Our Vision
Dr. George Stanley | Inspired by Innovation
We have chosen the historic Crystal Palace as a strong symbol for the learning environment we are creating. The Crystal Palace was built in 1851 in London to house the world’s first fair to recognize the joining of industry and art and inspired the creation of the groundbreaking Eiffel Tower in Paris.
The idea of building a structure consisting of glass and iron was completely novel at this time in history. In fact, it was a dream that evolved from a rough sketch by Sir Joseph Paxton. Global cooperation between the arts and industry meant new ideas could be conceived.
Our inclusive learning environment encourages a diversity of students to learn in the company of peers. We know that there is no significant learning without a significant relationship. Because of this, students have a homeroom teacher that delivers much of the curricular content. This not only provides students with a strong relationship with a teacher, but also serves as a single point of contact for parents and students. Our approach to Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) allows for students to explore new skills and career paths while making real-world connections to their core academic classes. No academic skill should be isolated. After all, even the construction of the beautiful Crystal Palace meant extensive mathematic calculations and debates at the government level. The clear coating of glass of the palace represented clarity and innovation.
Our Motto
Simple, Efficient, United
Our Mission
Our mission as a new school is to be progressive as we offer an optimal middle years learning experience by combining the best features of elementary and junior high. Our cross-curricular approach is designed so that student understandings will be marked by depth and breadth. Learners are unique and we encourage students to converse, explore, sketch, take notes, scribble and forge new connections as they document their learning in unique ways.
Above all, the cooperation between industries, arts and nations at the Crystal Palace represented a new era of trust and challenge. This is an idea we want to foster in our learning community. Trust and challenge serve as the foundations for good relationships. And we know that significant learning requires significant relationship. We know that the middle years are critical in terms of forming a positive relationship with schools and learning.
The curiosity that gripped the young and old alike translated into the Crystal Palace becoming a permanent structure. And, it is this sense of engagement that we want each student to carry out of the school walls at the end of each day.
At Dr. George Stanley School, we strive for innovation, cooperation, authentic connections between disciplines, exposure to career skills and the arts with our core classes. Just as the Crystal Palace moved location and grew in size, we look forward to showcasing student growth now and in our new, state of the art setting. We hope to keep the spirit of the Crystal Palace alive and should you ever have any ideas or questions, we want to embrace the power of cooperation and a vision marked by clarity.
Who Was Dr. George Stanley?
Dr. George Stanley (b. 1907 – d. 2002) is best remembered by most Canadians for designing the Canadian flag in 1964. He was born and educated in Calgary. Stanley received a B.A. from the University of Alberta and attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar for Alberta. He taught at colleges and universities throughout Canada and authored several books. After retiring from teaching, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick. Stanley was a devoted historical researcher and heritage advocate. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1976 and promoted to Companion in 1994. Dr. Stanley received a number of awards, honorary degrees and decorations.
Our Middle School Video
