It was the best decision we ever made for him.
By Jason Gedraitis, Commercial Banker, Bridgedale Academy Dad
Bridgedale has done more for his development and character than his previous school ever did.
When we were approached about Bridgedale we decided to go out of curiosity rather than thinking our son would want to leave his school and start all over with kids he didn’t know as a 7th grader.
After the tour we thought our son would say thanks for the tour but I want to go to school with my friends.
Instead, without hesitation he unequivocally said he wanted to go.
The issue to attend Bridgedale was now something my wife and I had to get comfortable with.
We were confident in the quality of education based on extensive discussion with (Headmaster) Mike McPartlin and (Academic Dean) Christina Di Pauli, and we were certainly excited about the development he would get as a hockey player.
We were also concerned about the development of our son and his character and principles which we believe were helped by attending a Catholic School.
And we struggled with taking him out of the environment that he was used to, which we felt had helped develop him as a person.
We asked a lot about the all-boys environment and the leadership qualities that Bridgedale imparts on their students. We got comfortable and took the dive.
My wife and I can confidently say that Bridgedale has done more for his development and character than his previous school ever did.
The all-boys environment, small class size and camaraderie on the ice, creates a bond among the boys and together they foster an environment of leadership and excellence.
My wife and I couldn’t be happier about our decision to send Jack to Bridgedale.
It was the best decision we ever made for him.
Jason Gedraitis appears by permission. He is Executive Director with JP Morgan Chase Middle Market Banking, providing commercial banking products and services to pubic and private middle market companies with revenues ranging from $20M to $1B. Jason is a graduate of Bradley University and earned his MBA from DePaul University. He and his wife Jenny have been married for 18 years and are the proud parents of 8 children.
Jason's son Jack is a 7th grader at Bridgedale Academy, a goaltender who competed for the Chicago Young Americans Peewee Major '05 team during the 2017-18 season. Jack is an excellent goaltender who will go far in hockey.
Bridgedale Academy is honored to have Jason Gedraitis contribute his Testimonial on our blog page.
At Bridgedale we are committed to the development of our young student-athletes, helping them to develop their physical and mental skills so they can perform at their best when it matters most, no matter the arena of life that challenges them. If you would like to learn more about Bridgedale Academy, please click the button below so we can schedule a time to chat.
Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy
And what do Bridgedale teachers say about Bridgedale?
"This is such a special place!! It is life changing for these boys as it centers around strong relationships that encourage strong academic growth. It’s a hockey school, but so much more than that.
"It’s a pleasure to come to work everyday. Thank you for creating such a positive, caring environment."
Kristi Florey, Bridgedale Math Teacher
Bridgedale Academy is now accepting applications for the 2018-19 School Year.
Bridgedale Academy is an all-boys school for athletes, a prep school for serious youth hockey players. We will offer grades 5 through 8 in the 2018-19 school year. In addition to our winning combination of sports and academics, we focus on leadership training. We use a classical academic curriculum and our graduates go on to attend some of the most prestigious high schools in the midwest, including Lake Forest Academy, Culver Military Academy, Shattuck St. Mary’s, Northwood School, Benet Academy, Fenwick Prep, St. Ignatius Prep, Latin School and Providence Catholic. We pride ourselves on being the top youth hockey prep school in the nation. Eleven (11) of our former or current students have already received their NCAA Division 1 college hockey commitments. Three (3) of our former students competed for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program and will begin their college playing careers in 2018-19, two at Notre Dame and one at Michigan.
