Testimonials
To say we are overwhelmed at what has happened to the boys in such a short period of time is understatement. Please indulge me as we list some of the positive attributes that have developed in just 7 months:
1. Increased self confidence as individuals.Both are making decisions quicker and more freely for themselves.
2. Character development on and off the ice. Both have strengthened their mental strength to make right decisions in adverse situations and not succumb to peer pressure.
3. Personal responsibility has increased.They are quicker to be aware of what is going on around them and be part of a solution and not being a problem.
4. Increased academically. They both care about their grades and monitor their progress and strived to be their best.
5. Their hockey skills….this can’t even quantified. The growth disparity from when both started to now is immeasurable. It’s mind blowing. Being at Bridgedale has opened many doors for both boys for hockey. Josh has moved up to what I believe as one of the top 2011 goalies in the country. These aren’t actually my words but from coaches. Jacob, what can we say, wow, he is showing some serious skills and looks to be carving out his own path to playing exceptional hockey.
6. Their personal responsibility growth, for their own actions, as a classmate, teammate, student and as an individual has been outstanding.
Both boys love Bridgedale. They never complained about getting up at 5:30 am to go to school. Never complained about school. Rather just the opposite. We are still in shock over it all.
- Bill Vander Velde, Bridgedale dad
Just a short note to tell you how proud and happy I am for Cole.
He is truly blessed to have found his way to this amazing place called Bridgedale Academy.
I truly wish all boys had the opportunity to experience a similar environment.
Thank you for your vision and always having such care for Cole.
- Grant Hyland, Bridgedale dad
Andrew's 8th grade experience at Bridgedale Academy was genuinely trans-formative for him.
We sent him to Bridgedale because he was not excited about going back to middle school and was falling through the cracks. All we hoped for was that he'd get through the year without shutting down as he'd been.
In hindsight, attending Bridgedale was the best decision we've made for him.
- Lori Schmidt, Bridgedale mom
Just wanted to send a quick note to say thanks to you and the teachers at Bridgedale. Noah has been there for about a month now and I can't tell you how happy April and I are about the decision we made to send him there. It certainly has been an adjustment for him, especially to the amount of time he spends on homework, but he hasn't complained once.
- Paul Twaddell, Bridgedale dad
The boys are absolutely loving Bridgedale. Thank you for starting and running such a fantastic school.
- Ken Mathieu, Bridgedale dad
I really appreciate how (during the COVID-19 lockdown) Bridgedale has implemented virtual learning in a way that best mimics an actual classroom setting. The teachers are doing the teaching, the boys are interacting online and the school work is progressinng.
For us parents who are now working from home, we do not feel the pressure of having to homeschool our children or worry about idle time. They are fully engaged, as if still in school.
I am so grateful for the way the Bridgedale teachers have pulled this together.
- Tanya Stanish, Bridgedale Mom
We are amazed and appreciative for all that Bridgedale Academy has done amidst the COVID situation.
First, you transitioned seamlessly to online learning. It is no surprise, but every Bridgedale teacher has done an impressive job of continuing Bridgedale's mission growing the minds annd hearts of young men.
Charlie is as engaged and challenged as ever. We assumed the hockey portion of Bridgedale would fall off without ice or in-person education. Instead, the online group workouts have been just what Charlie needed to continue to strengthen his body and release some of the energy from not being able to get on the ice.
Thank you. Once again you have reinforced our belief that Bridgedale is the best place to grow Charlie academivally, as a young man, and as an athlete.
- Dave Donoghue, Bridgedale Dad
The fact that the Bridgedale faculty was able to adapt and pivot to this new COVID-19 reality has been amazing to watch. Almost without missing a single beat, Mike, Christina and their entire team transitioned into an online school.
The boys are in class sessions from 8:00am to 1:30pm every day, just like a normal school schedule, with breaks and lunch intertwined. Once the school day is done, their off-ice sessions begin for a 45-60 minute session.
All this has been happening on Zoom. This unfortunate COVID situation has been tackled in the best way possible. This experience will make the school, the teachers and the boys stronger in the future for any challenges that come their way.
Bridgedale Strong!
- Mark Borst, Bridgedale Dad
As I opened the door to my son's room (during the recent COVID-19 quarantine), I saw him in front of the computer, focusing intently, and then writing something in his notebook. He was listening to and answering his teacher. I was especially impressed that the boys were even able to break out into small groups online for small-group discussions.
Huge thanks to Bridgedale's Academic Dean, Headmaster and teachers for going the extra mile. They transitioned to online distance learning (and) it felt as though the children were still attending regular school: same interactive classes, same quizzes, same homework (maybe more).
Thanks also to the athletic trainers. The Bridgedale boys still have live athletic training every day. It gives me confidence that, when this year's tryouts finally come, my son will be ready.
It takes dedicated teachers, coaches and administrators to do this for the boys. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!
- Olga Khamichonak, Bridgedale Mom
I wanted to express my thanks and appreciation for the spectacular job you and the teachers did, quickly transitioning from in-class to online educating (during this COVID-19 crisis)!
I was initially worried at the thoiught of my son needing me to homeschool him, but all anxieties were calmed after day one of my son on Zoom with this teachers and classmates.
He was still learning, given homework, completing tests and being held accountable. He still had school hours and schedule, which made this version of online leraning turn out better than I could have imagined.
- Kim Price, Bridgedale Mom
The Bridgedale Academy teachers and staff have been nothing short of amazing (during this COVID-19 crisis)! They have continued to keep my son Ian's education and dry-land training a top priority.
These leaders have added a structured "normal" schedule to my son's day-to-day routine in what seems to be the most trying and unprecedented times of his life.
- Jackie Manisco, Bridgedale Mom
Deciding to have Dominick attend Bridgegdale was the best decision we have made for him. Thank you for all you have done for Dom. I can't say enough about the education he received. We are sad to be leaving, but you all have greatly prepared Dom for whatever comes next.
- Val Rivelli, Bridgedale mom
The problem was that our son was struggling. His grades were low, he didn't want to study, he didn't want to do homework. (We knew we) couldn't keep doing the same thing and we were concerned the Catholic school he attended wasn't really preparing him for high school.
After much handwringing we decided to try Bridgedale. With the small class size we felt our son would get the attention he needed to succeed.
One year later, I can honestly say that sending him to Bridgedale was one of the best decisions we ever made for him.
- Tillie Bruss Kopec, Bridgedale mom
I just wanted to Thank You for the past 2 years. Sean absolutely loves Bridgedale and has grown so much. He is confident and happy. I can see the academic progress he has made. Bridgedale was a great fit for Sean and we could not have asked for anything more when we enrolled him.
Thank you again for EVERYTHING you have done for Sean. Including your input and guidance. It is so very much appreciated. We will always cherish Sean's time at Bridgedale.
- Caryn Behrens, Bridgedale mom
Thank you for all you do and have done for Tyler! This is the best choice we ever made and Tyler LOVES it!
- Bob Haskins, Bridgedale dad
We feel honored to be a part of the Bridgedale Academy family. It is a great place for boys to learn and excel at academics and athletics. We are very happy with Nathan's progress and can't say enough about how happy we are that we all decided on Bridgedale Academy.
- Nelson Santos, Bridgedale dad
This school has been life-changing for my son. I am beyond amazed. I can't say enough especially about the education he is receiving at Bridgedale.
- Michelle Witzig Duffin, Bridgedale mom
We came to Bridgedale Academy not running from someting, but running to something.
We ran to an Academy that offers: a student-faculty ratio of less than 5-to-1; after-school study hours with a teacher present; extended classroom time in core subjects; and a competitive, disciplined approach on the ice.
We ran to an Academy that focuses on a traditional academic approach.
As a result our son, Ronnie, has been inspired and empowered to push himself both mentally and physically each day while also enjoying himself. He is learning to think critically, discovering daily how to solve problems both on and off the ice.
Ronnie has never played competitive hockey. He played pond hockey growing up, and was enrolled in a few entry-level hockey classes. But mainly he focused on other sports. He arrived at Bridgedale knowing that he'd be skating with arguably some of the best youth players in the Midwest.
Mike McPartlin, Bridgedale's Headmaster, assured us that there would be a focus on individual skill-based drills. He also assured us that Ronnie would be able to learn and skate at his own pace, and that his peers would embrace him and help him when needed. Ronnie, as a result, is improving every day.
Ronnie's goal is to make a AA team in the fall.
We ran to Bridgedale for their academics/faculty. We've been blown away by the curriculum, and we also feel blessed by their incredible hockey staff.
Thank you, Bridgedale faculty and staff, for everything you do!
- Michael Mayor, Bridgedale dad
I have never seen my son happier than when attending school at Bridgedale. It has taught him to compete to the best of his ability both on and off the ice. I know no other school in my lifetime where as a parent I want to hug all the kids and staff for the care they show to my son. You don’t have to be a future hall of fame player to enjoy this school. It’s just plain FAMILY. If you ever quest to meet the most caring people on earth, just stop in and say hi to Mrs. DiPauli. You will at that moment know all you need to know. From my heart.
- Noelle Gollinger, Bridgedale mom
Bridgedale Academy has been a tremendous experience for our son. Thanks to you all for everything you've done for him. We will absolutely be back at Bridgedale for next school year.
- Tom Manzella, Bridgedale dad
Not only were we pleasantly surprised by the incredible education Jack was receiving but even more excited as we continued to see him grow and develop as a hockey player. It was then it was confirmed to us that we made the right decision to send him to Bridgedale Academy.
- Penny Silich, Bridgedale mom
One of the best decisions we have ever made as parents was to enroll our son at Bridgedale Academy for 8th grade. We had heard of the first-class hockey training that he would receive from some of the most respected coaches and trainers in the state, but what we were not aware of was the classical education that he would be fortunate to experience from teachers who are some of the most dedicated, knowledgeable and caring teachers our son has EVER had.
Our son has flourished in the environment of smaller classroom sizes and individualized attention he receives every single day at school. And his ability to train hard as a goalie has only improved with the on-ice and off-ice training he participates in 4 days a week. The improvement in his athleticism is evidenced by his improved performance with his hockey team. We only wish we had enrolled him sooner!
- Deana Olson, Bridgedale mom
I am writing to share how thrilled my family is with Bridgedale Academy. Hockey for many families is a big commitment. For our family, more than the Ws or the extra ice time is the idea that hard work academically provides the privilege of getting on the ice. We met with Bridgedale Headmaster Mike McPartlin and found a way to get the most out of both!
The athletic staff is amazing, as both their on-ice and off-ice instruction focuses on the parts that most hockey teams cannot. You see results.
The academics are equally amazing. Our son is flourishing in the smaller class size, and the exta attention and challenging work has made him stronger in even his weaker areas of study. He is not just excelling at Bridgedale - he is exceeding!
If you are raising a student-athlete, you should give Bridgedale a serious look!
- Mark Boweak, Bridgedale dad
I cannot thank the Bridgedale staff and coaches enough for setting the standard and groundwork for my son Tanner. He is a wonderful product of Bridgedale Academy. His success at school and hockey, and the fine young man he has become, is a true testament to Bridgedale Academy.
- Kim Hartman, Mom of Bridgedale Grad
We have nothing but the highest regards for the school, its leadership and teachers.
- Bret Matthews, Bridgedale dad
- Brad Burnside, Bridgedale dad
- Karen Kirchner, Bridgedale mom
- Mike DeAngelo, Bridgedale dad
Wanted to thank Bridgedale for shaping Michael into such a great young man! He is doing very well in all his high school classes with A's and B's and they're moving him to Honors English. He is on the golf team and still with the Bruins. We've had several messages from his teacher saying what an amazing, respectful young man he is and how helpful he is to all, and ... I know that Bridgedale had a huge part in this! Just wanted to say thank you!! Miss you all.
- Jaime M., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
Mark loved attending Bridgedale ... the academic and athletic structure at Bridgedale is hands-down the best I've encountered.
- Mark H., former Bridgedale dad
Needless to say we are over the top with Ryan's progress at Bridgedale and are kicking ourselves we didn't do it sooner.
- Jon S., Dad of Bridgedale Grad
My boys couldn't have been happier. Both the hockey and the academics are first rate. They absolutely loved it!
- Jim U., Dad of Bridgedale Grads
My son now loves getting up in the morning to go to school.
- Alexandra F., former Bridgedale Mom
Just wanted to give you kudos! What a great start to the year. We have never seen Henry so happy or motivated in his life. He is so thrilled to be at Bridgedale. Thank you for making the school a reality! We feel so blessed he is getting this experience.
- Nora N., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
Nicholas is absolutely loving school this year, both in class and of course in hockey.
- Jaimie A., former Bridgedale mom
My son told me last night he couldn’t believe how much he’d improved in just one week.
- Jo K., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
I can already see the improvement in my son. He’s been able to work on so many different aspects of his game.
- John V., former Bridgedale dad
I’ve never seen my son so happy, so confident, so responsible, and so willing to get up a 5:30am! He loves his new friends, adores his teachers, and feels like Bridgedale is home. I do not have to ask him to do homework or study for a test, it’s done. And already his hockey has improved by leaps and bounds.
- Regina V., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
Our son has never been so excited to go to school, even when it means getting up at the crack of dawn.
- Jill & Mike G., Parents of Bridgedale Grad
Bridgedale has been a positive influence on Braden. He wants to go to the school as long as he can. The atmosphere promotes dedication to hockey and academics. Headmaster Mike McPartlin teaches the boys respect, he gives and receives respect. Thank you for all you do.
- Ellie L., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
Our overall experience so far has been a very good one. Nicky is enjoying the school on and off the ice and in the classroom ... adjusting well to the demanding schedule.
- Kim G., former Bridgedale mom
Something special happening at Bridgedale! We’re honored to be a part of the Bridgedale family.
- Deb S., Mom of Bridgedale Grad
