REVIEW OF Hydrostone Academy BY parent, Michelle Daigle

(4.5) Student Experience

My daughter moved to the Hydrostone Academy in Grade 8. What attracted her to the school was the small class size and the variety of learning experiences. She appreciated the frequent field trips, which included overnight camping, where she learned valuable outdoor and survival skills. Within the classroom, there was the opportunity to develop relationships with her teachers, where she understood their teaching style and they understood her learning style. Students at the Hydrostone Academy are encouraged to share their thoughts and opinions without judgment or fear of ridicule. My daughter also appreciated that the school values individuality and encourages students to be their true selves. The music program was a true highlight of my daughter’s school experience. She loved performing, and we were amazed to see her step out of her comfort zone.

Why Hydrostone Academy?

We chose the Hydrostone Academy for the small class size, the opportunity for my daughter to receive more individualized attention, the fact that they encouraged learning both within and outside of the classroom, and the location. For example, instead of just learning about Japanese culture, her class attended a tea ceremony. Gym class was held frequently in a local park. We also appreciated that students are held accountable for their learning. They are expected to complete their work and meet deadlines. The location of the school was also a factor. It is located near downtown Halifax, which is convenient for drop-off and pickup. The location also allows for easy access to field trip locations, such as museums and historic sites. The school is located in a historic 100-year-old building that is steeped in history, which is a unique feature.

Expectations vs. Reality

Overall, the Hydrostone Academy met my expectations. I wanted my daughter to understand that life brings accountability and deadlines, and the school did hold the students to a higher standard than I had seen in public school. The administration is quick to deal with conflicts between students. With such small class sizes, especially at the junior and high school levels, conflict can quickly escalate and affect everyone in the classroom. The school is quick to intervene in such situations, and in my daughter’s experience, handled concerns that she was experiencing with her classmates in a fair and effective manner. I worried about putting my daughter in a situation where she would go from having 20+ classmates in public school to, in her case, a classroom of 10 or fewer students. I did not know how she would be able to go from that setting to university, where she would be in such large classrooms after being in such a small setting. Ultimately, there was no impact. She was able to transition from one to the other without issue.

Your Advice

My advice for any family considering the Hydrostone Academy is to go for it if you can. Your child will have an amazing experience that will include learning about various cultures, valuable outdoor skills, and developing confidence and independence. The school community is an amazing group of educators and families, all of whom work together to help students thrive. The school offers so much in the way of field trips, outdoor activities, and music and drama programs that are slowly slipping away from public education. There is no doubt the private school is expensive; however, what your child will gain from attending the Hydrostone Academy is priceless. I am absolutely convinced that my daughter would not be the kind, strong, and capable person she is without the foundation she has received from her experience at the school.

(4.5) School Leadership

School administration, in our experience, was responsive and dealt with any issues swiftly. The school put out a newsletter each week, intended to keep parents aware of any news or upcoming events. Parents were encouraged to contact the administration with any concerns, and they were visible and accessible throughout our time at the school. Parents were also encouraged to get involved in various committees to provide input and help the school thrive. When my daughter was involved in conflicts with her peers, the administration intervened and helped to resolve the matter.

(4.5) Teaching

The quality of teaching at the Hydrostone Academy was better than expected. The teachers were passionate, firm yet kind. They made an effort to understand the individual learning needs of all the students and to develop relationships whereby the students felt comfortable and confident to be themselves, including being their own advocates when necessary. Students were held accountable to meet deadlines and to be prepared for their classes. Parent-teacher conferences involved having the student also present, which meant that we all heard the same thing at the same time. When there were any concerns, the teachers would contact us, and my daughter generally knew of whatever the issue was, which tells me that they tried to address the matter with her first before turning to us.

(4.5) Academics

I was very impressed with the curriculum at the Hydrostone Academy throughout my daughter’s time at the school. I greatly appreciated the field trips so that the students could learn firsthand rather than sit in a classroom. The overnight camping trips that would occur were well run and taught my daughter valuable survival and outdoor skills. Students are encouraged to give their input when it comes to what they’re learning, and they are interested in the topic as a result. Given the small class sizes, I was concerned that my daughter would have trouble adapting to university, but she was able to transition with no issues. I believe that the way in which the curriculum was run at the school enabled her to form good study habits, which has helped her enormously at university.

(4.5) Extracurriculars

While my daughter was not involved in most extracurricular activities, there were a number of programs available during our time at the school. Programs included robotics, intramurals, music, and drama. The school makes an effort to organize activities that appeal to the interests of students and includes offerings at the elementary, junior, and high school levels. These programs were led mainly by teacher volunteers, which demonstrates their commitment to the students and the school.

(4.5) Students

As the class sizes are small, the students become very close, almost like a little family. Like most families, there are days when conflict is present. The school encouraged the students to work out any issues among themselves and intervened when needed. In the older grades, the school would combine classes to give the students a chance to interact with people outside of their immediate grade. Because the students are so encouraged to be themselves, there was a variety of personalities, which helped my daughter learn to be tolerant and accepting. My daughter made lifelong friends while at the school and sees many of her past classmates regularly. She was also able to help care for the younger children during school activities, which she loved.

(4.5) School Life

My daughter generally liked going to school each day. Like most teenagers, there were days when she wasn’t looking forward to school, which is to be expected. When my daughter was at the Hydrostone Academy, the days often started with yoga, which was a nice way to launch the day. In the older grades, the students were allowed to leave the campus at lunchtime, which gave them a sense of responsibility. Some classrooms/areas were set up a bit informally, such as with couches rather than desks, which allowed for a more comfortable learning environment. Students were also given cleaning responsibilities in some of the common areas, which, as a parent, I appreciated, as it emphasized the need to work together for the benefit of all.

(4.5) Community

The community at the Hydrostone Academy was very welcoming when we arrived. We were nervous, as we were joining an 8th-grade class where some of the students had been together since primary/kindergarten. However, the school took the initiative to have my daughter meet a student in her class a few weeks before the first day of school, which really helped to make her more comfortable on day one. Throughout our time at the school, there were opportunities to get involved in fundraising activities, which was a good way to meet other parents. There were also various programs where parents could get involved, such as the organization of a weekly pizza lunch. Parents could also volunteer for different boards and were encouraged to be involved.

(5) School Location

The Hydrostone Academy is located in a historic building in the north end of Halifax. The interior holds much of its original look and is a beautiful environment for learning. The location is ideal, as it is close to downtown Halifax, which allows for easy access to museums and galleries, as well as a number of parks and outdoor spaces.

(4.5) Admissions

We had no issues with the admissions process. We were invited to come to the school for a one-on-one tour, and the staff were happy to answer any questions we had. At the time, we were looking to transfer our daughter, and the school had the option of having prospective students come to the school for a day to see how they liked it; however, for us, we started looking into the school after the students had been dismissed for the summer, so we could not take advantage of this option. There was also an entrance exam.

(4.5) University placement and counselling

My daughter was able to speak with her teachers to get advice on which universities to apply to and to discuss which ones had the programs she was looking for. Students were encouraged to further their education after graduation and were celebrated when accepted to the school of their choice. The teachers were also helpful with advice on the application process. Many of the faculty attended university in Halifax/NS, so they were able to offer a firsthand perspective of the school and their experience. They also encouraged the students to take tours to get a sense of university life. As parents who had been out of university for many years, we appreciated the advice and support of the school and faculty in helping our daughter successfully apply to university.