What insiders say about the Student Body
Cultural diversity and inclusion
Testimonials from students and alumni underscore that Fieldstone's culturally diverse student body and the celebration of different cultural backgrounds create a rich and inclusive learning environment.
I think the main value is community because there's a lot of people coming in from different places. If there is, for example, a person at the school who is maybe the same nationality or can speak the same language as an incoming student, the school actively gets them to become a mentor to that student to get them adapted to school life. A lot of students may come in, maybe not speak perfect English or may not be familiar with the language. So getting them to be with a person that they might be comfortable with does help them adapt better to the school.
The fact that Fieldstone School is predominantly full of international students does make it more of an environment where you get to see some diversity compared to other schools where that might not necessarily be as much of a case. I haven't really seen that ever anywhere else.
I think a majority of the student population of the school are international students, and the school does actively look into bringing international students. From those I've talked to from other schools, that wasn't necessarily the case at their schools. But what opened my eyes was the fact that the school was so open to having people from different countries come in and help broaden the community in terms of the culture, in terms of the different viewpoints that are being offered. I think that was something that I think the school did well in terms of the fact that they were so willing to bring in all those new students who were just moving to Canada and helped them adapt to the country. I think that really helped those coming in. I think that's the same position that the school took with other students as well.
I think Fieldstone School is very open to different people, not only just in terms of race, but in terms of who they are as human beings. Whatever you are, whether you're interested in music or you're interested in sports or engineering like I was, there's always an avenue to explore.
Fieldstone is a global school. They have a lot of international students as well as Canadian students. I remember one parent reaching out and just saying a big hello and that he was so glad to meet us and that if we were ever down on his side of the world to actually stop by. I thought that was very touching, a very nice and friendly community.
The student body at Fieldstone was very diverse! There were so many international students from many different cultures, and it allowed me to broaden and diversify my friend group! All of the students at Fieldstone were friendly and positive. I especially enjoyed learning about the different places they came from. For example, students came from all over the wold such as: China, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Iran, and even some from Africa! This large mix of people allowed me to become familiar with many different cultures. Fieldstone even held events such as cultural day which allowed students to set up a table and feature foods and other things they wanted to share! I really enjoyed the many people I met at Fieldstone and the positivity and friendships that came out of those relations!
Students, generally, are something that the school cannot always control. While there is definitely the odd student who is not always academically inclined or cooperative, the general sense was the students always wanted to succeed. Students who were strong academically while maintaining a strong social standing were generally looked up to for representation and influence, which I think is more reflective of the atmosphere the school is trying to achieve. The school has a predominantly international population, and thus there is quite a bit of diversity at the school in terms of nationalities. Overall, you can certainly see people of different nationalities populating the classrooms at the school, which is something that can help foster an international mindset in students.
With any school, it is always a mixed bag of students, but at Fieldstone, everyone is respectful and usually eager to learn. Thankfully, Fieldstone has a wide range of extracurricular activities, so there is always the opportunity to meet others in different grades and find a place where you belong. The school was free from catty or bullying behavior and the school encouraged a positive environment. Since most of the class sizes were quite small, it gave everyone the opportunity to get to know others. In Fieldstone King's College School, most of the students were from countries such as China, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico, so it was wonderful to get to learn about other cultures and Fieldstone encouraged that by having a Cultural Afternoon where everyone would bring dishes from their country and it would be shared amongst everyone.
Personalized support and dedicated staff
Observations from students and parents reveal that the personalized support provided by Fieldstone's staff, including responsive guidance counsellors and accessible teachers, fosters a nurturing and educational environment.
When attending Fieldstone School I most appreciated the openness of the staff. They were so open to hearing some of the ideas that I had, some of the suggestions that I brought up and wanted to expand in the sense that they wanted to include more student initiatives and really wanted to have more activities to connect with the students as well. I could go to any member of staff and just have a conversation with them. When you're new and when you're trying to adapt to life within a new country, you appreciate having that openness within the school that you're attending. So it's a nice experience to have just being able to go up to a member of staff, talk to them, discuss ideas with them.
When I joined Fieldstone School, the thing that caught my eye the most was just how much everyone was willing to help out each other and how much everyone was willing to be there for students. And especially on the staff side, taking the time out of the day to get to know the students. And it really did develop a family environment in which students could feel safe.
I found that Fieldstone offered a great deal of support for all of its students. The guidance counsellor was very kind, resourceful and easy to talk to. I remember one specific incident where I was in a complete panic in grade twelve and emailed the guidance counsellor to talk about it. She replied promptly and gave me the information that I needed to approach the problem with more knowledge. The counsellor was also very good at making sure that you knew all of your options for post-secondary and that you were as prepared as possible prior to the beginning of the process. I felt greatly supported by the counselling at Fieldstone and I had a lot of trust in the staff there because they were patient, knowledgeable and eager to help.
I loved my time at Fieldstone! I remember waking up every day and being excited to go to school. Fieldstone creates a very loving and supportive environment for their students! Especially because the size of the student body is smaller, and it allowed the administration and staff to get to know each and every student! This to me was amazing, and even now I still drop by every once and a while to say hello to everyone! At Fieldstone, I really felt that the teachers really cared about their students, and always gave room for students to request extensions on their work to ensure low stress levels! This allowed me to gain a sense of responsibility and even time management! I personally really enjoyed the time I spent at Fieldstone!
The teaching follows the Cambridge curriculum and our child enjoys the books and lessons greatly. The teachers are highly qualified and love teaching, they are very accessible and know the kids individually (a benefit of small class sizes), and their ethnic and intellectual diversity is just wonderful. Good exposure and learning for the children to be among highly qualified and experienced people passionate in their expertise, and the mix of cultures helps shape your child's understanding of different cultures of Toronto, and the world. The reports you get from the school are very detailed and helpful, and we go through them with our child, to help her focus on areas of improvement. The teachers are only too helpful and ready to help if you voice a concern or a challenge your child is experiencing.
I enjoyed my time at Fieldstone overall. Everyone at Fieldstone seemed generally happy to be there and Fieldstone took good care of the students. They tried their best to make sure students were not too stressed and directed them to many healthy outlets. The teachers were always there if extra help was needed. Students seemed to really appreciate that. The teachers were very passionate about their careers and their subjects, which encouraged students to care more about what they were learning and it made it a great deal more fun. Teachers worked to reach out to students who seemed to be struggling emotionally or academically, which contributed to a happy student body that trusted the staff there. Fieldstone truly worked hard to cultivate a great student life for all of its students.
Vibrant extracurricular and parental involvement
Accounts from Fieldstone community members paint a picture of a school where diverse extracurricular activities and active parental involvement provide opportunities to create lasting friendships and contribute to a well-rounded educational experience.
The extracurricular activities at Fieldstone were great! I really enjoyed joining clubs and sports! I can honestly say that I was a part of almost every club Fieldstone offered, and I enjoyed every one of them! The students and teachers allowed for a safe and trusting environment where everybody was able to input their ideas without feeling ridiculed. I especially loved Fieldstone’s extracurriculars because they allowed me to spend time with my friends outside of class, and even make new ones!
My experience at Fieldstone has shaped who I am today! The kind staff and teachers at Fieldstone allowed me to reach my full potential as a student through their after-school tutorials and the Cambridge curriculum. I especially enjoyed the extracurricular clubs which allowed me to further my horizons in the community and create bonds with students who enjoy the same activities as me. Some of the clubs I joined through my years included: the drama club, model UN, choir, prefects, community outreach, and many more. The diverse groups of students allowed me to learn about other cultures and even languages. Throughout my time at Fieldstone I learned what it meant to create life long friendships and even the core learning habits I use today!
Fieldstone has not only developed my daughters into strong learners but has also been able to develop their sense of community through ongoing extracurricular opportunities. They have always participated in the annual Shakespeare Production, even my youngest daughter in JK. The sports alongside the public speaking contests offered have contributed to daughters becoming strong, well rounded students.
—Axelle Vaughan, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
Fieldstone School parents are able and encouraged to become as involved as they choose to be. There are opportunities to meet new families multiple times a year through parent coffee time and parent meetings. We receive weekly newsletters and updates on key dates and student news as well as photos to support student's achievements and fun times. The Fieldstone community is strong and growing. It brings people together in a warm, caring and structured environment. I had the opportunity to be a part of the parent association and it was wonderful to have a direct impact on some school decisions such as fundraisers, spring fairs and student life overall. I highly encourage new parents to join this fantastic community and to get involved with their children.
—Axelle Vaughan, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
The alumni community is amazing, I keep in touch with the administrators of Fieldstone, and they always invite me back to help out with events! It’s an amazing opportunity to see the next generation of students who come out of Fieldstone, and the work that they’ve also put in throughout their years. Since graduating, I’ve still continued to keep up with students at the school. I really believe that I’ve truly made life long friendships! The parents at Fieldstone are also great, and they even have their own faculty in the JK-8 section of the school! I found that through my elementary years at Fieldstone the parents contributed a lot to the events and even creating a close-knit circle of friends for their children.
Community spirit and mutual respect
Comments from insiders illustrate the strong sense of community at Fieldstone School, fostered through events and celebrations that bring students and staff together in a supportive and inclusive environment based on mutual respect.
I love spending my day with our students. They come to our school and they say, ‘My goodness, your students are so polite, they're so engaged and kind.’ I always say how lucky we are to have the group of children we do, and supply teachers can attest to that. And we also, when we do go to sporting events, have the referees always comment on how welcoming our kids are.
Fieldstone School really pushes the idea that people are stronger together, and really founds itself on that belief. That is definitely something that is seen in the day-to-day operation of the schools. One thing that certainly surprised me was that I did not expect staff and students to have that close of a relationship. Obviously, that's not necessarily something you can easily advertise anywhere. It really developed from the people who have built the place and from the people who are in that place day to day.
You have certain events that the school holds that get staff and students together. So for example, there was a Christmas luncheon, there was a Mardi Gras festival. There was Halloween, obviously, but just these different celebrations, these different days in which students and staff can engage with each other just so that there was a real focus on community spirit from the events that were held and from the way some things were conducted.
A student that lives the values of the school is definitely the student that always remembers that they can learn more and that they can trust themselves and what they're capable of. That's really important for our school. We are here to help. We don't expect perfection, we expect effort, and we support effort. And also their character is what I call top notch. So their manners are in place. They're following the school rules, the class rules. They're looking out for their friends. They aren't doing something they shouldn't be doing.
The staff at Fieldstone creates a bond with their students and ensures that respect is a two-way street! Through the mutual respect between administration, teachers, staff, and students Fieldstone creates a very positive environment for their students to grow! Students at Fieldstone also take pride in their leadership opportunities. For example, when I was a student I took part in becoming a prefect. This allowed me to become a school leader in organizing events around the school such as dress-down days, and prom.
I loved going to school at Fieldstone, and I still visit to this day. As highlighted before, the staff definitely created an environment that promoted healthy learning and a positive atmosphere. I loved conversing with the teachers and other students and was definitely always looking forward to attending class. It was a more relaxed environment that I most definitely enjoyed, and something that encouraged me to work harder. I certainly miss the atmosphere of being able to joke around and converse with the teachers and students while also maintaining a respect-first relationship with everyone around me. I was definitely also able to maintain a great academic standing throughout due to my feeling of stability within the school.
I like the fact that students can also interact with International students and learn from other countries. The atmosphere is very nice and full of many colors and cultures. The amount of students per class makes it easier for them to connect and preserve the teamwork spirit. Leadership at Fieldstone encourages students to become family, the House meetings in the morning allow them to know each other, from different grades, and teachers are always pressing forward to help the community values to stand up. I think the leadership programs will be always the best way to create a strong sense of Team Work and Friendship. The outreach programs are also a very good way to make the students know each other and support the community with their efforts as a group.
—Paola Ortiz, parent (beginning 2016) (see
full review)
One of the great strengths of Fieldstone School is the diversity in the student body. The class sizes are small enough for students to really bond with one another and they have multiple opportunities to learn from each other. My daughters have developed strong friendships that they will always cherish. Students are encouraged to engage with students outside of their class. An example would be the "House" captains, leaders within the school, that have the important role to bring all students together regardless of grade and age. This creates a wonderful atmosphere and school spirit. Finally, I will add that Fieldstone School stands out with students proudly wearing the blue and gold colours in all sports event and putting forward their mascot - The Grizzly Bear!
—Axelle Vaughan, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
Sense of belonging and personal identity
Observations from students and alumni suggest that Fieldstone School fosters a strong sense of identity and personal growth by encouraging students to reflect on their aspirations and embrace individuality, creating a strong sense of belonging and camaraderie among students of all ages.
Having a home away from home was crucial to helping the students not only get more integrated within Canada, but also perform academically better and develop new interests. With a school like Fieldstone, where there are a lot of international students, I think it really did help develop that feeling within students, at least for me.
Something that really surprised me and really made me happy being part of Fieldstone School was that you felt comfortable. You felt comfortable being there. You felt comfortable talking to teachers, not only about things that went on in school, but things going on in your personal life and not really in the way that you would have felt in a lot of schools. Personally, I've lived in several countries. I've lived in Saudi Arabia, I've lived in Spain, and I haven't really experienced that with any of the schools that I've been to before.
Fieldstone School really helped me understand and then develop a strong sense of identity, a strong sense of what I want to achieve in life. And that has really had a profound impact, not only just pursuing what is the most advantageous for me, but pursuing something that will truly make me feel like I am who I am and really allow me to enjoy everything that I can bring to the table.
That sense of identity and that drive and that ambition really stem from the way that Fieldstone School really pushes students to think and really pushes students to approach not just their academic life, but also their own life. I was unfortunately at the school for only a year. I came to Canada in my final year of high school. I think I would have enjoyed more years at the school because that year was such an extremely positive year for me.
We have a lot of students recently that have come to the school for a better social group. Friends that will be kind always will include them always. We have students that really strive for inclusion, for kindness, being part of a team, and also allowed to be unique. We're a really safe space for that. Students that are really interested in learning more, being challenged further, and being part of a smaller group where they can be part of a team excel at Fieldstone School.
At Fieldstone, you get to really express who you are without fearing that you have to act in a very specific way. Obviously, you have to act with proper conduct, but you don't have to conform. You can truly be who you are.
Fieldstone might not be the biggest school. It might not be the most well-known school, but it'd definitely be the school where your child will grow the most and truly be themselves the most.
My daughters love going to school because they know they will be heard, encouraged, guided and respected every single day. The building and campus are very welcoming. They offer a wonderful setting for student engagement and student academic achievements. The common areas are spacious and allow for gatherings and student life. The older students care about the younger ones and it offers a sense of family to new students. My daughters have found their second home within Fieldstone School. Also, at Fieldstone there are four "Houses" to which students are assigned upon arrival. These "Houses" create a sense of belonging and motivation. Many activities are linked to gaining points for the "Houses" and it always fun to see teachers and students joyfully compete to achieve their goals.
—Axelle Vaughan, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
Almost every student we have interacted with is polite, happy, and has a sense of belonging. As a parent, I too have a sense of belonging. The students have a camaraderie and help one another, not only of the same age but across ages as there is some cross-pollination in activities. I love the cultural diversity of the school, and also that there is not a pompous type of feeling although it is clearly a private school. People are real and genuine and students don't tend to focus on things that are unrelated to school life for long i.e. there is very little bullying, unpleasantness, etc. I'm actually not sure how they manage these things as there is so little of it, and my child has experienced none of it personally.
Tranquil urban haven
According to parents and administrators, the school’s location and its beautiful, well-maintained campus create a peaceful and welcoming retreat in a busy urban neighborhood.
We're on a beautiful campus, a former Toronto District School Board school, and we have a lovely park nearby that we've often used for a mini field trip. We would rent space at the hockey rink nearby and we would get a group of kids together to go play hockey or just to skate, which was really nice. I think overall, we have students coming from all over Toronto, really, but the majority of them are local students.
The teachers and the leadership (Ms. Butcher, Ms. Khan, etc.) all make you as a parent feel included, and they have such a gentle and respectful manner towards the kids. The kids feel loved, for sure, and I, as a parent, feel a part of the school life. The school is located in a busy area near Dufferin and Lawrence but it is tucked in, so it is not exposed to the main street. The large field and plentiful parking and the gracious beautiful buildings, well kept and maintained by Mr. Glen, all make it a very welcome, quiet and ordered part of the neighbourhood. We have found the other parents to be decent and civilized (!) types of people, so you have a sense that your child is in a healthy environment.
Cultivating leadership and academic excellence
Testimonials from parents and alumni highlight that Fieldstone's rigorous academic programs and leadership opportunities, grounded in the Cambridge curriculum, help students develop a passion for learning and a strong sense of self-worth.
Fieldstone is a Cambridge school that has been preparing my daughters for high academic achievements. My children have developed a passion for learning in a positive school culture. They are encouraged to participate in public speaking contests, school plays, leadership roles and are given the tools to succeed in all of their endeavours. My daughters are developing into young female leaders with a great sense of worth and confidence. Fieldstone has developed the need for my children to be curious, to search deeper into themselves to achieve the best possible results. They have been encouraged to constantly review their work and to discuss their work with teachers. They have access to one-on-one tutorials if they choose to deepen their understanding. Teachers are always available for their students and that is key to their success.
—Axelle Vaughan, parent (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
I can't express with words my gratitude towards Fieldstone School. The staff is incredibly professional, and the character and leadership that Sofia developed at Fieldstone are not to be found elsewhere. I choose fieldstone at first because the Cambridge program called my attention, but they exceeded my expectations in all areas. The teachers are super committed to the students' growth, leadership is a must, and that is something very important in our society, and for the positive impact on the community. She is always applying her leadership principles and values to her daily routine. The commitment from teachers is priceless, I was impressed before, but now facing a pandemic they did an amazing job, keeping our kids interested in school, despite the "online" teaching. I highly recommend Fieldstone if you want your kid to develop a strong sense of leadership and a supportive community citizen.
—Paola Ortiz, parent (beginning 2016) (see
full review)
I definitely believe that Firestone has the best environment for its students. The academic program they have is very strong in my opinion. I notice that when she speaks to an adult in a reunion, she expresses herself differently than other kids her age. That's a very strong reflection of the strong educational character she has developed at Fieldstone. People always ask me which school she goes to, and that is why I decided to make it public, some times we receive amazing things from our kid's schools and we don't take the time to express our gratitude towards their efforts. It is time to remind parents that our kid's education, principles, values, and character are traits so important to cultivate that we need the kind of education that Fieldstone is providing. Of course, our job as parents is 100% the pillar of our kid's next steps in life, but a good school will definitely make a huge difference.
—Paola Ortiz, parent (beginning 2016) (see
full review)
Supportive admissions process
Reflecting on their experiences, students emphasize that Fieldstone’s admissions process is a welcoming and relaxed opportunity to showcase personal strengths and interests, facilitated by supportive admissions officers.
When I did my admissions, I was eleven. My advice to someone that is applying is to not freak out because it is a very calm process. It is also good to maintain an open mind and show that you care deeply about your education and that you have passions outside of that. Remain courteous and respectful. My experience with applying for admission was very relaxed because the admissions officers worked with me a lot to find out if I was a good fit for the school. They gave me the opportunity to express myself and I was given a wonderful tour of the school. I will always remember how welcomed they made me feel and how they helped me to understand more about the school.
