Previous: Cornerstones for School Excellence

Table of Contents: November 2001

Home  Library Join 

Most parents will sometime in the life of their child tell them “you can do anything!” At The Hyde School in Bath, Maine, the leaders really mean it. The Hyde School, estab- lished in 1966 as an alter- native model for children needing to get their act together, has a unique perspective: Attitude matters more than aptitude, effort more than ability, and char- acter more than talent. What kind of school does this mission produce? One in which cliques and bullying are minimal. Behavior and discipline problems are quickly resolved.  Hyde has fostered a culture that focuses on pushing each student to be his or her best and the results are encouraging. As a teenager, Malcolm Gauld, was labeled as “a bright kid who didn’t apply himself.” Hanging out with the wrong crowd, he was more interested in sports and socializing than academics. His father, Joseph Gauld, founded the Hyde School in hopes of reaching out to students who could be motivated in an environment where effort really did count. Today, Malcolm Gauld, 47, is president and chief executive officer of The Hyde Schools. And students at his school do get a grade for attitude and effort, as well as achievement. Developing character is central to the school’s mission. “It’s inspired, not imparted. You don’t pour it in,” Gauld says. “Character is a muscle- you use it or you lose it.” The school emphasizes intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional and social devel- opment. Here, values of courage, integrity, leadership, curiosity and concern are core. But rather than putting up a set of virtues on the wall and telling students to pay heed, at Hyde the kids are put in situations where they must rely on those virtues. For example, courage and teamwork are learned through activities, such as a ropes course. Also, all students are required to participate in sports and the performing arts. Kids are challenged by activities they may not have chosen. This creates a culture of support. “A clique is being surrounded by people with the same abilities and interests,” Gauld says. “Kids here realize they don’t need to be in a clique. Everybody at some point is exposed to an area where they are confident. They don’t need to put up airs.” For instance, every student has to sing and audition for theatre. No one wants to be laughed off stage – and they aren’t – because each student knows he will have his turn. “When the whole school is in the theatre and you think ‘I’m going to be next’ there is an incredible feeling of support,” says Gauld. “If a kid strains and misses, he gets more applause than those who stay in their comfort zone.” As for discipline, Hyde isn’t without problems. Many kids are here because of behavior problems in the past. But when something happens, the focus isn’t on the infraction, but rather the student’s attitude. “We look at the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law,” Gauld says. “Truth over harmony. Principles over rules.” The school is strict on kids who continually violate the school’s ethics (not rules). The response is subjec- tive, based on the student’s attitude. Students may be assigned to work on the grounds to rake leaves or shovel snow until they show some improvement. Students are expected to “earn” their breaks and those with discipline problems may spend a Thanksgiving break with staff at a wilderness outpost. “What most schools do is allow the kid to be a burden to others,” Gauld says. “What we are saying is that if you have a bad attitude, you should only be a burden to yourself and not pollute the rest.” Finally, the Hyde School believes that parents are vital to the success of students. Parents are required to attend parents weekend and work weekends. At these events, parents, too, are challenged to stretch them- selves, for example, by performing skits just as their kids must do. They also stay involved with monthly regional meetings and are expected to attend family workshops. Gauld says the idea of empha- sizing character may be in “vogue” today, but at Hyde it has always been core. And because of that, the school has created a culture where problems like bullying really don’t exist. Gauld says the unique American spirit calls for an educa- tional system designed to fit with that spirit, Gauld says. “We see character as a means. We have a destiny or purpose in life and we need character to connect with our destiny,” he says. (The first Hyde School was established in 1966 as an alterna- tive model for students. The flagship school in Bath has 230 students in grades 9-12, most of who live on campus. Another boarding school in Woodstock, Connecticut has 260 students. Hyde also runs a magnet high school in New Haven, Connecticut and a charter school in Washington, D.C.) Focus on character development minimizes school problems