REVIEW OF Crescent Heights Academy BY parent, vivienne Wang

(5) Student Experience

Our daughter has had a truly positive and enriching experience at Crescent Heights Academy. What she loves most—and talks about constantly—are the teachers. They make her feel seen, supported, and genuinely cared for. Their kindness, patience, and ability to bring learning to life have been the most impactful part of her school journey. Whether it’s a warm greeting in the morning or the extra time they spend explaining a concept, the care and connection she feels from her teachers make her feel safe and inspired to learn. She also appreciates the small class sizes, which make it easier to build close friendships and receive more individualized attention. As a parent, I see how much she feels like she belongs here, and that sense of belonging has been invaluable to her confidence and curiosity. If there’s one area she occasionally wishes were different, it’s the opportunity to participate in school sports, particularly a girls’ soccer team. She would love to play competitively with her peers and represent the school in a sport she’s passionate about. We hope this could be something considered in the future, as it would mean a lot to students like Hope who thrive through teamwork and physical activity.

(5) School Leadership

The Academy is the strength and depth of leadership at every level. From the Head of School to the vice principals, teachers, and administrative staff, everyone embodies a sense of purpose, professionalism, and care. It’s clear that leadership here isn’t limited to titles—every staff member leads by example, and it shows in how the school operates day to day. The Head of School and vice principals, in particular, are not only exceptional educators—they also bring impressive organizational and business acumen to the table. The school runs like a well-oiled operation, balancing academic excellence with thoughtful structure, discipline, and strategy. There’s a clear vision guiding the school, and it’s felt in everything from communications to programming to how issues are handled. When challenges arise, the leadership team responds with fairness, clarity, and compassion. They foster a positive and inclusive school environment by being visible, approachable, and genuinely invested in both the students’ well-being and their personal development. Communication with parents is thoughtful and consistent, and we’ve always felt informed, supported, and heard. It’s rare to find a school where operational leadership and educational leadership are equally strong—Crescent Heights is one of those rare places.

(5) Teaching

The teaching at Crescent Heights Academy is truly the heart of the school, and the main reason we chose it. The teachers are not only incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects; they’re also exceptional human beings. They care deeply about their students as individuals, and it shows in how they teach, mentor, and support each child’s growth. We’ve been consistently impressed by the quality of instruction. Teachers communicate clearly, provide thoughtful and constructive feedback, and create a nurturing environment where students feel safe to take risks and grow. Hope feels seen, supported, and encouraged every single day—and as parents, that means everything to us. If there’s one area we see room for evolution, it would be in offering more stretch opportunities for students who show advanced capabilities or specific talents. The IB framework does a wonderful job of creating a balanced and inquiry-driven curriculum, but we’ve noticed that students are often kept at the same pace. We’d love to see more flexibility or enrichment options for students ready to go deeper in certain areas—to truly nurture their natural abilities and keep their love of learning burning bright.

(4) Academics

As a family with a strong academic tradition—rooted in graduate-level education, PhDs, and the medical profession—we admittedly bring a high bar and deep respect for academic excellence. With that lens, our expectations for Hope’s academic environment are quite rigorous, and we take an active role in complementing her learning at home to ensure she’s challenged and thriving. Crescent Heights Academy offers a well-rounded and inquiry-driven academic program through the IB framework, which nurtures curiosity, global awareness, and critical thinking from an early age. These are valuable traits that serve students well in the long run, and we appreciate how the program encourages well-rounded development. That said, we do believe the academic culture—particularly in the primary years—could benefit from additional stretch opportunities for students who are ready to go further. Currently, there is little to no homework assigned, which at times limits the depth and continuity of academic engagement outside the classroom. For students like Hope who are eager and capable of going deeper, we would love to see the introduction of more structured enrichment options, advanced projects, or differentiated learning pathways within the curriculum. Overall, the academic atmosphere is positive, supportive, and thoughtfully designed. And while the foundation is strong, we hope to see it evolve in ways that more intentionally nurture high-achieving students and better prepare them for the rigor of future academic steps.

(3.5) Extracurriculars

At the Grade 3 and elementary level, we’ve found that while Crescent Heights Academy offers a variety of after-school activities, there are currently limited opportunities for students to participate in structured, competitive extracurricular programs. Families often need to supplement with community-based programs outside of school to provide more challenge and exposure in areas like athletics, STEM, or the arts. As the school continues to grow, we hope to see more mature and robust extracurricular infrastructures take shape, such as school-led robotics teams, interschool sports teams, debate or public speaking clubs, and other academically driven opportunities. These kinds of programs not only help students explore and develop their unique talents but also contribute to building confidence, collaboration skills, and school spirit. We understand Crescent Heights is still in its early growth phase, and we’re hopeful that—with its strong leadership and community—there is great potential to build out a fuller ecosystem of extracurriculars that support both fun and competition, helping shape truly well-rounded students.

(4) Students

The student body at Crescent Heights Academy is generally warm, respectful, and positive. Students are kind to one another and show consistent respect toward their teachers and the school environment. There’s a sense of safety and friendliness that allows students to feel comfortable and supported throughout the day. That said, as the school continues to grow, we’d love to see an EVEN stronger emphasis on cultivating a culture of contribution, leadership, and community-building in the day-to-day experience. Currently, because the school is spread across three campuses and three different geographical locations, it adds to the challenge of building that true community feel and school spirit. Encouraging more student-led initiatives, cross-grade collaboration, or leadership opportunities could further elevate the spirit of the school and help foster a deeper sense of ownership and connectedness among students.

(3.5) School Life

We believe the quality of student life will improve significantly once the new school facility is completed. At the moment, the campus is operating within the constraints of an older, inherited building, which naturally places some limitations on space, layout, and student gathering areas. These are mostly physical constraints rather than cultural ones, but they do impact the day-to-day experience, especially in terms of communal energy and cohesion across grades. We’re very optimistic that once the new, purpose-built campus opens and the full student body is brought together under one roof, there will be even more opportunity for a vibrant school spirit and enriched student life. It’s clear the school is growing in the right direction—with leadership, values, and vision in place—and we’re excited to see that vision come to life in the next phase.

(3.5) Community

The school does provide a healthy number of volunteer opportunities for parents, and there’s clearly an openness to involving families in school life. However, since the move to the Cloverdale campus, we’ve noticed a shift in the level of community engagement. At the previous campus, there was a stronger, more cohesive parent community—likely due to the location and the organic connections that had developed over time. With the current geographical distribution of families, it feels like the sense of parent involvement has become more dispersed. We would love to see the school take a more intentional approach to rebuilding that strong parent network—perhaps by hosting more in-person gatherings, family events, or parent-led initiatives to bring people together. A thriving parent community adds so much value to the student experience and the overall culture of the school.

(3.5) School Location

The surrounding neighborhood of all three campuses is perfectly fine, though not particularly distinctive. What stands out more is the current distribution of the school across three separate locations, which are relatively spread out. This setup has naturally created a sense of fragmentation—students and families don’t always feel the full cohesion of a united school community. Because of this, the school can sometimes feel more like a series of smaller islands rather than a single, connected ecosystem. We’re very much looking forward to the completion of the new campus, which we believe will significantly enhance the sense of unity, school spirit, and shared identity among students, families, and staff.

(4.5) Admissions

Our experience with the application and admissions process at Crescent Heights Academy was notably positive, especially in comparison to other independent schools. The process felt much more relaxed, approachable, and human. The admissions team was kind, communicative, and genuinely focused on making sure the school was the right fit for both the child and the family. There was far less pressure and formality than we experienced elsewhere, which made the entire process feel more personal and less stressful. For families considering applying, we’d encourage you to approach it with openness and curiosity. Be clear about what you value in a school, and use the admissions process as a two-way dialogue. Crescent Heights is a school that values relationships, and that’s reflected right from the very first conversation. We wouldn’t change much about the process—it struck the right balance of professionalism and warmth.