St. George's School of Montreal
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, minutes' walk from Beaver Lake and Mount Royal Park. 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 School of Montreal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
3100 The Boulevard , , Canada | |
| Coordinates | 45.4940°N 73.5968°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Independent day school |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Head of School | Nathalie Bossé |
| Grades | Kindergarten-11 |
| Number of students | 450 |
| Language | English |
| Colour(s) | Red and Blue |
| Sports teams | Dragons |
| Website | www |
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).
St. George's is a day school, however there is a family boarding program for international students.[1] 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 students.[2][3]
History
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.[4]
Heads of school
| 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–Present |
Notable alumni
- Melissa Altro, voice actress for Arthur
- Ian C. Ballon, internet author and lawyer (class of 1979)
- Howard Bilerman, music producer, and ex-member of the band Arcade Fire (class of 1987)
- David Bruck, criminal defense attorney (class of 1966)
- Dov Charney, founder and CEO of American Apparel (class of 1986)
- Sara Diamond, pop musician and Montreal Canadiens anthem singer (class of 2012)
- Gregory Dudek, professor of robotics and computer science (class of 1975)
- Nora Gold, Canadian author (class of 1969)
- Corey Hart, pop musician (class of 1978)
- Naomi Klein, journalist, author and activist (class of 1987)
- Shawn Levy, film director and producer (class of 1985)
- Jaclyn Linetsky, actress (class of 2003) (died September 8, 2003)
- Susan Low-Beer, ceramic artist (class of 1960)
- Kevin O'Leary, entrepreneur and TV personality, Candidate for leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (class of 1970)
- Jade Raymond, video game executive (class of 1992)[5]
- Lindsay Robins, pop rock musician (class of 2004)
- Martin Sherwood, science-fiction writer (class of 1958)
- Nikki Yanofsky, jazz singer (class of 2011)
References
- FAMILY BOARDING OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS École St George's School Montréal
- "International Student Fee Summary: 2019-2020" (PDF). St. George's School of Montreal.
- "Fee Summary for 2019-2020". St. George's School of Montreal.
- "The St. George's Story". St. George's School of Montreal. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-09-27. Retrieved 2013-05-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
