Hyde School (Maine)

Hyde was founded in 1966 by Joe Gauld, who had previously worked for 13 years in public and private schools. he discerned that "society is blind to the reality that teens need to face and overcome difficult challenges if they are to become confident, productive, fulfilled adults." He was inspired to create a curriculum focused on "development of character and a deeper sense of purpose" than just achieving good grades, going to a good college, and having a good job. He first took this vision to Berwick Academy when he was appointed headmaster there. Gauld recounts how conflicts with the trustees about his educational innovations led to his resignation, although one reporter writes that he was dismissed. Loans from friends and family, as well as "donations from the three heirs of the Hyde family", funded its purchase. The site included the Hyde Mansion with its indoor swimming pool, an educational wing built by the interim owners, the Pine Tree Society for Crippled Children and Adults, and 145 acres of land. The school is named after the Hyde family, the original owners. In the 1990s, the school was also considering a "satellite school" on the West Coast, since a quarter of the student body at the time was from California. Hyde has had some impact in the public school sector. Hyde ran a charter school in Washington, D.C. from 1999 to 2011. It currently has a K-12 charter school in the Bronx (Hyde Leadership Charter High School) and a K-8 charter school in Brooklyn (Hyde Leadership Charter School). By 2016, like other boarding schools, both the Bath and Woodstock campuses were facing declining enrollment. It was announced in January 2017 that the 127-acre Woodstock campus would be closed and sold to nearby Woodstock Academy for $14.25 million (USD). The consolidation of the two campuses moved Woodstock students and many faculty to Bath, allowed for an expansion of the curriculum and student financial aid, as well as leading to plans to renovate some of the facilities. Parents of students and some former students have also spoken out in defense of the school. The school's alumni association published a statement in the Portland Press Herald, which hundreds of former students, parents and faculty signed, which said that the way the school had been depicted in recent interviews and on social media did not reflect “the school, the philosophy, or the people.” == Educational model ==

Mission The mission of Hyde is to build character and "reach students that nobody has been able to reach before" due to behavioral problems. Due to this, the school focuses on character education, leadership development, and developing student potential. The current admissions page for the school does ask for transcripts, however. Student body A 1994 government report listed Hyde as one of the schools that "acknowledge that youths' problem behaviors are often related to family problems and disfunction" and asserted that "[m]ost of Hyde's students have a history of family problems." The "[p]rimary reasons for referral are rebelliousness, lack of respect for authority, and poor performance in school." The report clarified that "one study estimated that about 10 percent of the students have been in drug rehabilitation programs." Curriculum As part of the character-building curriculum, all students are required to participate in academics, performing arts, athletics, and community service. Hyde's students evaluate themselves against the school's five principles of Courage, Integrity, Leadership, Curiosity, and Concern. Regular visits from parents are required; they also participate in regional groups away from campus. Hyde also runs a leadership program in July for students ages 13–18. The program takes place on campus in Bath, Maine and on the school's Black Wilderness Preserve in Eustis, Maine. Discipline in the Early Years of the School Articles from the 1980s and 90s reported that strict behavioral rules were enacted and enforced by administrators and the community at Hyde. Reports of past disciplinary procedures have included slapping and public paddling, a student being "dunked" in a duck pond, a student being instructed to engage in a boxing match with a teacher, performing labor on school grounds and surrounding farms, living in isolation, digging a pit as a metaphorical grave, and receiving a masculine haircut. In 2010, the Woodstock campus experimented with banning the use of technology on Tuesdays, in an attempt to increase face-to-face communication. == Tuition ==

Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year is $66,000 for boarding students, and $29,500 for day students. == Publications ==

• Gauld Joseph W. Character First: The Hyde School Difference, The Hyde School Foundation, 1993. • Gauld, Malcolm & Laura Gauld. ''The Biggest Job We'll Ever Have: The Hyde School Program for Character-Based Education and Parenting'', Scribner, 2003. • Gauld, Malcolm. College Success Guaranteed: 5 Rules to Make It Happen, R&L Education, 2011. • Gauld, Joseph W. What Kids Want and Need From Parents: How to Bond with and Mentor Children, Argo-Navis, 2012. • Gauld, Joseph W. Hyde: Preparation for Life, The Hyde Foundation, 2012. == References ==