Observations from parents, administrators, and students reveal that Hudson College values diversity and inclusivity, mirroring the multicultural fabric of Toronto and fostering a welcoming atmosphere for all, including a diverse and international student body.
As far as common character traits of students, friendliness and inclusiveness were a big part of Hudson College. A large percentage of the student body is international, students come to Hudson College from all over the world, and they get welcomed into the student body quite quickly. That was nice to see because, at a lot of larger schools, I know it’s easier to fall through the cracks and not get to know people very well. But Hudson’s student body is super welcoming and inclusive of everybody. I guess that also has to do with the school’s layout. We had a common room and a cafeteria where you could go sit and talk with people, and you’d be invited to chat. It was nice to have a very inclusive student body.
At her old school, my daughter didn’t feel like she had a voice. She always felt like she wasn’t being taught so much as taught at. There wasn’t this inclusive sense of learning. At Hudson College, our daughter really came out of her shell. As a female student, she didn’t feel like she had a voice.
Parents [tell us they] really appreciate the inclusivity and the diversity at Hudson College. We’re an excellent reflection of the city of Toronto, one of the most multicultural cities in the entire world, and we value that diversity and inclusiveness. It’s reflected in the student body, not only just in elementary school but also in high school too. And that’s a really rewarding part of what Hudson is all about.
The first part of our motto is ‘be yourself’. What it means is: we like who you are, there’s a reason why you’re here, you don’t have to pretend to be somebody else. Wake up with a positive attitude, come to a place where you’re valued for who you are as an individual, and be surrounded by friends and peers and teachers who value who you are.
Because Hudson is such an international school, my daughter has had friends from other countries, and friends from all the different grades. I think that was really great for her.
All the extra opportunities with extracurriculars at Hudson College were great. Joining clubs and just being part of a school community was definitely something that was very beneficial to me, and I carried that over into university as well. At a bigger school, it’s harder to find those opportunities, because I feel like it’s harder to get involved in the school community. But at a school like Hudson where you know everyone—and all the staff and teachers are just super friendly, and they want to get to know you too—it’s super easy to get involved. That’s something that has impacted me greatly, and I definitely think the staff were a big part of it.
Welcoming, friendly, and inspiring is how I would describe the personality traits of Hudson College. I found the school community was welcoming as soon as I was there. I actually joined Hudson College in the middle of a semester but I found right away I was very welcomed into the school community and I got to know everybody very quickly. Friendly—all the staff members, the teachers, and all the students at Hudson College were very friendly and inviting, and they made you feel comfortable. That’s definitely important, because if you enjoy going to school, you’re going to succeed a lot more than you would if you didn’t enjoy going to school. The community really fosters that enjoyment.
I really feel like Hudson is a wonderful community. Community is the foundation. There's a great parent involvement community, there's a great student body. The house system, I think, helps the students look at the smaller communities within the school and how they can contribute to those. It really has something for everybody.
What is really unique about Hudson as a private school is the complete lack of any sense of elitism or overt displays of wealth or privilege. It is an inclusive school that is reflective of the make up our our community where many of the parents have made a decision to send their child to a private school for the education and the Hudson experience. We find that Hudson students have a demonstrated level of respect for each other, their peers, staff and the world around them.
Our children love going to Hudson. Their friends who live across the city and come from around the country and across the globe give our children a world view that is preparing them to be engaged and invested in their future. Spend some time in the class rooms, play ground and hallways. Listen to the kind of conversations, the debates and the laughter. Watch how the kids, teachers and staff interact with each other. Let what you see, hear and feel influence whether or not this is the kind of place you trust with helping shape and form your child.
What I liked best about Hudson was how inclusive the school is. You are able to be yourself but are still able to grow, in the ways on how you can express yourself with different clubs, all of the sports teams, and on dress down days and certain school events. Also you meet all kinds of people with the diversity they offer at Hudson. I found that I was able to discover different sides of myself that I never really considered and opened up a little to new experiences as well. I really found most of the school events in elementary and in high school to be super fun, like June fest, the concerts and plays and all of the House Events, because you were able to be with your friends, do fun activities, sometimes show your spirit and be competitive at the same time, but still show good sportsmanship and end up with a smile on your face.
The student body of Hudson has grown a lot since I first started going here in Kindergarten. It has expanded so much that they had to open another floor for elementary here and then open another floor for the high schoolers on the Stella Maris side. There is definitely a diversity of students for the most part and there are a lot of international students that come to the school as well. For the most part, everyone is very spirited, passionate and respectful. I felt that it was pretty inclusive, whether you had a lot of friends here or if you had a few friends here, but you could always find somebody and you could even make friends outside of your grade as well, because some classes were split classes and because of the clubs. Also, I felt that was a balance for the socio-economic background of students as well, along with ethnicity. I felt that sometimes when you're with the same people for a long time, there will be some people that you might not get along with, there will be people that you're casually acquainted with, and there will be people that you'll be great friends with, so that student body and class is well balanced.
When you first walk into the school, you get the impression that the students are very polite, opening doors, smiling away. It's a small school, so the kids get to know each other across the grades as well as in class. My daughter has helped with the kindergarten kids during recess, playing with them. The older kids are available for conflict resolution if that ever occurs in recess. My daughter has played sports with different grades - and watched older grades play sports against other schools, cheering Hudson on. The annual plays and concerts always bring people together. There is a lovely buzz around the school. It's not too loud or too quiet - just right. Happy and industrious!
I think Hudson is definitely a town rather than a city, but there are still people I don't know. The school has a vibrant community, and I have a couple great international friends that I met here. There aren't many students, so it is easy to feel included, especially in your grade. Any student who wants to succeed will find that they are supported at Hudson, but students with poor time management will probably struggle. I found I've become more efficient with planning and using my calendar because of the fast-paced semester. It is easy to fall behind if you aren't careful, so organization is a priority.
—Eva Greyeyes, student (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
I feel at home, because everything seems familiar to me. Hudson definitely reminds me of my elementary and middle school which was a small private school. Every morning walking to my locker I feel comfortable. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I do believe everyone can find something about Hudson that they can appreciate, and feel appreciated in the school community. One of the best school community experiences I had at Hudson was our holiday potluck, with everyone enjoying a wide range of foods and spending time with our friends.
—Eva Greyeyes, student (beginning 2017) (see
full review)
