Story of Our School
Since its founding in 1961 by Helma Trass (pictured on the left with Pauline McGibbon, former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario), the school has adapted and evolved with the times to meet the needs of our students and prepare them for a future that will be very different from ours. The priorities of life and education in 1961 were very different to those in 2023. By continuously checking the pulse of society, the school has been able to effectively engage with students, parents and the larger community to create a positive learning environment.
Heading into the 2023-2024 school year, the school is opening yet another chapter as we launch our new strategic direction, and prepare to adopt a new name that will take us into a strong and vibrant future.
AN EMPOWERING NAME
For years, organizations and brands have had to pivot, change or adapt to ensure their relevance. From a name, to a logo to the basic narrative of the organization: everything matters. The essence of a brand, its place in modern day society, plays a major role in creating a solid foundation on which to build future successes.
TMS has also gone through changes over the years, with the brand being modified numerous times. The logos have changed as has the growth of the school population and the expansion into the IB programme ensuring the seamless journey from Toddler to Grade 12. Below are all the iterations of our logo since 1961:
What we observed from the feedback were a number of data points that strongly indicated that the name and brand of TMS were not resonating with the community. Some of this feedback included:
The name "TMS School" doesn't make any sense
The perfect brand needs to reflect our past but also stand for something that kids are proud to wear on their blazers and that anyone can recognize the value of when seeing in a magazine or sign. The current one doesn't do that
We need something that hints at our roots in independent education but stands apart from our competitors (a sea of crests). I see us as the Oscar Peterson in a crowd of classical piano teachers
Without a compelling mission, vision and values it is difficult to sense a coherent brand
There has been very little done to establish one
Why is it still only representing Montessori in the brand when its is Montessori to IB
The ideal TMS logo needs to visually represent the conceptual aspects that unify the Montessori & IB philosophy
Letters only do not give school a name or an identity
Our community had mixed perceptions of the TMS brand and the attributes they associate with it. When considering the TMS brand, the first thing that people thought about included:
Montessori
private school
excellence
students
TMS itself isn't resonating, with the majority of respondents focusing more on the pedagogies than the brand, and skewing more towards Montessori than the IB program or any other aspect of the school.
When asked about what TMS's top weaknesses are, individuals had a resounding response towards areas the school had an opportunity to improve on:
Technology
Communications
Brand
Innovation
Integration
Diversity
Space
Our strategic direction, and our new strategic pillars, play a major role in the addressing many of these shortcomings. With that said, the brand is one of the biggest opportunities that our community highlighted.
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
Based on the feedback we received, and reflecting on the structure of our school, there is a gap between the value we offer our students and what our current name captures. TMS/Toronto Montessori Schools has an extraordinary 63 year history, one which we will continue to honour and cherish in the years ahead. However, this name no longer reflects the multilayered nature of who we are today as an academic institution and our purpose in the Canadian landscape of educational organizations.
By changing the name to Lauremont School, we are being reflective of the current realities of our geography, pedagogy and age range of our students: a school that offers a unique dual pedagogy that allows a child to experience our educational offerings from 18 months to 18 years.
This change places the school on a solid foundation as it continues to deliver the best education possible for all students during their complete schooling journey from Toddler to Grade 12.
Our new name and brand captures the characteristics our community had identified as being important to them:
Forward Thinking
Dynamic
Progressive
Ambitious
Our new brand essence or what we stand for can be described as exponential potential. This applies to our capabilities as a school, our teachers and our students - to aim high, explore further, push boundaries, and thrive. It suggests great things are going to happen and acknowledges that our students have great promise.