Halifax Grammar School Information

About Halifax Grammar School

Type Private

Grades JP–12

Motto Enter to learn, Exit to serve

Team name Gryphons

YearBook The Grammarian

Welcome to Halifax Grammar School

Halifax Grammar maintains 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.

Halifax Grammar School is organized into three distinct divisions:
Prep (Grades Junior-Primary through Grade 4)
Middle (Grades 5 through 9)
Senior (Grades 10 to 12)
In each of these divisions, the academic programs are tailored to the capabilities and interests of students at each stage of their educational and personal development. Each division offers a stimulating academic program within a balanced curriculum, exposing students to academics, athletics, altruism, and the arts.All prospective students undergo entrance testing before being admitted. The school offers merit-based scholarships in academics, community service, and athletics.

Headmaster: Steven Laffoley

Arts:

Prep: Students explore their creative talents through visual art, music, and drama, beginning in Junior Primary. Highlights include Grade One's Monet Picnic at Point Pleasant Park - a celebration of their study of Impressionist masters. In Grade Two, Picasso, Kandinsky, and Mondrian come alive as the students try their hand at cubism and abstract expressionist projects.

Middle: Students perform in a major dramatic production each year, ranging from the works of Shakespeare to classics such as Little Women or even collaborating to write their own unique piece.

Senior: Opportunities for creative expression are available as part of the curriculum and outside of the classroom. Students can study visual art as part of the IB Program and, each year, produce incredible projects ranging from sculpture to painting, photography, metalwork, and fashion design. A school-wide art show is held each spring, featuring pieces from students at all grade levels.

Athletics:

The Halifax Grammar School has membership and competes for championships in the following sport governing bodies:
Nova Scotia Schools Athletic Federation (NSSAF)
Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS)
Metro Junior High Athletic Association (MJHAA)
Atlantic Conference of Independent Schools (ACIS).

Special Alumni:

David Goldbloom - psychiatrist, author, mental health advocate
Jared Paul Stern - former New York Post gossip columnist
Jay Ferguson - musician, member of Sloan
Ellen Page - actress
Herbert Clifford
Russell Smith - novelist
Brendan Croskerry - musician
Howard Epstein - MLA Halifax Chebucto
Steven Laffoley - author

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

The Duke of Edinburgh is a wonderful compliment to the IB CAS program, which all HGS students complete as a graduation requirement. The program is designed for students between the ages of 14 and 24 and is an exciting personal challenge for young Canadians. It is a balanced, non-competitive programme of voluntary activities which encourages: personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility and service to the community.

How to Achieve an Award
To achieve an Award, each participant must complete four sections:

Community Service—encourages young people to become an active member of their community providing a service to others
Skill Development—encourages young people to discover new abilities and interests or improve upon existing talents
Physical Recreation—encourages young people to get active, improve overall fitness and lead a healthy active lifestyle
Adventurous Journey—encourages young people to cultivate a spirit of adventure, discovery, self-reliance and environmental conservation while undertaking a wilderness or adventure experience

There are 3 levels: Bronze, Silver & Gold.

Clubs:

Chinese culture
Gardening
Urban art
Film
Climate change
Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ awareness
Mindfulness
Robotics
Politics
Chess
Knitting

Trips & Adventures:

Field trips, class trips, and student exchanges are a traditional part of the Grammar Experience. Places our students have gone in the past include:
Port Royal
Louisbourg
Ottawa
Italy
Greece
China
Thailand
Quebec
Guatemala
Kejimkujik National Park