Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Halifax Grammar School

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Type
  
Private Co-educational

Headmaster
  
Steven Laffoley

Enrollment
  
500

Phone
  
+1 902-423-9312

Founded
  
1958

Highest grade
  
Twelfth grade

Established
  
1958

Grades
  
JP–12

Team name
  
Gryphons

Number of students
  
500

Lowest grade
  
Grade Primary

Halifax Grammar School

Address
  
945 Tower Rd, Halifax, NS B3H 2Y2, Canada

Motto
  
Inito ad discendum/Exito ad serviendum (Enter to learn/go forth to serve)

Profiles

Happy holidays from the halifax grammar school


The Halifax Grammar School (HGS) is an independent, coeducational day school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in south-end Halifax, near Saint Mary's University. Approximately 500 students attend the school. At the high school level students take the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. The school's current headmaster is Steven Laffoley. All prospective students undergo entrance testing before being admitted. The school offers merit-based scholarships, in academics, community service, and athletics.

Contents

Mock election at the halifax grammar school middle school


Schools

The school is divided into the Prep School (grades Junior-Primary through 4), the Middle School (grades 5 through 9), and the Senior School (grades 10 to 12). Each school has its own head of school and teaching staff.

The Halifax Grammar School occupies two campuses, one located on Atlantic Street, and the other on Tower Road. A building at 420 Tower Road was the original location of the school before they purchased the building on Atlantic Street, which they soon decided to expand. For two years, the School rented the "Bethany" building on the corner of Tower Road and Inglis Street from Saint Mary's University (it is now used as an ESL building by the university), before purchasing the closed Tower Road School building from the City of Halifax. The Tower Road Campus (TRC) houses the Middle School, the school's administrative offices, the Silver Art Studio, the Performing Arts Studio and the Meinertzhagen Theatre, a multi-purpose converted gymnasium which is used for everything from school assemblies to dances to musical performances. The Atlantic Street campus houses the Prep School (downstairs) and the Senior School (upstairs), as well as a large gymnasium and acre-plus field. The school also uses the "Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness" gym facilities at Saint Mary's University for some of its gym classes.

Academics

Since being founded, Halifax Grammar has consistently maintained a high level of academic achievement. The school has offered the International Baccalaureate program, which provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, in its Senior school since 1993. Students may choose the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program or they may choose to complete one or more of the International Baccalaureate diploma courses. The Junior Primary grade uses an emergent curriculum with its students.

Admission

The school is a tuition based academic institution. Fees range from $11,440 to $21,500 per year, subject to likely yearly increase. Depending on grade level, tuition varies. There are also additional costs involved with attendance. There is a $3,500 admission fee to enrol a new student. Uniforms are also mandatory and can cost up to $440.

Arts

The school's arts program is run by three teachers, including Renee Forestall who teaches visual arts in the Prep and Middle Schools. At the high school level, students have the option of taking IB Standard Level or High Level Art. Students have had their art exhibited throughout both school campuses. Students have the potential to perform in one or more of the school's seven bands learning repertoire from jazz, popular, and classical music. This has been complemented by the construction, for considerable expense, of a new performing arts studio, exclusively funded through donations and fundraising efforts. The studio was completed in 2012. Prep School students must sing in the school choir, which performs several times each year in the community. Middle School students mount an annual dramatic production, often Shakespeare, while Senior School students produce an annual musical.

Recent musicals

The school has run a Senior musical for several years. Tickets are available to students, parents and the community. Actors, lighting technicians, and stage staff are all students. The school hires independent directors, band members and sound staff. The musicals that have been produced are:

  • 2017 (Winter): Grease
  • 2015 (Fall): Guys and Dolls
  • 2015 (Winter): Sweet Charity
  • 2014: Anything Goes
  • 2013: She Loves Me
  • 2012: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
  • 2011: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
  • 2010: Urinetown
  • 2009: The Boyfriend
  • 2008: Into the Woods
  • 2007: Bye Bye Birdie
  • 2006: Guys and Dolls
  • 2005: Fiddler on the Roof
  • 2004: The Pajama Game
  • 2003: Grease
  • Athletics

    Boys and girls teams at Middle and Senior School levels compete in the primary athletic league of secondary schools in the province, the NSSAF. The school competes in a variety of sports including: soccer, basketball, hockey, golf, track and field, cross country, skiing, badminton, and touch football. Halifax Grammar achieves consistently high level results in many of the sports in competes in. In particular, Halifax Grammar's Senior Varsity Girls Basketball team ranks highly in Division 1 among the best high school teams in the province. Past achievements include:

  • 2006-2007 Season: NSSAF Division 1 Provincial Champions
  • 2007-2008 Season: NSSAF Division 1 Provincial Bronze Medalists
  • 2008-2009 Season: NSSAF Division 1 Provincial Bronze Medalists
  • 2009-2010 Season: NSSAF Division 1 Provincial Champions
  • 2011-2012 Season: NSSAF Division 1 Bronze Medalists
  • Alumni of the school have gone on to compete in the CIS, NCAA and MLS (e.g. Noel Jones, Justine Colley and Matt Britner).

    Notable alumni

  • Russell Smith - A novelist
  • Jay Ferguson - Musician, member of Sloan.
  • Jared Paul Stern - Former New York Post gossip columnist
  • Ellen Page - Actress
  • Steven Laffoley - Author
  • Nigel Chapman - Musician, member of Nap Eyes.
  • Brendan Croskerry - Musician
  • Howard Epstein - MLA Halifax Chebucto
  • Bill Black - Former President of Maritime Life and Contender for Leadership of Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia
  • References

    Halifax Grammar School Wikipedia