Hickory Hill Academy

We have been a Hickory Hill Academy family since 2021. We started when my oldest was a toddler, then started my youngest, and staying for K-8 was a no-brainer. I have been consistently impressed with the leadership both in the classroom and administratively, and I believe the reason they have such good teachers is because HHA values them, which trickles down to the student and parent experience. It's a family business, and you feel that in everything they do, but they mix that with a research-based curriculum, and I have always felt that my children were getting an exceptional balance of education and social/emotional learning, which is pretty unique these days. Can't say enough good things about Hickory Hill Academy!

Our journey with Hickory Hill Academy began in 2022 when our then 3-year-old started preschool. As my husband and I were researching schools, we specifically wanted a school that emphasized social-emotional learning in addition to being academically challenging. Currently our children are thriving in kindergarten and 3K at Hickory Hill Academy. We have found the teachers and staff to be kind, caring and encouraging. The Early Childhood Program is a great place to establish a love of learning. Our son struggled with separation anxiety in his first year at preschool, and the team at Hickory Hill was accommodating and even provided us with daily updates on how he was settling in after we left. The Lower and Middle School's motto is "cultivating compassionate leaders," and that is exactly what we have experienced there. At a conference, our kindergartener's teacher mentioned that she has been encouraging our son to be more confident in himself. Hearing that your child's teacher cares about how they see themselves in addition to how they are doing academically brings such comfort. Hickory Hill has thoughtfully incorporated compassion and confidence building into the students' daily schedule. This is evident when you see kids holding doors for each other, older students reading with younger ones, and the comradery at Community Circle every Monday. We would highly recommend Hickory Hill Academy.

Our family has been part of Hickory Hill Academy (HHA) since its founding in 2020, and we've watched the school grow and evolve. Starting a new school during COVID was no small feat, and while there have been occasional missteps-what school doesn't have them? HHA's commitment to improvement stands out. Challenges are met with reflection and growth, ensuring lasting progress.The administration, faculty, and staff are deeply dedicated to HHA's mission. This isn't just a school for academics; it's a place that fosters character and community. My kids love attending, and the sense of belonging is incredible. From hugs shared during Community Circle to my daughter having besties in every grade in the school, it's clear HHA is building a kind, inclusive community. If you're looking for a school where your child can thrive academically and personally, HHA is an amazing choice.

We love Hickory Hill. The staff and campus are amazing. My kids look forward to school and come home happy every day.

Strongly recommend this school. We brought our daughter over to Hickory Hill Academy for summer on the farm 2024 with the idea in mind that we wanted somewhere that was going to be supportive of my daughter's growth no matter where she was on campus. The community that welcomed us from day 1 felt like family. The connection between early childhood and the lower school and middle school sides of campus is there to support and help my daughter thrive and learn. There's not a day that goes by that she doesn't ask to go to school; her favorite part of school is being able to see "Dolly" and also spending time over at the Big School as well as the Stem and Nature Bus. Her education and outcome have flourished since making the switch, and she comes home each and every day happy, talking about her friends and teachers, and consistently asking when she can go back. I truly recommend this school with their community events, family culture on campus, and all the loving staff and administration that has been there every step of the way to help support and give a smooth transition to my daughter.

My children attended HHA at the start of the 2020 school year and enrolled before the new building was complete. During that time we loved the way our children got to learn compared to the previous school they were at. The curriculum was really engaging for them and the teachers were very passionate as well. This helped make learning so much fun for our kids. Now fast forward to 2023 and we are still enrolled but in their new building. This was icing on the cake as the teachers, administration, and curriculum were already really impressive and positive. The new building for K-8th grade has been more than our family could imagine for a school experience and it's so easy to see how this wonderful program is going to thrive even more now that they have additional space and resources to use. With that said, I will say that it's not just a pretty building or a big campus. You really get it all here with people who care and love their jobs. Teachers build beautiful relationships with students and enjoy watching them find their love for learning.

Great school with a great community! Facilities are amazing, teachers and all staff are kind, open, and supportive of the kids and each other.

I can't say enough about Hickory Hill Academy. Both of our kids have been in the public school system, and we honestly never thought about sending our kids to private school. However, both of our kids went to preschool and 4K at Hickory Hill (formerly Kids Express Learning Center) and had an amazing experience, so when we found out about their Elementary program we were so excited! It was definitely a big decision to change schools, but we have been so incredibly happy with not only the quality of the curriculum, but their entire mission and vision. I am continuously impressed by the communication and the feeling of community in the school, even throughout the pandemic. The teachers are wonderful, and I absolutely love that they focus on being compassionate leaders. We couldn't be happier seeing our children thrive in such a wonderful school!

Both of my children are attending Hickory Hill Academy, and I could not be more pleased with the experience. I have a 1st and 3rd grader both receiving personalized care in a small classroom setting with two teachers. At Hickory Hill, my children are both thriving academically, and offered opportunities through the curriculum that have far exceeded my expectations. From being on a campus that allows them to learn and grow outdoors (there is an old bus in the wooded area their team and amazing science teacher retrofitted into a classroom) to learning Spanish & Mandarin in the program, to expanding their love of reading through the classroom focus. We have seen confidence gained in both of our children through attending HHA and are extremely pleased to be a part of this community.

Kids Express has exceeded our expectations. The teachers are awesome and personalize their care toward the children. They are always giving us updates on our 17 month old regarding words she says, connections she makes, food she likes/dislikes, and shares pictures/video frequently. The campus is beautiful. It's relatively expensive and doesn't have a meal program like other places, but you get great facilities, fantastic teachers, and great care for your child. Worth every penny.

This is the best place to bring your child in Madison! My son has been attending Kids Express for several months now and I am more than pleased with my experience. The classroom is clean and inviting. I have had great communication with his teachers and they have been extremely helpful with any questions I''ve had. When I''ve had the chance to sit in my son's classroom and observe what his day is like, it just warmed my heart! I could see that he was enjoying his day, learning and engaging with both his peers and his teachers! I would recommend this school to anyone!

KELC is an amazing place for daycare in Madison. When we moved to Madison with our one-year-old, we scheduled appointments to visit as many daycare facilities as we could but stopped our search after visiting KELC. The teachers in all of the classrooms so far have been superb you can tell in your child's reaction to saying a teacher's name just how much they like the teachers as people as well as educators. Additionally, the grounds themselves are awesome the emphasis placed on nature, animals, and gardening is something that we value and KELC thoroughly provides. Some days it is hard to leave because our daughter wants to keep feeding leaves to the goats. Amusingly, a relative keeps commenting on how our children won't have anything remaining to learn once they get to kindergarten the teachers and curricula are certainly effective. All in all we love KELC for our children and couldn't imagine sending them anywhere else.

We are so lucky to be able to send our son to Kids Express! He's 2 1/2 and has been attending Kids Express since he was 3 months old. All of his teachers have been amazing and he is so excited to go to school every day! He's made great friends and loves Mr. Rich's nature class. We love the weekly emails and constant teacher communication, always sharing photos and letting us know how our little guy is doing. We couldn't ask for a better place to send our son.

My 2 kids have attended KELC for 5 years. They both attended the preschool program as well as Summer on the Farm for school aged kids. There is no better place on the planet to place your kids throughout their developmental years. From the teachers to the front office to the facilities and to the curriculum, it is a world class operation.

KELC is a fabulous learning environment for pre-k children. It provides multiple subject learning with extra activities to enrich their day. The teachers are always open to discussion and offer a thorough review of each child. A wonderful place for kids to grow.