School Leadership

What is the leadership style at Royal St. George's College? How do the school leaders shape the culture, priorities, and daily life of the community? How does this leadership style compare to that of other private and independent schools, and how might it influence your choice of school?

Page Contents

Facts and analysis
- Message from the school leadership
- Our interview with the school leader
Qualitative insights
- There is a focus on character education and core values.
- They create an environment where every student is known.

Facts and analysis

MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERSHIP

We asked Stephen Beatty, Headmaster at Royal St. George's College for their message.

They offered insights into their vision, values, and the principles that define their leadership style.

Stephen Beatty, Headmaster

Since 1964 Royal St. George's College has been providing an extraordinary learning environment for boys in the heart of downtown Toronto.

The Georgian experience has always transcended an outstanding academic education. Our mission is to challenge and inspire each boy to be the best version of himself.

Our RSGC guarantee of Known and Loved is something that is lived everyday at the school. Each student is challenged and supported academically, athletically, artistically, socially and emotionally. The best version of himself is a person of character. The best version of himself is an inquirer and a critical thinker. The best version of himself is engaged in a breadth of experiences and understands what it feels like to commit to being the best. The best version of himself is cultivated in authentic relationships with outstanding educators who are passionate about their students. The best version of himself is a Georgian.

There is an intangible quality to a great school; something you can sense when you walk in the door. It’s the sense of community and the culture of respect. It’s the esprit de corps and the sense of pride and belonging among the students. It’s the way the school resonates and simply feels right. I welcome you to come and visit Royal St. George’s College and see, feel and understand the benefits of the Georgian experience for yourself.

Sincerely,

Stephen Beatty signature

Stephen Beatty (Class of ’86)
Headmaster
Royal St. George’s College

INTERVIEW WITH THE LEADERSHIP

Watch our interview with Stephen Beatty, Headmaster at Royal St. George's College

They reflect on their path to educational leadership, the school's mission, and the vision guiding their everyday decisions.

Stephen Beatty has been the headmaster of Royal St. George’s College for more than 10 years. He’s an alumnus as well, and has a unique perspective to share about the school’s inclusive, accepting culture. He also oversaw the major facility upgrades that took place early in his tenure. As a small school situated in downtown Toronto, they want to make use of every inch of space for the benefit of students. As an educator, he savors saying ‘Hi’ to students and knowing all their names. As an alumnus himself, he loves how many of his former fellow ‘Georgiansare now sending him their kids to study at RSGC.

Video Contents

0:45 - The Headmaster’s love for his job.
4:30 - The initial excitement when stepping into his role.
6:43 - A typical day for the Headmaster at Royal St. George’s College.
Show Full Video Contents
11:22 - The typical journey for a student at Royal St. George’s.
16:02 - Staff turnover at the school.
17:09 - Stephen’s background and why he entered single-sex education.
21:45 - Living the values of the school.
27:22 - The ongoing relationship between the current students and alumni.
30:41 - The kind of student who is drawn to Royal St. George’s College.
34:30 - The type of student that might not excel at the school.
35:59 - The culture at Royal St. George’s College.
38:49 - The relationship between parents, teachers and administration.
42:20 - How the school addresses student conflict.
44:26 - The personality traits of Royal St. George’s College.
46:41 - The relationship between the school and the surrounding city.
51:11 - Advice for parents searching for a school for their children.

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

There is a focus on character education and core values.

Parents and alumni frequently highlight how the school's focus on character development, manners, and values sets Royal St. George's College apart from other institutions.

Our mission statement speaks about ‘the best version of himself’ — the best version of each individual. We’re always in pursuit of that, and I always say ‘let’s hope we never get there’. If anybody ever tells you you’ve hit your best version, stop listening to them. That’s the business that we are in, as schools, and it’s certainly Royal St. George’s College’s business — getting better.

—Stephen Beatty, Headmaster (see full interview)

We sell academic excellence. We sell relationships. We sell character. And ‘character’ is in those relationships. It is in the ‘every student is known and loved’ promise that we make. It is in the ‘you know what, I’m going to call you on your bad behaviour because I actually know you’ve been taught better than that.’ Families that eschew the prestige, the long history, the busts of the founders in the spacious, oak-lined founders’ hall, for Royal St. George’s — they have a family priority of values, of character, of love, of fun, of laughter, of joy, and of challenge.

—Stephen Beatty, Headmaster (see full interview)

I remember when we came to the open house, the Head of School used an expression we know and love, ‘Manners Maketh Man.’ Many schools have slogans, but I was just amazed at how true that was. I think everyone wants strong academics, and that is absolutely important to my family, but it's all these other elements around character, service, manners, how they represent themselves both inside and outside the school, that were additional pleasant surprises for me.

—Manisha, parent (see full discussion)

My time at RSGC has shaped me in terms of leadership, being outgoing, and being willing to help. It gave me the ability to grow into that character. When I was a prefect, there was a lot of leadership responsibility, as well as when I was the TA.

—Puneet Bagga, alum (see full interview)

They create an environment where every student is known.

Observations from students and parents reveal that Royal St. George's College fosters a tight-knit community where personal connections play a pivotal role in the student experience.

It’s not a big campus here, so every morning I try to stick my head into every classroom if I can, just for a good morning and to say ‘Hi’, and usually some bad jokes along the way. I’ll spot a kid who has just had a haircut or a kid that you knew was away yesterday. I always make note of whose birthday it is every day, so I can particularly embarrass them in the morning. I think I can probably make legitimate ‘Hi, how are you?’ contact with 70% of the kids almost every day. It’s not a big population. I know every kid’s name and most of their parent’s names. If you do this long enough, you watch them grow up.

—Stephen Beatty, Headmaster (see full interview)

I was eight years old when we were choosing a school. When I interviewed with Royal St. George’s College, it definitely felt like a community. I think that that’s what my parents truly valued. The principal knows everyone’s name and knows details about them, and when you’re a seven- or eight-year-old boy, that means a lot. When you are getting into trouble in high school, it also means a lot — because the teachers have seen you grow up and they know who you are.

—Jeev Singh, alum (see full interview)

I wholeheartedly believe that RSGC can be the right place for all different kinds of boys, and I say that as a parent of three, who are very different from each other. Whether your son is more or less athletically inclined or academically inclined or, if they like music, they really can find they can really find themselves and blossom at the school.

—Manisha, parent (see full discussion)

When I started working at Royal St. George’s, many facility upgrades were going on. We’ve got a small footprint — so how do we make sure that the bulk of the footprint is being used to make the student experience better? We were able to build a beautiful campus that includes cutting-edge learning spaces, while retaining the history and charm of the place. We didn’t relocate out to the suburbs; we stayed right here on the subway line. And we maintained a big aspect of what makes us unique: Royal St. George’s College is a downtown school

—Stephen Beatty, Headmaster (see full interview)

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