Halifax Grammar School

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Halifax Grammar School

Established	1958
Type	Private co-educational
Headmaster	Dr. Paul Bennett
Students	500
Grades	P–12
Location	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Yearbook	'The Grammarian'
Website	www.hgs.ns.ca

The Halifax Grammar School is a private, coeducational day school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is located in south-end Halifax, near Saint Mary's University. It has a student population of approximately 500, and at the high school level follows the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program. The school's current headmaster is Dr. Paul Bennett, formerly of Lower Canada College, who began his position at the start of the 2005-2006 academic year.

Students at the Halifax Grammar School pursue a wide variety of activities within the school community, as well as in the wider local, provincial and national communities.

1 Schools
- 1.1 Campuses
2 Academics
3 Arts
4 Notable alumni

[edit] Schools

The school is divided into the Prep School (grades 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 teachers.

The Halifax Grammar School - Tower Road Campus

[edit] Campuses

The Halifax Grammar School occupies two campuses, one located on Atlantic Street, and the other on Tower Road. The building on Atlantic Street was the original location of the school before decisions were made to expand it. 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, and the Meinertzhagen Auditorium, 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 used for sports games and regular klan meeitngs. The school also uses the "Tower" gym facilities at Saint Mary's University for some of its gym classes.

[edit] Academics

Since being founded, HGS has consistently maintained a high level of academic achievement. The Senior School recently converted to mandatory IB studies for all students during the 2002-2003 school year. However, the school's academic program is not limited to the guidelines of the IBO. The school hopes that by exposing students to a variety of areas of study from an early age, students will be able to see where their strengths and interests lie while at the same time diversifying those strengths and interests. Course choices become progressively more flexible, allowing students to specialize, while certain compulsory courses (at various levels) provide a basis of knowledge that is essential to all students. Both IB and non-IB classes are available both as part of the main curriculum and as extra credit.

Due to the heavy workload involved with study at HGS, all prospective Senior School students from other schools are required to undergo entrance testing before being admitted. This system is used to identify candidates for the school's merit-based scholarships, which range in value and have a variety of qualifications, from pure academics to community service to athletics, and numerous combinations thereof.

HGS also offers a number of continuing education programs available to the wider community, such as Spanish and Bridge lessons.

[edit] Arts

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The school has a comprehensive arts program, most notably at the high school level, allowing students the option of taking IB Higher Level Art. Students regularly have their art exhibited throughout both school campuses, and are encouraged to reach the highest levels of creative potential.

Musically, the school began an expansion in 2003 with the implementation of a band program for students in the Middle School. The school is well-known in the Halifax area for its annual production of Broadway musicals.

[edit] Past musicals

2008: Into the Woods
2007: Bye Bye Birdie
2006: Guys and Dolls
2005: Fiddler on the Roof
2004: The Pajama Game
2003: Grease
2002: Kiss Me, Kate
2001: Anything Goes
2000: Flapper, the Musical
1999: Lucky Dollar, Private Eye

[edit] Politics Club

The Halifax Grammar School's Politics Club is led by Chancellor Niall MacGillivray and president Scott Stirrett. The club has successfully invited N.S Liberal Leader Stephen MacNeil and N.S's Premier Rodney Macdonald to the school. The club follows American politics closely, and it plans to endorse a presidential candidate by September.

[edit] Debating

The Halifax Grammar School is home to a debate program under the instruction of a Mr. Josh Judah and has enjoyed many successes in recent years including 4 consecutive years as winners of the Dr. Moses M. Coady Debating Tournament at St Francis Xavier University and top placings at the Sodales Tournament at Dalhousie University as well as the McGill University High School Invitational. The Halifax Grammar School is also the reigning Senior provincial champion. HGS currently boasts two members of the Canadian National Student debating team.

More recently, the Grammar Debating Team has won the St Francis Xavier University Moses Coady tournament. A team comprising of students Innessa Colaiacova, Scott Stirrett and Daniel Lewis captured first, and the team of Ben Jain, Max Rau-Chaplin, and Casper Macauley placed third. The HGS is the reigning Impromptu debating champion.

[edit] Halifax Grammar Table Tennis Association

Recently, The Halifax Grammar School has begun an after school table tennis program. The Table Tennis Club was founded, and is run by students. The table tennis program aims to teach the game of table tennis to students of all ages, and to improve the skills of those people who already know how to play. The club has been met with great support, with response from all grades. The club is now formally affiliated with the Nova Scotia Table Tennis Association, and the Halifax Grammar team will be participating in upcoming events in both junior and senior divisions.

[edit] Halifax Grammar School Math Team

The Halifax Grammar School supports a math team, the Mathletes. The students on the math team participate in after school math problems and are tutored to by the great mathematician, Ms. Baillie. The Mathletes participate in competitions across Halifax, competing against other schools. Recent competitions have placed the Halifax Grammar School Mathletes in the top five schools. Not only are there competitions, but there are also school-based math contests. The Nova Scotia Math League provincial competition is being held in Halifax on May 12, and the HGS team will be competing to defend their title as winners last year. Mathletes is run by the head of the senior school Mr.Moffat.