Cornerstone Academy

In just a few short weeks, I have seen my daughter change from a child who disliked so much about school and who was not a confident learner, to a girl who is eager for school and motivated to learn. Each day at pick-up, she is chatty and excited to share everything she learned and did that day. She is PROUD. School is 100% a happy place. She comes home and diligently wants to do her homework, without complaint most of the time. I knew that the academic weakness that she showed before was not who she really was, and in just a mere few weeks, my husband and I are astounded at the changes we've seen in her. I promised Karen on enrollment that I'd sit back and trust you all to "do your thing," and doing that was the best investment in my child that I think we've made thus far. Thank you so very much. I only wish we had discovered Cornerstone sooner!

In just a few short weeks, I have seen my daughter change from a child who disliked so much about school and who was not a confident learner, to a girl who is eager for school and motivated to learn. Each day at pick-up, she is chatty and excited to share everything she learned and did that day. She is PROUD. School is 100% a happy place. She comes home and diligently wants to do her homework, without complaint most of the time. I knew that the academic weakness that she showed before was not who she really was, and in just a mere few weeks, my husband and I are astounded at the changes we've seen in her. I promised Karen on enrollment that I'd sit back and trust you all to "do your thing," and doing that was the best investment in her that I think we've made thus far. Thank you so very much. I only wish we had discovered Cornerstone sooner.

My father-in-law suggested Cornerstone when we were looking for in-person schooling this fall. We will be forever grateful that he did! We have had such a positive experience. My son has learned so much academically and socially; his confidence has grown substantially and his eagerness to learn has only increased. Without a doubt, Mrs. McQuade and the other Cornerstone teachers have a special "knack" for engaging and teaching their students. Our plan at the beginning of this year was to do one year so my son could have an in-person learning experience -- we've since signed him up for his second year and our youngest will be joining him in the fall as a Kindergartener!

Our first child started Cornerstone back in 2019. After touring a handful of schools in the area, we let her choose where she wanted to go, and without hesitation, she said "The red school". We are halfway through the third year, and she still comes home each day telling us about her adventures, diligently working on homework, and is excited to return the next morning. She is constantly talking about her friends, the teachers, and even after school and weekends, stays connected with classmates. She absolutely loves the extracurricular activities and has participated in programs offered during, after school, and even during breaks!We started our second child part-time in the pre-K program and she too loves Cornerstone. She talks about her friends, about the activities they participate in and has become more confident and active. The teachers keep the parents informed of the daily happenings, including weekly curriculum details, enhanced learning opportunities, and most importantly, specific topics, books, activities, and all the details you need to engage your child at home. There is nothing better than asking "how did you like doing that cool oxidation experiment with the pennies today?" and seeing their eyes light up as they tell you all about it! Despite the challenges of schooling during a Pandemic, Cornerstone made all necessary changes to keep the children safe, engaged, active, and most importantly (for us) - In-person! The children spent a great deal of time outdoors, washing hands, and wearing masks, but didn't miss a beat. We are very grateful to the teachers and families that all work together to keep the children in a SAFE learning environment where they flourish and still get to be kids!

We could not be happier about our experiences with Cornerstone. The kids act like a family, taking care of themselves, their classmates and teachers by wearing masks, washing hands and taking all recommended COVID precautions. The school has been open to full-time in-person learning all year and no outbreaks have occurred at the school. We have 2 kids at Cornerstone Academy-Pre-K and 4th grade. They have different interests and personalities and they both love their school and my partner and I are delighted by their progress. My older child has become increasingly independent and showing initiative to organize homework and assignments and taking responsibility to get assignments done and turn them in. My younger child has become more confident, has increased frustration tolerance and better ability to persist and figure out more complex problems. The classes are small and teachers get to know the kids and are invested in helping them be the best version of themselves by nourishing their natural curiosity. They spend a lot of time outside all year (we send boots/snowpants during the winter) and much of the learning is nature-based which our children love. Both are learning a lot and are excited to go to school. What more can a parent want?

Our daughter entered Cornerstone in the fall of 2020 as a 6th grader after being home due to Covid 19 shutdowns the previous spring. When she began school our daughter was closer to a 5th grade level. By Thanksgiving she was doing all 6th grade work and caught up. The one on one attention and small group environment was truly a dream for her. Our only wish is that we would have discovered CA in the pre-k years. We are truly grateful for our time at Cornerstone and highly encourage others to consider it. It`s a special place.

We've been so fortunate to have both our children attend Cornerstone Academy. Our children both started in pre-k, our son is in K and our daughter is now in 3rd grade. Both of our children absolutely love going to school each day. My husband and I chose, and continue to choose Cornerstone for so many reasons. It's a small setting where our children don't get lost in the crowd, but thrive because of the personalized approach to their learning and development. There are a number of teaching methods used, to find the best fit for each student, unlike a traditional school that teaches to the middle of the class and so many kids get lost or are not challenged. The teachers are absolutely wonderful, they are passionate about their roles as educators and really become friends with the children and each family. One thing that stands out to me is the confidence and kindness that each child displays. The school teaches compassion and kindness in all that they do. The children hold the doors for each-other, lift eachother up, the children are outgoing, friendly and well-spoken even with the adults/parents, all the kids (from pre-k to grade 6) are friends with one-another, I've never once seen or heard any display of bullying, and so many more great things. Too many to count. We have also been so blessed to be able to send our kids to school full time since the onset of the pandemic. The school has done a fantastic job following all the guidelines, went above and beyond to make updates to the school to ensure our kids were able to continue in-person learning safely. And because of it, our children are thriving socially and academically, when so many other families in a virtual setting are unfortunately really struggling. In my opinion, choosing Cornerstone is one of the best decisions you can make for your child's education and future!

My daughter entered Cornerstone Academy's Pre-K program this year, and my wife and I are thrilled with the quality of the education she's receiving. Each child is allowed to move at their own pace, experiment, make mistakes, and take risks. Instead of asking students to adopt a fixed mental model of how things work, they're encouraged to ask questions and given time to think and explore their own learning patterns. You get the sense there's something special about Cornerstone just by peeking at its classrooms, which look nothing like a typical classroom, or at least those that I`m familiar with. Nature is used as a learning setting, where bridges to abstract concepts are created using common experiences and experiments, students work in collaboration surrounded by materials of their own creation, and music and art play a prominent role in their overall educational experience. I suppose the simplest way to put it is this: Cornerstone looks like "home," and that`s exactly how our daughter thinks of school -- a home away from home where she can learn and have fun with her extended family.

Our fourth grader entered Cornerstone as a kindergarten student. After our daughter's first orientation meeting, we immediately knew that it was the right place for her to grow academically, emotionally and socially. Every year we are grateful for her experience. The Cornerstone teachers are gifted instructors who meet the needs of their students. Our daughter's teachers have consistently been dedicated to helping her perform to the best of her ability. Furthermore, we greatly attribute our daughter's self-confidence and appreciation for learning to her experience at the school. Cornerstone offers a wonderful mix of academic rigor and nurturing support for its students. Our daughter once shared with us that she considers her teachers and classmates as her "extended family."

My daughter is in her second year at Cornerstone Academy. I continue to be amazed at what this school offers. The academics are strong - kids graduate and go on to prestigious private high schools with ease. Because the class sizes are intentionally small, each child receives individual attention and can have the classroom lessons and homework tailored to fit their needs. Each child gets exactly what he/she needs. Social and emotional development come hand in hand with the rigorous academics - the teachers are masterful at helping children develop the social skills needed to succeed. This school has it all!

As a teacher I was very picky, when it came to picking a school for my son. I visited several schools and what I saw was, children monotonously working in workbooks. Due to my observation I wasn't satisfied with any schools and pondered on where I would enroll my son. At last I found a hidden gem, Cornerstone Academy. At Cornerstone there is a balance of hands on materials, games, and workbooks. They also have small class sizes; as a result the teacher can differentiate their lesson to reach every child. Children learn best when they are given the opportunity to explore with the materials, and have a teacher as a guide not a lecturer. This is my son's first year at Cornerstone Academy and he loves every moment of it. One of his favorite things is the outdoor learning space. I was apprehensive about my child's transition to a new school since he is timid. To my surprise his transition was an easy one. I couldn't be happier with this school.