Roundtable Q&A Discussion About The Sterling Hall School (2025)
The Sterling Hall School alumni, current students, and parents shared their insights on the school’s culture, values, strengths, and weaknesses. Hear what Andrei Pop, Matthew Schindler, Erin McFeetors had to say about the school.
Highlights from the Q&A discussion
Andrei Pop — current parent
Andrei, a parent at Sterling Hall School, shared his perspective on his son William’s growth in confidence, academics, character, and preparation for high school, emphasizing the supportive community, guidance, and “trust the process” approach.
- The values and traditions that were initially instilled in my son, even from the moment when you start school with the handshake and looking in the eye, are very important to me. I’ve seen him flourish from a shy little kid to a boy who is excited and has no issue talking in front of the entire school at the assembly, which is tremendous to me. Academically, I feel like he’s had the support but also the encouragement to succeed.The values and traditions that were initially instilled in my son, even from the moment when you start school with the handshake and looking in the eye, are very important to me. I’ve seen him flourish from a shy little kid to a boy who is excited and has no issue talking in front of the entire school at the assembly, which is tremendous to me. Academically, I feel like he’s had the support but also the encouragement to succeed.
It’s been an absolute change in my son’s personality and vocabulary. I’ve never heard him speak so eloquently to adults. It’s been a byproduct of the amount of effort that you put in—the sessions, the guidance, as well as the one-on-one that William was able to get with many of you and the faculty.
The community that Sterling built almost became the yardstick in selecting the next institution... We evaluated the traditions as well as the activities, the curriculum, and the staff.
It was unbelievable to see that my son was accepted into every school he applied for, which is unheard of. That speaks to the level of preparation, as well as the work the school is doing behind the scenes, which is immense in my opinion. We’re grateful and thankful for that experience.
One takeaway is to use Sterling Hall as a sounding board, rather than pestering the schools, because that filters a lot of the anxiety. They’ve seen this process many times, and they can help us.
One of the best decisions we made was to apply and get everything out of the way before the holiday started. That way, you don’t have time to think about it, because the more time you have, the more stress you get and the more you react. Getting it done early was the best choice.
Matthew Schindler — student
Matthew, a student of Sterling Hall School, shared his perspective on community, friendship, discovering new passions, leadership, high school preparation, personal growth, and memorable experiences like Temagami that built confidence, adaptability, and resilience.
Everybody knows each other here; it’s not a big school, it’s more of a community.
At SHS, I discovered things I didn’t know I enjoyed. I had been into track and field for a long time, but I had no idea I was into music. I knew I was okay at singing, but I hadn’t started trombone yet. Through lessons here, I got good enough to realize, “Yeah, I’m good at this. I enjoy this.”
- Applying to high school starts with choosing which schools you want. At first, high school still felt really far away, and I didn’t even know what each school was good at. But the advice we got from Sterling really helped.Applying to high school starts with choosing which schools you want. At first, high school still felt really far away, and I didn’t even know what each school was good at. But the advice we got from Sterling really helped
We had lots of test prep with Google Forms, which I did a couple of times to really get it in my head. It wasn’t fun, having tests on your mind is stressful, but it was all possible… We were taught what to do: look people in the eye, don’t look down, avoid filler words.
The last three years, Grades 6, 7, and 8, are when I really changed. Grade 6, I was mostly the same person, but by Grade 7 and 8, I had grown a lot. I got a boost in confidence, I learned how to talk to people, and I became more of who I am now.
I’ve learned how to guide others, which has made me a stronger leader. The buddy system taught me how to connect with younger students. Being on leadership teams, especially the arts team, has let me help younger kids with things I’m good at, like arts and music.
One of the most memorable experiences was the Temagami trip. Temagami pushed me out of my comfort zone. It reminded me that things won’t always go my way, and I have to adapt. It also made me grateful—coming home and sleeping in a warm bed after that was one of the best sleeps I’ve ever had in my life.
Erin McFeetors — current parent
Erin, a parent at Sterling Hall School, shared her perspective on academics, character development, confidence, and the high school process, highlighting trust, preparation, and supportive guidance that helped her son flourish and succeed.
- It’s not only the academics, but also the activities associated with them. My son needs a bit of support, and for him, it’s really about rigour—the work ethic, discipline, and planning of time. For me, that’s study skills, and I think those are things that will help him not only in high school but in life.It’s not only the academics, but also the activities associated with them. My son needs a bit of support, and for him, it’s really about rigour—the work ethic, discipline, and planning of time. For me, that’s study skills, and I think those are things that will help him not only in high school but in life.
The character development at Sterling Hall is truly deep-rooted in the fabric of everything the school does. Having been at a couple of different schools, I can say this isn’t just talk.
Sterling Hall helps boys develop an understanding of their values, what they’re great at, and what they’re working on.
I believe it was the high school process that took my son’s confidence to the next level. He was well-prepared for tests and standardized exams, which historically had been challenging for him, and he came out feeling great. The “How to High School” work, learning how to use email correctly, calendaring, and other practical skills, knit everything together and gave him confidence going into the next phase of his life.
When my son was accepted into his first-choice school, the feelings were overwhelming: pride, excitement, relief, and gratitude for the entire process.
My advice for other parents, and myself for my younger sons, is to trust the process. Trust the leadership, the preparation, and the school’s credibility with other schools.
Remember that parents are coaches and guiders, not decision makers. We supported our son with exercises, interview prep, and test prep, and we listened when he needed to talk through things. We didn’t always agree with his choices, but ultimately, he landed in a fantastic place for himself.
