REVIEW OF Hydrostone Academy BY parent, Tessa Cheng
- Date of Review
June 03, 2026 - Child 1
K - Gr. 1 (Female, Current Day Student)
(4) Student Experience
Our daughter enjoys her Grade 1 class so much. She appreciates the creative play, art, as well as the math and science instruction. She benefits so much from the small class size, where her teachers can help the kids develop healthy and positive relationships with each other. The small class size also gives her teachers the flexibility to customize her learning and provide her with academic challenges when she wants them. They are also helping our daughter grow, and we are seeing clear progress in areas that she struggled with, such as performing. Her teachers create an incredibly warm learning environment with their attention to detail, including a special quiet space to help kids regulate with calming sensory objects. It’s thrilling to see our daughter’s classroom learning spillover into our home life – she spontaneously hand-knits, writes the date on her drawings, performs classroom songs, creates storybooks, and enjoys her homework.
Why Hydrostone Academy?
We chose Hydrostone Academy because it prioritizes socio-emotional development, community, social responsibility, and the arts. The school instills a love of learning that we know will benefit our daughter throughout her life.
Expectations vs. Reality
Hydrostone Academy emphasizes community and social responsibility for its students, which we love. It is also a small school and relies on its parent community to make many of its events and ‘extras’ possible. It’s a wonderful way of leading by example, and everything is voluntary, but it can be tricky for families who already struggle with full work schedules, commuting, etc.
Your Advice
The school’s emphasis on socio-emotional development, community, and the arts does not displace academics. Academics look different with the younger grades, but they are there. And Hydrostone Academy’s approach will ultimately create more long-term academic benefits through a safe, nurturing learning environment.
