I was looking for an alternative to my son Alex's public school. Even though it was rated as a Blue Ribbon school and I loved his teachers, its policies and overall approach to the educational process reminded me too much of the Soviet system I’d grown up in.
As an immigrant from Eastern Europe, I very highly value achievement and this is something I would like to instill in my son. As a child who tested as gifted at an early age, he was not being challenged enough by his public school. Everything was too easy, and even though he was always a good student, I knew that for maximum growth, he needed to be challenged much more.
Additionally, he was in love with hockey. It was the first thing he would wake up with and the last thing he talked about when going to bed. He constantly begged me to take him to practices, and I soon realized, I needed to find a hockey school for him.
Bridgedale Academy perfectly solved both my problems.
At the invitation of Headmaster Michael McPartlin, I did some on-site classroom observation at Bridgedale, and I was able to see first-hand the high expectations that the teachers and coaches had for all the boys.
Across the board, from the leadership of Mr. McPartlin and Academic Dean Mrs. Di Pauli down, every teacher, every person at Bridgedale expected the students to excel not just as athletes, but also as students and as leaders. Students' achievements were recognized and celebrated.
I loved everything about Bridgedale and so we had Alex do a shadow day. And he absolutely loved it, as I knew he would.
It brought tears to my eyes.
Because of Bridgedale, Alex had the opportunity to become a stronger athlete every day. After only one year there, Alex was able to make a top AAA hockey team.
As for Academics, I am a teacher by trade, and so I can definitely be critical of educational programs. But I am so impressed with the academics at Bridgedale.
I love that Bridgedale’s academics are challenging, that students learn a lot every day, that they are expected to do their homework and show effort, and, most importantly, that they are expected to develop into strong leaders with great personal and leadership qualities.
Thank you Bridgedale Academy!
"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
Enrollment for the 2020-21 school year at Bridgedale has already begun.