Passing of the Honourable John Godfrey, former TFS Headmaster
It is with immense sadness that we have learned of the passing of former Headmaster, the Honourable John Godfrey, on December 18 at home, surrounded by his wife Trish and son Ian, one day before his 81st birthday.
John had a long and vibrant career as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Don Valley West, and was a Parliamentary Secretary under Prime Minister Jean Chretien and a cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister Paul Martin. After retiring from federal politics, he became Headmaster of TFS from 2008 through 2014.
A dedication to bilingualism
John had a life-long passion for French, belief in Canadian bilingualism and bilingual education. In fact, so much did he believe in our mission and vision that he was a member of TFS’ board of directors years before becoming Headmaster. During his tenure as Headmaster, he initiated some major changes that have greatly contributed to the thriving lives of our students to this day.
Intent on bolstering an international perspective in all grades and levels at TFS, he soon began implementing both the Primary Years and Middle Years programs of the IB, to add to our existing Diploma Program. The PYP Exhibition and MYP Personal Project have now become celebrated culminating activities and John’s academic leadership made us the only bilingual IB World School in the country.
Similarly, to bring our internationalism to the forefront, he rebranded Toronto French School as TFS - Canada’s International School, to enhance our public identity.
Setting the stage for the TFS of today
John initiated a number of programs and projects that have become very important at TFS today. In terms of support for learning, he was a strong proponent of extensively broadening the prevailing program at TFS and brought in the idea of a Learning Forum. To provide space across every branch for a Learning Forum and overhaul the Senior School’s Centre de documentation et d'information Penturn (The Penturn Centre for Documentation and Information) to create an expanded multifaceted space for both learning and support, he began the Soaring Beyond capital campaign.
He presided over the restructuring of the Junior School into the two branches we know them as today, the Junior School and La p'tite école, allowing each to more intently concentrate on and specialize in the learning and educational experience of its age group. He also welcomed the creation of the French-language Jardin d’éveil Hafez program for two-year-olds.
An early environmentalist, he championed our return to the ravine for teaching and health, recognizing the critical need for children to spend time in nature, just as experts were decrying the lack of such exposure. It was then that the first Eco-leaders were established at our school. Underscoring his belief in taking action against climate change, he drove a Prius to school when hybrid cars, let alone the barely existent electric ones, were few and far between.
Focusing attention on our 50th
John led our 50th Anniversary program and his community launch in September 2012 was one for our history books, complete with a hot air balloon, multiple VIPs and, of course, a birthday cake. This started our tradition of a fall Community Day and our beloved home opener soccer game.
His interest in bilingualism and the brain also saw him connect with Dr. Ellen Bialystok, part of whose work focuses on the important impact of bilingualism on brain function. Dr. Bialystok became one of the first guests at our 50th Anniversary Speaker Series and continued to work with us on one of her studies, as well as returning as a guest speaker in our 60th Anniversary year.
Prior to starting at TFS, John had a number of stellar careers as a history professor at Dalhousie University before being named President, University of King’s College, in Halifax, where he founded the School of Journalism, then editor of The Financial Post. He was the MP for Don Valley West for 15 years. He was an alumnus of Upper Canada College, Neuchâtel Junior College in Switzerland, and held a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto, a master’s of philosophy from the University of Oxford and a PhD in history, also from the University of Oxford, where he conducted core research for his thesis in French. In 2018, he was named to the Order of Canada. To read a statement on his passing from the Prime Minister, please click here.
John Ferguson Godfrey was a man of elegance and wit and often said he was a “recovering politician.” He introduced his personal mantra to us; he wanted our students to be publicly useful and privately happy, a testament to his belief in service. We will miss him.
We send our deepest condolences to John's family.
