Hawthorn School Reviews

Gain exclusive insight into life at Hawthorn School from our carefully curated video and written reviews, including roundtable Q&As, that deliver in-depth insider info from parents, alumni and students.

Our Perspective on Hawthorn School

As the only all-girls' Catholic independent school in Toronto, Hawthorn provides a unique and very specific program, one that focusses on the needs of girls while providing instruction through a Catholic lens. It was founded relatively recently—it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2014—through the instigation of a group of parents who wanted the kind of academic specificity that the school continues to promote today. And, truly, there's no other school like it: girls are challenged to pursue passions in the full range of academic pursuit, STEM primary among them. Character, too, is a primary focus, including an expression of self. The ideal student is one who thrives within a supportive yet academically challenging environment.

Video reviews

Get crucial behind-the-scenes information about Hawthorn School from video interviews with probing questions that we recorded live with parents, current students, and recent alumni.

All (3) Parent (1) Alum (1) Roundtable Q&A (1)


Parent, Amy & Peter McCrea (2021) Watch our parent interview with Amy & Peter McCrea to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to have a child attend Hawthorn School.	all_videos parent_videos	,
Roundtable Q&A (2020) Watch our Hawthorn School Q&A discussion with Gwen (Alum), Marnee (Parent), Steve (Parent), Liz (Parent) to gain fresh insight into the school’s culture, values, and strengths.	all_videos roundtable_videos	,
Alum, Jane Zuchelkowski (2020) Watch our alum interview with Jane Zuchelkowski to learn about the unique experience of attending Hawthorn School.	all_videos alumnus_videos	,

Written reviews

Dive deeply into the real culture of Hawthorn School with reviews we’ve structured to highlight only the most valuable insights and opinions submitted by parents, students, and alumni.

All (3) Parent (1) Alum (0) Student (2)


(5) Parent, Yineska Saavedra (2023) Gr. 7 to Gr. 9 (current) — Hawthorn School has provided an environment for my daughter to blossom and for us to be part of... I found that the school leadership and administration are values-centric. The women who lead the school are truly admirable. They know every student and family by name and they really encourage a positive environment by caring... The teachers at Hawthorn are amazing human beings. The more I know them, the more I observe their deepness not only as professionals but often as daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, or friends. It is obvious that the teachers ... Each student is helped to be the best person they can be, in all aspects of their life and especially academics. Teachers will work with children to help them understand and enjoy the concepts. They not only work with the stud... We have experienced both Lower School and Upper School, and in both, they have enrichment time every week. In Lower School, they did tons of fun activities from knitting and drama to music programs. In Upper School, they have ... Our daughter's best picture is from her first day at Hawthorn. We had never seen her so happy. All the girls in her classroom were welcoming. They embraced her as if she had been there for years, and soon after that, she start... My daughter describes school life as “super fun and action-packed.” In addition to all the interesting academic activities, they have events one after another which keep them enthusiastically engaged. She said that at scho... This was our big surprise! We knew Hawthorn was going to be an amazing school that would foster a higher level of academic excellence for our daughter. What surprises us is the familiar environment and the sense of community p... Hawthorn is conveniently located in the heart of North York with easy access to the DVP, 401, and public transit if needed, with lots of green areas nearby where the students can go for walks, exercise, and recreation. There i... Finding out what was best for our daughter and our family was a process of several deep and meaningful conversations with our family and trusted friends. We reflected on the gifts and talents of our daughter as well as the t...	all_reviews parent	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,
(4) Student, Adriana Alfaro (2023) Gr. 10 (current) — Hawthorn is a good school. The students are inclusive and the teachers are great at teaching. T... The teachers have great teaching styles that are clear and concise. They always make sure their students understand the concepts by explaining as many times as needed. They are also open to questions, during class or after cla... I think the teachers ask enough of us. But in some cases, they do ask a lot of us. It can get stressful, but that teaches us time management so our work doesn't pile up on us. Although the workload may be a lot sometimes, it i... I think the work is just right and manageable. I'm sure the work we do now will be useful later on in our lives. It will help our brains run and help us think deeper. All this thinking will pay off in the future because it can... I participate in play club and I am part of the volleyball team. I think the school offers great clubs led by great students. Everyone can choose what extracurricular activity they can join. They are able to pick anything they... This school feels like a small town. We all know each other from the youngest grade to the oldest (Lower School - Upper School). We wave at each other in the hall and it is pleasant to do so. The older and younger students als... If I were giving a tour around Hawthorn, I would show the visitors the learning center. It's a great place because that is where everyone goes to do homework as well as study hall, which are free periods of work. It is a libra... Hawthorn is an engaging community where everyone is appreciated. Students and families are engaged in activities that build Hawthorn as a community. It’s a nice school that teaches students interesting subjects along with gr... Throughout the course of the day, students stay at school. On Fridays, students may go out (to a nearby plaza) if they choose to. The school is also located near a belt line leading to a field. For gym class in the spring, the... The admissions process went very well. Filling out the papers took time, but in the end, it was all for the best. The teachers and admin were very kind and welcoming. Knowing I was going to a new school made it a little nerve-...	all_reviews student	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,
(4.6) Student, Ximena Saishio (2022) Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 10 (current) — Hawthorn School is wonderful. My two favorite things about Hawthorn are the teachers and the en... The school leaders are approachable and respected. The headmaster takes her time to check in on students and ask about their personal and school life. You can tell she cares about every one of the students. The guida... In Hawthorn, as I said before, the teachers are one of my favorite aspects of the school. They are very passionate and they are great teachers. You never feel hesitant or uncomfortable to ask for help. When given ass... In Hawthorn, I find the academics and curriculum to be very advanced. For example, upper school starts in grade 8 to allow you to take 3 credits in advance, therefore giving you more time in gr. 12 to take whatever e... In Hawthorn, there are co-curriculars and sports. They include debate club, play, film club, and sports that include volleyball, basketball, track and field (etc.). I am currently attending debate club and school play. Most of... The students in Hawthorn are all very kind and fun. It does not take long at all to make friends. Classmates at Hawthorn are very supportive and I find that good friends help to build your character and develop your vi... If I were asked to give a tour of the school to a group of visitors I would probably take them to our learning center first. It was recently renovated and turned into a modern and comfortable study/hang-out area. There are rec... In Hawthorn, one of my favorite things is the environment. Everybody is very, very nice and kind. As I said before, because it is a small school everybody knows each other and gets along very well. It does feel like home. It i... Hawthorn is located on 101 Scarsdale Rd, North York, ON M3B 2R2. Hawthorn is right beside York Mills Gardens. The plaza has many little restaurants and stores like Shoppers, Longo's, McDonald's, Coco's, Starbucks (etc.). Many ...	all_reviews student	1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,

(5)

Parent, Yineska Saavedra (2023)

Gr. 7 to Gr. 9 (current) — Hawthorn School has provided an environment for my daughter to blossom and for us to be part of...

(4)

Student, Adriana Alfaro (2023)

Gr. 10 (current) — Hawthorn is a good school. The students are inclusive and the teachers are great at teaching. T...

(4.6)

Student, Ximena Saishio (2022)

Nursery/Toddler to Gr. 10 (current) — Hawthorn School is wonderful. My two favorite things about Hawthorn are the teachers and the en...

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Hawthorn School Reviews

Our Perspective on Hawthorn School

Video reviews

Parent, Amy & Peter McCrea (2021)

Roundtable Q&A (2020)

Alum, Jane Zuchelkowski (2020)

Written reviews

(5)

Parent, Yineska Saavedra (2023)

(4)

Student, Adriana Alfaro (2023)

(4.6)

Student, Ximena Saishio (2022)

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