Jump to content

St. George's School of Montreal

Coordinates: 45°29′38″N 73°35′48″W / 45.4940°N 73.5968°W / 45.4940; -73.5968
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St. George's School of Montreal
Address
Map
3100 The Boulevard

, ,
Canada
Coordinates45°29′38″N 73°35′48″W / 45.4940°N 73.5968°W / 45.4940; -73.5968
Information
School typeIndependent day school
Founded1930
Head of SchoolMichael O'Connor
GradesKindergarten-11
Number of students450
LanguageEnglish French
Colour(s)Red and Blue   
Sports teamsDragons
Websitewww.stgeorges.qc.ca

St. George's School of Montreal is an independent school in Montreal, Quebec, Canada founded in 1930. It consists of two campuses: the elementary school campus in Westmount, Quebec, and the high school campus in Montreal just 15 minutes' walk from Beaver Lake and Mount Royal Park.[1][2] The school is a co-educational, non-denominational day school, where students do not wear school uniforms, except during physical education class. St. George's School of Montreal is a member of The Quebec Association of Independent Schools (QAIS), The Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), and The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

St. George's was founded by a small group of parents who, inspired by the movement for progressive education, rejected the authoritarian ways associated with conventional education. They believed that learning should be a natural and enjoyable activity related to the developmental stages and needs of the child. During most of the 20th century it was notable for being one of the most avant garde, liberal and innovative schools in the province of Quebec, largely due to its child-centered philosophy (which was quite exceptional in the 1930s, and unique in Montreal). The school's pedagogy is guided by its Founding Principles: (1) The child should have abundant opportunity for creative expression; (2) Adapt education to the differences of the individual child; (3) Health must come first; (4) Group-consciousness and social-mindedness should be developed; (5) Learning comes from doing; (6) The classroom should be freed from unnatural restraints.[3]

St. George's is a day school, however there is a family boarding program for international students.[4] The annual tuition fees for attending St. George's range from $18,568 to $22,889 for non-international students and up to $52,037 for new international boarding students.[5][6] As the school receives subsidies from the Quebec government from Grades 7 to 11, all students attending the high school section are required to have a certificate of eligibility allowing them to attend government-funded English schools in accordance with Bill 101.[7]

History

[edit]

In 1930, St. George's first prospectus was the following:

“A central aim of the St. George’s School is the release of creative energy in the child. Every child wants to know a multitude of things that they do not know. Every child is endowed with the capacity to express themselves, and this innate capacity is immensely worth cultivating.”

In 1930, the first class at St. George's was made up of 22 students. The original building was located between the current elementary school and high school, at the corner of Clarke Avenue and The Boulevard, in Westmount, Quebec. Over the next few years enrollment grew exponentially, and the school was relocated to a series of residential buildings at the corner of Ramezay Avenue and The Boulevard, where the high school remains today. By 1946, the school had grown to more than 80 students from preschool to Grade 9.

In 1955, 25 years after the school's founding, students presented a sketch of their "dream school" to the Principal at the time, Agnes Matthews, and within two years, the high school building, as it appears today at 3100 The Boulevard was built. In 1958, the school had its first graduating class of eight students.

In 1971, the former St. George Snowshoe and Curling Club located at 3685 The Boulevard was acquired by the school, and was subsequently renovated and expanded into what today houses the elementary school.[8]

Heads of school

[edit]
Name Tenure
Ms. Dorothy Cross 1930–1935
Dr. Agnes Matthews 1935–1963
Mr. Raymond Lester 1963–1966
Mr. Robert T. Leicester 1966–1975
Mr. Vincent P. Skinner 1975–1977
Mr. Bahadur C. Bhatla 1977–1978
Ms. Norma Passaretti 1978–1981
Rev. Murray C. Magor 1981–1986
Mr. Bahadur C. Bhatla 1986–1987
Mr. Leslie I. Larsen 1987–1990
Mr. Bahadur C. Bhatla 1990–1993
Mr. James A. Officer 1993–2014
Ms. Sharon Klein 2014–2019
Ms. Nathalie Bossé 2019–2021
Mr. Michael O'Connor 2021–

[8]

Notable alumni

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "St. George's School of Montreal to Beaver Lake". St. George's School of Montreal to Beaver Lake. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  2. ^ "St. George's School of Montreal to Mount Royal Park". St. George's School of Montreal to Mount Royal Park. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  3. ^ "Why St. George's". St. George's School of Montreal. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  4. ^ FAMILY BOARDING OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS École St George's School Montréal
  5. ^ "International Student Fee Summary: 2019-2020" (PDF). St. George's School of Montreal.
  6. ^ "Fee Summary for 2019-2020". St. George's School of Montreal.
  7. ^ Apply - St. George’s School of Montreal
  8. ^ a b "The St. George's Story". St. George's School of Montreal. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  9. ^ "Link Lookup". Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
[edit]