School Leadership
Armbrae Academy's leadership emphasizes a mentorship-driven teaching approach and a focus on unleashing each student's potential through kindness and hard work. The leadership's commitment to a caring culture, strategic growth, and social-emotional learning is supported by community-driven initiatives like weekly assemblies and awards for kindness. Parents frequently cite the school's distinct blend of competitiveness and community spirit as a unique feature.
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Facts and analysis
MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERSHIP
We invited Stephen Clarke, Head of School at Armbrae Academy, to share a message.
The overview highlights the vision, values, and guiding principles that shape leadership and the student experience at Armbrae Academy.
Stephen Clarke, Head of School
B.Sc. Hon., M.Sc., B.Ed., OCT, PQP
When you have a moment, please take a look at our strategic plan. It represents our entire community’s vision of who we are, why we exist, and the promises we have made to each other. Our plan's theme is Unleash Your Potential — a concept that is very personal for our students, but also stands as a roadmap for our entire community, challenging us to be excellent and to pursue our potential as a school.
Let's unpack our plan from both of these perspectives, starting with the first word in our theme: unleash (verb). Unleash means to set loose or to pursue. This is not a passive word. It is a call to action — similar to our school motto: Be Kind | Work Hard. Armbrae students are not simply empty vessels that are meant to be filled with knowledge, skills, and attitudes. We want our students to be proactive learners who create content and knowledge! Next up is the word your (pronoun). In this instance, the word your is a possessive adjective that clarifies who owns something. What an inspirational thought: each student owns their potential! Finally, we come to the word potential (noun), defined as latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness. What a privilege it is to be in the presence of young people that are each on their own personal journey of growth, joy, and discovery.
Be Kind | Work Hard
INTERVIEW WITH THE LEADERSHIP
We interviewed Steve Clarke, Head of School at Armbrae Academy.
In conversation with school leadership, the discussion centred on the school’s mission, educational approach, and the vision shaping key decisions.
Steve Clarke, Head of School at Armbrae Academy, shared his perspective on mentorship-driven teaching, independent-school ethos, Armbrae’s caring culture, growth, student leadership, social-emotional supports, athletics, innovation, and relationship-based conflict resolution.
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Highlights from the interview
When I arrived at Armbrae, I was careful not to impose my old context on the new one. What I quickly saw was the strength of Armbrae’s caring culture. Our ceremonies, from pre-primary through high school, show how deeply the community knows and supports each child. Our students often have 8 to 12 significant adults in their circle of care. Families stay for 15 years, and graduates embody a mix of competitiveness and collaboration that is unique: striving for excellence while cheering on their peers. That balance is part of why students and families remain so committed to Armbrae.
Early in my time here, we updated the school motto to 'Be Kind, Work Hard.' It’s simple, but it resonates from age 3 to age 17. We give monthly awards based on kindness and work ethic, and students nominate one another, presenting the awards in front of the entire school. We also hold weekly assemblies where students make announcements, perform, and take on leadership roles, with parents often in attendance. These traditions build confidence, alleviate anxiety, and foster belonging.
We have also invested in intentional social-emotional learning through a scheduled advisory program. Lessons range from study skills to strategies for dealing with anxiety. We’ve added professional staff—counselors, learning support, and an EAL director—to broaden the range of support we offer. These investments help us respond in real time to students’ academic and emotional needs.
Enrollment has grown, and the growth has brought Armbrae to a size where students have more opportunities without losing the close-knit community. Athletics have flourished, with the senior boys’ volleyball team going undefeated and winning provincial and national championships. Success in athletics feeds school spirit, strengthens belonging, and even draws younger students into relationships with older role models.
We’ve also undertaken a strategic planning process to reinvent our high school with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, partnering with Future Design School. At the same time, we are working with our board and community to envision a future facility that would bring everyone back together on one campus. This next phase will require fundraising and community engagement, but it represents Armbrae 2.0.
At the heart of Armbrae are the relationships between teachers and students. Teachers have built enough goodwill that when conflicts arise, students know they are being guided by adults who are invested in their success. For larger issues, we have a team of specialists in learning support, language support, social-emotional support, and inclusive education, along with guidance and direct involvement from me when needed. As Halifax becomes more diverse, sensitive issues occasionally arise, but authentic relationships with families, built every day on the front steps of the school, allow us to work through conflict constructively.
Parents often tell us that they chose Armbrae because of how it felt, something no brochure or website can capture. For families exploring independent schools, the first filter I would recommend is accreditation through CAIS, which guarantees rigorous standards. Beyond that, the right school depends on the child’s needs and aspirations—whether in academics, arts, athletics, or leadership. Visiting the school is essential. Facilities and data are important, but nothing substitutes for how a child feels walking through the halls.
There is no single 'Armbrae student.' The community is diverse, and friendships form that might not exist anywhere else. That diversity, combined with care, opportunity, and excellence, is what makes the school unique. Armbrae is a very special place.
