in the 2014 Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence.

Bringing Brain Science to the Classroom A group of Crescent staff has a better understanding of the link between brain development and learning after attending a neuroscience conference in Boston last November.

Nick Kovacs, Head of Upper School, and Crescent Student Services staff Robbie Longpré, Susy Bellisario and Margot Beech-Kennedy heard presentations by leading neuroscientists and returned to Crescent with lots of ideas for implementing the latest brain research findings.

Crescent Faculty Participate in Research on Master Teachers In February, Crescent faculty Aggie Maksimowska (Upper School) and Ian Fisher (Lower School) travelled to New York City to participate in the final phase of a three-year international research project examining teaching practices of boys’ schools around the world.

The research is led by Dr. Victoria Marsick of the University of Columbia and its findings provide insight on how teachers can develop mastery in their profession.

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Enrolment Team Works with 100 Strong Foundation to Find Boys of Promise Crescent is developing connections with the 100 Strong Foundation, a not-for-profit organization co-founded by Justice Donald McLeod that fosters learning and inspires excellence in African-Canadian boys. By building relationships with 100 Strong and other community organizations, Crescent is raising its profile across the GTA and identifying potential Boys of Promise who would thrive in the Crescent community.

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Saying Farewell to Retiring Staff C

rescent says farewell this year to four long-serving staff members who have epitomized our School’s commitment to boys’ education. During their tenure at Crescent, Martin Cruttwell, Steve Davies, Diane Groenke and Colin Lowndes made a significant impression on the boys they taught and on the colleagues they worked alongside. They also leave a legacy of caring that will continue to influence our Crescent community in the years ahead. We wish each of them all the best for a long, happy and healthy retirement!

Martin Cruttwell

Diane Groenke Martin, a master teacher, joined Crescent School in 1990 and served until recently as the Upper School English Department Head. A revered basketball coach, senior mentor and Shakespearean expert, Martin plans to spend his retirement enjoying some of his other passions, including driving his highperformance vehicles and cheering on the Toronto Raptors.

Diane served as Crescent School’s Guidance Secretary, Secretary to the Director of Curriculum, and University Counselling Coordinator for 25 years. Diane, who will be remembered as a person completely devoted to our boys and their learning, is already enjoying opportunities to travel and explore during her retirement.

Steve Davies

Colin Lowndes

Steve came to Crescent School in 1978, fresh from university, to teach the world religions curriculum and coach the senior hockey team. It was his first teaching job, and it lasted for 38 years.

During his career, Steve’s professionalism, compassion and humility made a profound impact on our entire community.

Steve is looking forward to spending more time with his four grandchildren and also continuing to deliver on the demand for his hockey coaching skills by goalies throughout the city.

Colin joined Crescent School in 2004 as Deputy Headmaster and Head of Upper School. A consummate professional and seasoned administrator, his primary work was to oversee Crescent’s character-in-action initiatives, ensuring that learning happens inside and outside the classroom. A mentor to numerous faculty and staff and role model to hundreds of Crescent graduates, Colin now looks forward to becoming a student again. He has enrolled in literature courses at the University of Toronto.

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Staff Profile David Shaw, Director of Enrolment and Financial Aid expanding the student financial aid program and increasing the diversity of the student body. Working with Crescent’s leadership, Shaw is developing relationships with organizations throughout the city such as the 100 Strong Foundation and the African-Canadian Christian Network to help give remarkable boys the opportunity to apply to Crescent.

Education is very important to Shaw’s family. His wife, Kelly, is CEO of Ooka Island Educational Technology, which produces digital games that build literacy skills. Their daughter Sam has just completed her first year (Grade 7) at St. Clement’s School.

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hen families are considering Crescent School for their sons, the Enrolment Office is often their first introduction to what life at Crescent is like. They are guaranteed to get a warm and enthusiastic welcome from David Shaw, Director of Enrolment and Financial Aid at Crescent.

“When you work in admissions, you are making an incredible difference in the life of a school, but also in the lives of families and boys,” says Shaw, who joined Crescent in June 2015.

When Shaw first arrived at Crescent, he was struck by how the Crescent mission, Men of Character from Boys of Promise, was embodied in the daily life of the School.

Before coming to Crescent, Shaw worked at Upper Canada College for 17 years, where his roles included teaching math, coaching football and working in the admissions and advancement departments. Prior to that, he taught at Branksome Hall and a public high school in London, Ontario.

He says the opportunity to work at Crescent attracted him because he had always been impressed when he visited the campus.

“It’s a jewel of a place,” says Shaw. “The kids are lovely and there’s a family kind of feeling. That really appealed to me.”

Shaw was also attracted by Headmaster Michael Fellin’s commitment to

One of the things Shaw appreciates about the independent school system is that “there’s a philosophy that school isn’t just from 8:30 to 3:30, that it extends beyond that, and sports and music and drama are just as important as math and science and English. That philosophy really resonates with me.”

Having put in a successful first year at Crescent, Shaw is looking forward to the year when boys he enrolled cross the stage at Graduation.

“I really look forward to hugging a mom or dad at Graduation, when you’ve seen the full arc of their son’s path from meeting and recruiting them, and their impact on the School,” says Shaw. “That is a powerful moment.”

“I’ve never been to a place where the boys can recite the mission,” says Shaw. “But at Crescent, stop any kid and they’ll tell you the mission. It’s on the wall, it’s on the ground, they quote it in their yearbook comments and they say it at Graduation.”

He was also impressed by the enthusiasm of the Crescent boys who serve as ambassadors for Open House events and visits by prospective families.

“We have some incredible tour guides,” says Shaw. “If you have a company and are looking for some sales reps, we’ve got some boys for you.”

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Team 610: A Season of Effort and Emotion What does a successful robotics season look like for Crescent’s FRC Team 610?

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t starts with six weeks of designing, fabricating, assembling, programming and testing a robot from scratch that can meet the annual challenge set by the FIRST Robotics Competition. The hours are intense. The 47 members of Team 610, plus their faculty mentors, are at work long after the school day ends, and on weekends too.

Then the competitions begin. At the end of the Greater Toronto East Regional tournament, Team 610 ranks in eighth place. Then the team competes in the Waterloo Regional. This is a very big deal. The 29 other competitors include two top-seeded teams – one of which has won 23 regionals in a row. But this year, Team 610 beats the “unbeatable,” winning the Waterloo Regional for the first time in 10 years.

On to the World Championships in St. Louis. Team 610 has competed at this level before, winning gold at the 2013 World Championship. This year, hopes are high but the competition is tough.

Competing in a division of 75 teams, Team 610 reaches the semifinals but can go no further after losing hard-fought battles.

Photos: Eddy Guan – FIRST Robotics Canada

After a season filled with effort and emotion, what remains are Crescent pride and inspiring memories that Team 610 members will carry with them forever.

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Crescent Parents: Learning About Youth Mental Health T

he Crescent Parent Association’s annual luncheon in February was an enjoyable opportunity for over 200 Crescent parents to foster friendships while also learning about a serious topic: youth mental health. Eric Windeler, Founder and Executive Director of Jack.org, was the keynote speaker, accompanied by Nolan Anderson. Jack.org is a national network that supports mental health among young people.

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Mental Health Highlights Here are some important facts from the Jack.org presentation: • Challenges related to mental health are the number-one health issue for young people.

• Parents need to start discussions about mental health to make it as easy to talk about as physical health.

• Encourage children to strive for balance and to get an appropriate amount of rest, nutrition and exercise. Set good examples.

• Find ways to talk about mental health before you have any concern. The approach may need to be different for each child. Share your own challenges to make the subject more accessible.

• If you notice a prolonged change in behaviour that is not normal for your child and is affecting their ability to cope with life’s normal challenges, then trust your gut and take action – just as you would if you were worried about your child’s physical health.

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Athletic Achievements Sweeping to Victory Crescent’s Upper School Open Curling team clinched its first CISAA curling title in its first season after a long hiatus from the sport. The boys came from behind to win the deciding matches against three teams that had finished ahead of them during the season.

OFSAA Bronze Medallist Senior Swim Team: Charles Cheng (100m breaststroke)

OFSAA Antique Bronze Medallist Senior D1 Basketball

CAIS Nationals Bronze Medallist U13 D1 Basketball

CAIS Nationals Semi-Finalist Senior D1 Basketball

Squashing the Competition For the fifth straight year, Crescent’s U14 Squash team won gold at the CISAA championship tournament. The Senior and Junior teams also had strong seasons, finishing at the CISAA championships with silver medals.

CISAA Champions U14 D1 Basketball Open Curling U14 Squash

CISAA Silver Medallists U11 Basketball U12 D1 Basketball U12 D2 Basketball U13 D1 Basketball U12 Hockey Junior Squash Senior Squash Upper School Open Swimming

CISAA Bronze Medallists Junior Basketball Junior D2 Hockey

CISAA Semi-Finalists U10 Green Basketball Senior D3 Basketball Senior D2 Hockey

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Making Waves The Upper School Swim team represented Crescent at the OFSAA provincial finals, with team member Charles Cheng earning a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke. Overall, the team posted some outstanding results, leading to a personal best finish for the boys.

Character on Ice It was an exciting hockey season for Crescent, with all the teams in the CISAA playoffs. The U12 Hockey team emerged with a silver medal at CISAA, while the Junior D2 team earned bronze. The U14 and Senior teams both reached the CISAA semi-finals.

Basketball Triumphs At the end of a near-perfect season, Crescent’s U14 D1 Basketball team claimed the CISAA championship. The U10 through Senior D3 teams also had strong seasons: they all reached the CISAA semi-finals with many earning second-place finishes. The U13 D1 team also earned bronze at the CAIS Nationals. For the second year in a row, the Senior D1 team earned a spot at the OFSAA “AA” provincials. Although illness and injuries hobbled the team, the boys finished with fourth-place “antique bronze” medals against tough competition.

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Student Financial Aid Benefiting the Entire Crescent Community

How Financial Aid Is Awarded Needs-based financial aid is available to students in Grades 7 through 12. These students must be accepted for admission before they are considered for financial aid awards.

Families who apply for financial aid are assessed through a third-party organization, Apple Financial Services, which then advises Crescent on whether the family qualifies for financial aid and recommends a level of support to enable the family to afford Crescent.

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icture the scene at Crescent School last September when 715 boys, smartly attired in Number One Dress, gathered for the first Full School Assembly of the year. The sea of green and blue blazers included boys with a wide variety of backgrounds, interests and talents. They also all had one thing in common: being remarkable Boys of Promise.

As is tradition, the assembly included a speech by the Head Boy, Cooper Midroni ’16. He set the tone for the year as he urged the boys to embrace the Grads’ chosen motto: Be Humble, Be Hungry. It was the first of many inspiring speeches

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and official duties during the year by the Head Boy, who carried his leadership responsibilities along with a full slate of courses and co-curricular activities. As they listened to Midroni, many of the boys – and faculty and staff too – might have been surprised to know that he was attending Crescent on a scholarship.

Midroni is one of 22 Crescent students who received financial aid during the 2015/2016 school year. The fact that these boys aren’t easily picked out of the crowd underscores the point of financial aid: it puts a Crescent education within reach of boys who fit easily into the school culture but who couldn’t afford to enrol otherwise.

The final decision about which families receive financial aid is made by the Financial Aid committee that includes the Headmaster, the Enrolment Department and Finance Department. As the need for financial aid currently outstrips Crescent’s budget, it is awarded on a priority basis based on student rankings determined by the Financial Aid Committee.

All financial information is kept confidential and boys who are on financial aid are not identified to faculty or other students without their permission.

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Crescent’s 2015-2020 Strategic Plan calls for the School to become a more diverse teaching and learning community, one that reflects the Toronto of today.

Financial aid is not the only tool for achieving diversity, but it is an important lever for expanding the pool of talented boys who are able to enrol at Crescent.

Currently, Crescent provides tuition assistance to approximately 3% of the student body of 715 boys. Assistance is funded by a combination of the School’s operating budget, endowment fund and expendable donations. To achieve the goal of expanding the amount of student financial aid available, the School has committed to significantly increasing its $11 million endowment.

“Financial assistance is a practical and ethical imperative for Crescent School,” says Barry Gordon ’87, P’21, who begins his term as Chair of the Board of Governors in July. “The commitment to deliver the highest quality education is not getting any cheaper, and in order to maintain a robust student body, Crescent needs to have the financial resources to be able to draw students from disparate sources.”

While it has a profound impact on the boys who receive it, financial aid also benefits the entire student body and the wider Crescent community for generations to come.

Head Boy Cooper Midroni '16 at the Full School Assembly in September 2015

“Attending Crescent School was the reason I was passionate about learning throughout high school, the reason I was able to discover so much about myself, and the reason I moved on to more success, with a great support network and many new brothers.

Honestly, without Crescent and financial aid, I couldn’t imagine what my life would be like today.”

Jordan Grant ’14 is now studying management engineering at the University of Waterloo.

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Making A LifeChanging Difference For Exceptional Boys Midroni says he often wonders “how my life would be different if Crescent hadn’t taken a chance on me.”

The offer of financial assistance changed his life, says Midroni. “That phone call made all the difference to the past four years. And it is because of that phone call that I am able to go to Queen’s Engineering next year, my top-choice university program.”

“Families’ faces light up when they find out a Crescent education is available to them,” says David Shaw, Crescent’s Director of Enrolment and Financial Aid. “These boys have tremendous potential and they don’t take their opportunities for granted.”

Students who receive financial aid continue to value its benefits long after they leave Crescent.

“Financial aid played a very important role in allowing me access to all that Crescent has to offer,” says Matti Keskikyla ’10, who was a Dentonia Scholar and recipient of the Dr. Paul Medline ’83 Outreach Bursary. “It gave me access to an exceptional education, an awesome array of co-curricular activities, unmatched global outreach opportunities, and a group of amazing

“Academic excellence is only one part the schooling at Crescent. Opportunities for exploring other areas of education were vast, and many of the lessons, skills, values, and memories gained have shaped who I am today.

I am fortunate to be a part of this community that fosters a healthy mind and body and encourages creativity. That is the gift of a Crescent education, for which I am grateful.”

Arman Draginov ’07 is in his third year of medical school at St. George's, University of London.

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lifelong friends.” Keskikyla now works as a consultant for Newton North America.

“The education, experiences and friendships that I cultivated during my time at Crescent School would not have been possible without financial aid,” says Japteg Singh ’07. Singh recently completed an internship at the Ontario Health Coalition and is now pursuing a post-graduate degree in global health at McMaster University.

“Crescent provided me with a supportive learning environment that not only fostered

Measuring Up

a strong academic foundation to succeed but also the life skills, social values and moral integrity to help me be the person I am today," he says.

Enriching The Educational Experience For All Crescent Boys While it is easy to think about financial aid in terms of how it benefits its recipients – the student, his immediate family and community, and also his future

family and career – it also has a positive impact on every boy at Crescent.

“Most people understand the benefit of financial aid to the boy and his family who receive it,” says Shaw. “What’s often less understood is the incredible benefit it has for all the boys at the School. To be exposed to kids from all different walks of life, with different ways of thinking, from different parts of the city, different ethnic backgrounds – that is enriching.”

Research shows that diverse organizations and teams function more

Here’s how Crescent compares to selected peer schools.

$5.0

30% 25%

$4.0

20%

$3.0

15% $2.0

10%

$1.0

5%

in millions 0

Bishop Strachan School

Crescent School

Royal St. George’s College

St. Andrews St. Clement’s St. Michael’s College School College School

Upper Canada College

0

$ Spent in Financial Aid % Students Receiving Financial Aid

Data is for 2015/2016

“Thanks to the Dentonia Scholarship program, I was able to take advantage of the immense resources Crescent has to offer without being limited by financial obstacles.”

Nathaniel Diakun ’15 is now at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California.

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draw the top applicants from the widest possible pool of the best students.

Anne-Marie Kee, executive director of Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), says the 95 schools the organization represents increasingly offer financial aid to students across Canada and around the world. “That’s how you ensure that the best, brightest kids who fit the culture of the school can attend,” she says, “not just the kids whose parents can afford it.”

By helping more families afford a Crescent education for their sons, student financial aid has a positive impact on the school community, says Tim Usher-Jones ’01, Chair of the Alumni Executive Fundraising Committee.

What is Apple Financial Services?

Apple Financial Services provides arms-length analysis of financial assistance requests for almost 90 independent schools across Canada, including Crescent School. Families whose boys are applying to Crescent submit their detailed financial information to Apple Financial.

Apple Financial assesses the information and recommends the level of support the family might require. Crescent’s Financial Aid committee considers that recommendation when it makes its decisions about awarding financial aid.

“I believe student body diversity enhances the learning environment and is part of our duty to support a better overall society,” he says.

creatively and effectively. The value of diversity is also felt in the classroom, where different perspectives can bring fresh ideas to discussions and new approaches to problem-solving.

To embrace the benefits of diversity, more independent schools are proactively expanding their financial aid programs to ensure that their schools can

Strengthening The Entire Crescent Community Student’s links to Crescent don’t get cut on Graduation Day. Crescent alumni continue to play active roles in the school community by supporting internship and mentoring opportunities, volunteering for governance roles, donating to

“Student financial aid gave me the opportunity to have a top-tier education that I otherwise would not have been able to afford. Moreover, at Crescent, I learned the importance of being involved in community service and student organizations, helping me develop lifelong personal and professional relationships. An education at Crescent is one of the best decisions I have ever made.”

David Cai ’14 is now studying finance at the NYU Stern School of Business.

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fundraising initiatives and returning to campus as Crescent dads and granddads too. Similarly, Crescent parents also take on significant responsibilities for governance, volunteering and fundraising. By fostering diversity among the student body, Crescent ensures that the entire community will be strengthened by the varied talents that alumni and parents can offer.

Many Crescent donors recognize the value of making the School accessible to a wider pool of applicants and have chosen to generously support student financial aid.

Ariel Vinizki ’92 is one of these donors, and he knows the impact of financial aid first hand. His family’s economic circumstances changed while he was a

student, and he would not have been able to continue at Crescent if he hadn’t received a bursary. He says the caring attitude of the teacher who helped him get the bursary epitomizes Crescent.

“The School would have had no trouble filling that opening with a full-tuition paying student,” says Vinizki. “Naturally, I have a strong sense of gratitude and wanted to start giving back as soon as I could.”

Other donors support financial aid because they believe high-performing students encourage all the boys to strive for excellence and embrace all that Crescent offers.

In 2013, Bill and Susanne Holland chose to establish the Nicholas Holland ’13 Scholarships in honour of their son. The

scholarships provide full tuition and related expenses for two outstanding students for the duration of their enrolment from Grade 7 to Grade 12.

“Supporting financial aid makes a significant difference in the lives of young people – both those receiving the financial assistance and those who learn alongside them,” says Bill Holland.

Donations to support student financial aid can be seen as an investment in Crescent’s future, says Barry Gordon.

“We need to be able to provide assistance at all levels of commitment, from small amounts to full scholarships,” says Gordon. “To be as relevant and successful 20 years from now as Crescent is today, developing increased financial assistance is a must.”

CPA Pledges $500,000 For Scholarship Fund The Crescent Parent Association (CPA) is extending its generous support for financial aid at Crescent through the CPA Centennial Scholarship Fund.

Endowed in perpetuity in 2006, the scholarship fund currently supports one Upper School boy – Head Boy

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Cooper Midroni ’16 – during his four-year enrolment at Crescent School. The CPA Leadership Team’s unanimous decision to pledge $500,000 over the next three years to the CPA Centennial Scholarship Fund will double the fund’s impact.

“We are thrilled that our additional pledge will give the Scholarship Fund the ability to support two Upper School students,” says Lori Fisher, CPA President for 2015/2016. “We know these boys will add to student life and diversity at the School, thus benefiting all our sons.”

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Making Meaningful Gifts to Crescent

By Alumni, For Alumni puts Crescent within reach of more Boys of Promise

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new tradition is emerging among Crescent Grads. Since 2014, as its “Class Leaving” gift to Crescent, each graduating class has chosen to raise money for student financial aid. This cause has also become the first choice for alumni who are commemorating significant reunion years.

Grad and reunion gifts supporting student financial aid fall under Crescent’s

By Alumni, For Alumni program. It launched in 2014 in response to the

2013 alumni survey, which revealed a strong desire among alumni to put the Crescent experience within reach of deserving boys who could not afford it otherwise. In particular, recognizing that financial constraints can hinder alumni from considering Crescent for their own sons, By Alumni, For Alumni is designed to provide needs-based financial aid with a preference for sons of alumni.

For its gift, the Class of 2014 raised $62,000, creating the first endowed

bursary fund for the By Alumni, For Alumni program. Last year, the Class of 2015 raised over $45,000 before they graduated, and the bursary fund they established continues to grow. Following the tradition, the Class of 2016 has created a bursary fund named in honour of retiring deputy headmaster Colin Lowndes.

Other classes set high goals for their reunions. The Class of 1987 established a class fund for its 15th anniversary reunion, and it grew with donations to more than $463,000 by 2012. For its 30th anniversary, the Class of 1985 raised $85,000 for student financial aid.

The Class of 1992 has set a $92,000 fundraising goal for its 25th anniversary reunion next May. For many alumni, supporting financial aid to help future students is a meaningful way to give back to Crescent.

“Although we have graduated, our connection to Crescent does not have to end,” said Cole Halbert ’14. “Through this bursary fund we will preserve the spirit as well as the unity of our great class and continue to make a difference for our School.”

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Sharing the Principles of Wellbeing

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leep Soundly. Eat Smarter. Move More. Think Clearly. Throughout the year, Crescent alumnus Dr. Greg Wells ’89 has been helping the Crescent community embrace these four key principles of wellbeing. It’s part of the new Health and Wellbeing Program, which aims to build a culture of wellness at Crescent.

Wells is an assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Toronto and also serves on Crescent’s Board of Governors. He shared steps for living a better life at the Being Better event for Crescent parents, alumni and friends on March 30. He was also featured as Crescent’s annual Stransman Speaker at a student assembly on May 3.

Next year, Crescent’s Health and Wellbeing program will offer activities throughout the year that are designed to encourage students to develop healthier habits.

“We believe that by making small improvements in physical and mental performance, we can have a powerful impact on health, wellbeing and ultimately academic results,” says Wells.

Worth Waking Up For Alumni in Toronto have a fresh reason to get up in the morning with the Alumni Breakfast Series. It offers the opportunity to network and learn from community leaders and influencers. Now in its second year, the series has featured talks by: • Brian Lang ’87, President of MasterCard Canada • Michael Latimer P’24, President & CEO of OMERS • Dr. Greg Wells ’89 • Headmaster Michael Fellin P’24 • Peter Aceto ’87, President & CEO of Tangerine Bank If you have suggestions for future speakers, let us know! Share your ideas with Kathryn Foster, Manager of Alumni Relations, at kfoster@crescentschool.org.

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INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Gain access to an outstanding pool of Crescent School Alumni for summer internship positions in your company.

To learn more and to register your company for summer 2017 internship placements, contact: Kathryn Foster, Manager of Alumni Relations kfoster@crescentschool.org

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Message from the Chair of the Alumni Executive Alumni pride supports Crescent’s future

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s I write this, the end of my term as Chair of the Crescent Alumni Executive is approaching. Reflecting on the past three years, I’m very proud of what the Crescent alumni have been able to accomplish together.

When we surveyed the alumni community in 2013, one overwhelming response was the strong sense of pride and satisfaction alumni have for their Crescent experience. Other findings from that survey provided important direction for our work. As part of that work, we strengthened our popular internship and mentoring programs, both of which connect alumni with each other and the wider Crescent community while also supporting their personal and professional goals.

Another key finding from the survey was alumni’s desire to help increase the amount of financial aid available, 22

particularly to help alumni who would love to share their Crescent experience with their sons if financial concerns didn’t put it out of reach. As a result, we created the By Alumni, For Alumni initiative to raise funds for needs-based financial aid, with a preference for sons of alumni.

Student financial aid is a passion of mine, and I am glad to say that the Crescent alumni have taken up this cause with enthusiasm. I am very pleased that supporting By Alumni, For Alumni has become the choice for many reunion celebrations as well as by the Crescent graduation class each year. (My own Class of 1985 raised $85,000 for our 30th reunion last year; I am particularly proud of that.)

The growing success of By Alumni, For Alumni is rooted in the strong sense of brotherhood that exists among

us all. Crescent alumni share a deep commitment to ensuring that the school experience that meant so much to our lives is accessible to all deserving Boys of Promise. We know that those boys, as future Men of Character, will be lifelong supporters and advocates for Crescent.

It is now my privilege to pass the title of Chair of the Crescent Alumni Executive to Jamie Coulter ’87 P’21. It has been a pleasure working with him in his capacity as Co-Chair of the Alumni Internship Program. With his capable expertise and deep love of all things Crescent, I know he will serve us well in his new role.

It has truly been a humbling honour to serve as Chair. Thank you for your support and encouragement. I look forward to continuing to stay connected with you through future Crescent events.

Rob Watt ’85, P’14 Chair, Crescent Alumni Executive

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​ We as a class all felt strongly about giving “ back to the School and supporting a program that will allow future boys to share the host of experiences and opportunities we did,” says David Hudson ’96. The Class of 1996 members raised $24,150, surpassing their class’s $20,000 fundraising goal.

nowing that a Crescent education can be a life-changing experience, many alumni marked their reunion this year with a special donation towards student financial aid. The funds they raised will provide needs-based financial aid with a preference for sons of alumni, putting the Crescent experience within reach of more exceptional boys.

time or another and know first-hand the value the program provides,” says Patrick Osler ’96. “Crescent made a huge impact in our lives and we hope to help provide, in a small way, the same value for the boys who follow after us.”

Altogether, the Reunion Giving Initiative raised nearly $40,000 from members of the Classes of 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011.

“Many of us personally benefitted from the student financial aid program at one

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e welcomed more than 150 alumni back to campus for the Alumni Reunion Weekend in May. On Friday, our annual Dentonia Luncheon honoured esteemed alumni who attended Crescent between 1938 and 1975, when it was located at Dentonia Park. Many alumni joined the fans at the Friday Night Lights game to cheer for Crescent’s Senior Rugby team. On Saturday, the Class of 1991 commemorated their 25th anniversary reunion before reconnecting with former teachers and friends from the Classes of 1976, 1981, 1986, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2001 at the full reunion.

Back Row (L-R): Cameron Anspach ’59, Allan Day ’75, Bruce Boyle ’61, Fred Gaby ’75, John Cernik ’54, Hugh Thom ’58, Fred Rapson ’75, Doug Kennedy ’57, Peter Corolis ’75, Dick Howard (retired faculty), John Porter ’54, David Varley ’63, Headmaster Michael Fellin. Front Row (L-R): George Gardiner ’64, Marc Joliat ’52, Richard Wise ’41, William Greer ’37, Thomas Symons ’39, Fred May ’53, Bruce Burgess ’57, Allen Tweddell ’55.

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From the Archives

1950: Before Summer Break, Dentonia Park

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or more than 100 years, Crescent boys have been exploring the great outdoors – sharing adventures, building friendships and creating lasting memories.

1978: Outdoor Education

1935: Camp Oconto

Selections from Crescent School's archival collection are now showcased in the School’s new Heritage Gallery, which opened this spring. The alumni who attended the Dentonia Luncheon in May were among the first visitors to the gallery. It has also been visited by classes of current Crescent boys, giving them a new appreciation of their School’s history.

If you have vintage Crescent photos and keepsakes you’d like to donate to our archives, please contact us at alumni@crescentschool.org or 416-449-2556 ext. 260.

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1980: Outdoor Education

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1970s

1983: Camp Tawingo

1980s Students Kayaking

1990: Lake Huron

1992: Camp Tawingo

1993: Camp Tawingo

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Jeremy Millard ’95

Alumni

Profile

three pillars on which our political system is built: British parliamentarianism, American federalism, and Canada’s homegrown constitutionalism.”

Student financial aid (SFA) “made all the difference” in his Crescent education, says Millard.

“I couldn’t have stayed at Crescent without the SFA I received in every one of my eight years here, period. It’s impossible for me to know now what my life would be like if I hadn’t spent my formative years at Crescent.”

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ast year, Jeremy Millard was looking for a new challenge. Holding degrees from Yale, Oxford and the University of Toronto Law School, he had been working as a commercial and civil litigator for nearly 10 years. A job opening caught his eye, and he made the move to become Legal Director for Uber Canada.

“I was a huge fan of Uber before joining the company,” says Millard. “I was in the right place, at the right time, with the right skill set for the role. It’s tremendously exciting to have a hand in developing the law of a new industry.”

As an innovative service that is disrupting the licensed taxi industry, Uber is facing regulatory challenges in municipalities across Canada. Millard has described the situation as “controlled chaos.” It makes

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his job as the sole legal advisor for Uber in Canada very interesting indeed.

Millard says his education at Crescent School prepared him with the ability to be adaptive and adventurous – traits that are essential to his new role.

“What I think about Crescent when I think back is this: we weren’t stuffy. For a uniform-wearing private school, we were always given room wide enough to create and explore.”

He says his Crescent years formed the foundation for his future career.

“My academic path after Crescent was definitely a product of Crescent itself,” says Millard. “I was at Crescent when I first fell in love with politics. So after Crescent, I went to schools to study the

Crescent Memories “I had tremendous teachers at Crescent. Two in particular mean the world to me. Aldonna Stremecki was a constant presence and support during my Crescent career, teaching me English, French and drama, but above all taking charge of us during the Crescent/St. Clement’s plays.

The other was Bill Pedoe, that Renaissance man. He taught the writer’s craft course, and from him I learned a most important rule: write for your audience.”

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Alumni Events Waterloo

London, Ontario

Crescent alumni at Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo enjoyed a chance to reconnect on October 29 at the Waterloo Branch Reception.

There are a lot of Men of Character at Western University, and we enjoyed catching up with them at the London, Ontario Branch Reception on November 6.

Montreal Crescent alumni at McGill University got together at the Montreal Branch Reception on January 21. They were joined by several Crescent faculty members who were in town for basketball and hockey tournaments.

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Toronto More than 120 alumni attended the popular Downtown Networking Event on November 19, along with Crescent staff and faculty members.

New York City Mike Smith ’87 hosted our New York City Branch Reception on March 31, giving Crescent alumni living in the Big Apple an opportunity to reconnect.

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Hong Kong Bernie Wai ’93 and Headmaster Michael Fellin welcomed alumni, current parents and other friends of Crescent School at the Hong Kong Branch Reception on November 27.

Kingston We enjoyed reconnecting with Crescent alumni attending Queen’s University at the Kingston Branch Reception on January 22.

San Francisco It was great to catch up with Crescent alumni who are living in San Francisco on February 24.

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Life After Crescent 1970s and 1980s Andrew Zeally ’75 is working on his PhD project entitled This Is Not Art Therapy: Artistic Responses to the Biopolitics of HIV/AIDS. He is in his second year of doctoral studies at York University and is also an artist-in-residence at the Toronto People With AIDS Foundation (PWA).

You can learn more about his work at his website: www.andrewzealley.com.

Sandro Ferrante ’81 and his family are loving life in Aosta, Italy, where he works at Saint Vincent Resort & Casino as a purchasing executive. Sandro spends his winters skiing in the Italian mountains, and the summers doing high-altitude trekking. He shares his life with his wife, Liliana, and 17-year-old son Matteo, who shares Sandro’s passion for trekking. They hope to compete in the Tor des Géeants endurance race someday.

Stephen Milié ’82 is with Harvey Kalles Real Estate, where he is a member of the Chairman’s Club, working with both residential buyers and sellers in central Toronto. He’s been married to Wendy since 2002 and they have two children: Matthew, age 13, and Lauren, age 11.

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Stephen and Wendy are both avid doubles squash players and Stephen hosts the Harvey Kalles Doubles Squash Pro-Am annually at the Cricket Club.

1 Donald Wright ’84 delivered the 2016 Donald Creighton Lecture at the University of Toronto. The Creighton Lecture honours the contributions and legacy of Donald Creighton, Professor of History from 1928-1971. Two Crescent faculty were in attendance: Steve Davies (pictured), who was Don’s Grade 10 history teacher, and David Calverly, Head of Canadian and World Studies.

Doug Palm ’86 assumes the role of Principal of the Senior School at Glenlyon Norfolk School in Victoria, BC starting in July 2016.

1990s 2 Aleem Janmohamed ’96 and his wife Zahra welcomed their second child, Alyssa Mia Janmohamed, a sister for Aiden, on February 2, 2016. Aleem joined RBC Wealth Management in 2014 as an estate planning specialist and lives with his family in Toronto.

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Aaron Kopff ’97 started Electric Train Productions in 2009. His company has been involved in film productions all over the world with a focus in Brazil and Colombia.

Aaron is currently in pre-production on his first feature film as a director which will be shooting in late 2017.

John McEachern ’98 started a new beverage company in Toronto last year.

His first product launch, a soft drink called Just Craft Soda, is in stores and sales are growing rapidly. With more new product ideas in the pipeline, he aims to build a North American beverage portfolio.

David Tsai ’99 has been working as a hospitalist in the San Francisco Bay Area since completing his medical training at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He and his wife Jody, who practises medicine at Stanford, welcomed their first child, Arthur, in May.

2000s Jesse Berger ’02 completed his MBA at Ryerson University last year. As an MBA student, he was a member of the

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only Canadian team participating in an online, international investment case competition hosted by The Economist.

His team beat 25 other schools from around the world to win the $10,000 first-place prize, as well as the $3,000 People’s Choice Award.

3 Alan Partington ’02 and his wife, Julia, welcomed their first child, Dawn, on October 3, 2015. They live in Waterloo.

4 Sherman Wong ’02 is pursuing his MBA at the University of New Brunswick, after working in corporate sales at IBM. Sherman married Christine Munro on October 3, 2015.

5 Three Class of 2004 alumni have welcomed future Boys of Promise into the world: Michael Wallace ’04 and his wife Kate welcomed baby Emmett in November 2015, Ruston Martin ’04 and his wife Jenna welcomed baby Isaiah in November 2015, and David Forsayeth ’04 and his wife Erin welcomed baby Luke in February 2016.

Jon Telch ’05 is now working as a senior consultant at Maple Leaf Strategies, a position he secured through connections from Jason Steel ’93 through the Alumni Professional Mentoring Program.

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Robert Amelard ’06 is a PhD candidate in systems design engineering at the University of Waterloo and recipient of the prestigious Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. He has developed a device that makes earlier detection of heart problems possible.

Using patent-pending technology called Coded Hemodynamic Imaging, the device is the first portable system that monitors a patient’s blood flow at multiple

arterial points simultaneously and without touching the skin. It is ideal for assessing patients with painful burns or highly contagious diseases as well as infants in neonatal intensive care.

6 Dan Moor ’08 played for Canada’s

national rugby team in the Americas Rugby Championship this year. The competition included the USA, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay and was played from February to March 2016, with Canada finishing in third place.

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2010s Milton Chan ’10 graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2015 with an Honours Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School and honours specialization in biology. After visiting Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, Milton interned at Canaccord Genuity in Toronto before joining the firm in a full-time position in September 2015. Milton credits Crescent’s Alumni Internship Program for facilitating his opportunity with Canaccord.

Jonathan van Groll ’11 is completing his Bachelor of Applied Science in Geological Engineering at the University of British Columbia, and has been accepted into the Masters of Engineering program. Jonathan is still close to his Crescent peers, including roommate Michael Webb ’11.

7 George Mavroidis '12, Patrick White '12, Ian Lo '15 and Warfa Jibril '13 spent the summer of 2015 in San Francisco working with various tech companies.

George participated in an accelerator program for his own startup, Patrick had a co-op placement at Yelp, Warfa worked at Twitter and Ian worked for fellow Crescent alumni Cobi Druxerman ’02, Aaron Glazer ’02, Andrew Norris ’03 and Jonathan Norris ’07 at Taplytics.

8 Nicholas Latifi ’13 officially joined the Renault Sport Formula One Team in March as a test driver and is embarking on a long-term development program.

Stefan Losberg ’13 was recently elected by over 1,200 Ivey students as the President of Western Ivey’s

Students’ Society. He has been elected to represent the interests of all Ivey students, while demonstrating Ivey’s core values, pertaining specifically to character development and becoming well-rounded business leader.

Kenneth Chan ’14 will be interning this summer at Blue Rock, an accounting firm in Australia co-founded by alumnus Peter Lalor ’92. Kenneth successfully obtained this position through Crescent’s Alumni Internship Program after completing his second year in computer engineering at Queen’s University.

Jake Fisher ’14 was on the winning team that earned first prize in the Canadian Engineering Awards’ Junior Design Competition in March. He and his three teammates are second-year mechatronics engineering students at the University of Waterloo. Their competition project involved building a drawbridge that could span gaps of 50cm, 75cm and 100cm without any modifications.

an accounting assistant. He will return to Halifax this summer to continue his studies.

Nathaniel Diakun ’15 is interning at FCS Computer Systems in Hong Kong this summer. He is currently studying Business Administration with an emphasis in Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.

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Jordan Grant ’14 was awarded Co-op Student of the Year at Waterloo for his work at Deloitte last summer.

He developed the Deloitte Tech Exchange (DTEX), which promotes student innovation and creativity. Jordan continues to volunteer his time on the DTEX project at Deloitte. Jordan was also featured at the FIRST World Robotics Championship this year, performing his award-winning song, One Bot Can Change The World.

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Jack Watt ’14 is studying commerce at Dalhousie University. He recently completed his co-op at First Asset, where he worked for Barry Gordon ’87, P’21 as

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Stay Connected Send us an update on your life after Crescent!

Email Kathryn Foster at kfoster@crescentschool.org Find alumni news on social media: CrescentSchoolAlumni @CrescentAlums @crescent_alumni Crescent School Alumni Group

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Keep in touch: Update your contact information at alumni.crescentschool.org

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In Memoriam

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The Crescent community is saddened by the loss of these esteemed alumni and parents, and we extend our sympathies to their loved ones.

Arthur Beck ’34

Ken Reucassel ’83, P’19

Arthur Thatcher Beck ’34 passed away on July

Ken Reucassel ’83, P’19 passed away on November 5, 2015 at the age of 51. He undertook everything he did with great commitment, diligence and humour, and his caring presence and wonderful energy will be missed by all. Many organizations benefited from his expertise, including The International Group and the Boards of the Beaumaris Yacht Club, Caledon Ski Club and Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. He will be deeply missed by his wife Jane, his children Alexandra Gaye and Duncan ’19, and a cherished circle of family and friends. Jane shared with us that, “it meant so much to Ken that his brother John ’87, son Duncan ’19 and his nephews – Henry Mackie ’13, John Mackie ’15, Ian Mackie ’19, Rives Reucassel ’19 and Turner Reucassel ’24 – are all part of the Crescent community that he loved so much. Our families are proud supporters of Crescent, and the boys’ experience at Crescent provides a constant touchpoint for the family, linking all the generations and generating much discussion and laughter.”

27, 2015 at age of 94. Mr. Beck was an alumnus of Crescent School when it was located on the Dentonia campus. He led an active life as a horticulturalist, globetrotter and humanitarian, and he was a generous family man. We extend our condolences to his partner Sylvia Ridgley, his children, grandchildren and his greatgranddaughter.

Brian Case ’42 Brian Reginald Case ’42 passed away on March 22, 2016 at the age of 87. He was an avid sailor and a long-standing member of the Queen City Yacht Club. He had also served as a Lieutenant with the 7th Toronto Royal Canadian Artillery (Reserve). He will be dearly missed by his wife Kathleen and their six children and eight grandchildren. We extend our condolences to his entire family and many friends.

Elizabeth Ann Bertram P’79, ’81 Elizabeth Ann (Betsy) Bertram P ’79, ’81 passed away on May 12, 2016 at the age of 77. She was the beloved wife of the late Ronald Murray Bertram (former Chair of the Crescent School Board of Governors) and proud mother of Jay ’79, Ron ’81 and Susanne. A fiercely competitive golfer and bridge player, she was also a dedicated nursery school teacher at Blythwood Baptist Church and served as President of the Crescent School Ladies’ Guild in the 1970s. She leaves behind a wide network of loving family members and friends.

We extend our condolences to her children and grandchildren.

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Lowndes’ Last Word The real work of a school lives in the classroom I had taught back in my earlier days at Upper Canada College, had heard that I was leaving Crescent and invited me to lunch. We talked about the usual things.

They are both successful now, married with families, and still clearly close as brothers. It was wonderful to listen to them and catch up on their lives. I had a great time. Toward the end of the meal, they said that they had talked together and wanted to find a way to let me know that I had been a positive influence in their lives. Among other things, they said, “You believed in us before we believed in ourselves.”

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owndes’ Last Word: the title has a little extra resonance this time ’round. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, the occasion of my departure has provoked some reflection, sometimes spurred by questions and comments from boys, colleagues and parents; occasionally spontaneously.

I’ve thought a lot about those words. They underscored for me that educational administration is rather arid work; not that it isn’t necessary, maybe at times even important, but there is little in it for the soul. The classroom is where the real work in a school is rooted, where lives are changed, where souls are engaged.

The first occurred in the classroom.

Thanks to the generosity of my colleagues in the English department, I recently had the opportunity to teach some classes of poetry to the Grade 11s. I’m not sure how well the boys enjoyed it, but it’s been by far the most fun I’ve had all year. I taught a brief unit on the development of the sonnet: from Petrarch, its first great practitioner, through Wyatt, who introduced the form to England in the early 1500s, then touching on Shakespeare and other authors, and on down to our own age.

importance of the relevance of the curriculum. I’m not sure I can make a compelling case for the practical relevance of the close study of a sonnet from the 16th century (or of any century, for that matter). I do know that what makes teaching English unique is that your subject matter, your body of knowledge, includes some of the greatest masterpieces ever to tumble out of the human brain, landmarks of western culture. And that there is an extraordinary exhilaration in the moment of recognition: that first insight into how these masterpieces actually work, so that as you read them, your skin prickles and the short hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Keats called this an awakening to truth and beauty, and claimed that this is “all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.” This is soul food. It connects us with who we are, with where we’ve been, and with what we can be. It is for each reader to ascertain the relevance of that for himself.

There is a great deal of attention paid right now in educational circles to the

The second touchstone moment took place over lunch. Two brothers, whom

Two experiences this year have proven to be touchstones:

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Another great thing about teaching English is that your understanding of a work of literature is never fixed. Every time you teach a work, the human dynamic of that specific class opens it up for you in a way you had never quite seen it before. The only worthwhile question to ask is one for which you do not already have the answer. The Grade 11s this year, through their enthusiasm, their insight, and the quality of their engagement, taught me at least as much as I was able to teach them about Petrarch, Wyatt, Shakespeare, et al, as so many previous classes have opened my eyes and enriched my soul over the past 40 years.

It’s time for me to feed my soul again; it’s time to get back in the classroom – this time, for the first time in a long time, as a student. Thank you to all of you for your generosity and kindness over my years at Crescent.

Colin Lowndes Deputy Headmaster

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THANK YOU!

Our Crescent School Golf Tournament hosted by the Alumni on May 14, 2016 was a success thanks to the support of the entire Crescent community. Your enthusiastic participation helped raise over $15,000 for Student Financial Aid – putting a Crescent education within reach of more exceptional Boys of Promise.

Thank you to all our wonderful sponsors:

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GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

Breakfast Sponsor: Eagles Nest Golf Club Contest Sponsors: Naughty Otter Lager, Sisley Honda, Steam Whistle Brewery, Venture Construction Services Ltd. Hole Sponsors: AM/PM Electric, Canadian Insurance Brokers Inc., Daniel et Daniel, The DMS Group, Mi5 Print & Digital, Hume Media Inc., Lynde Institute of Dermatology, Onondaga Camp, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Past and Present

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SAVE THE DATE

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL

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WITH HEADMASTER MICHAEL FELLIN Mr. Fellin will report on the achievements of the Year 1 goals as identified in the Strategic Plan 2015-2020, and provide an overview of the priorities for the coming year.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14 - 7 P.M.

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Crescent School 2365 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M2L 1A2

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