Character Development Program

100% of our community members regularly participate in Hyde’s character program

Character development is not an “add-on” at Hyde, it is the foundation upon which our college-ready curriculum is built. While many schools support character growth, what distinguishes Hyde is our holistic approach to character development and our distinct character-building practices.

Also, while our primary goal is the development of each child, our experience has taught us that all constituents, including students, families, and teachers, must strive for personal growth in order for Hyde’s students to achieve it. For this reason, 100% of our community members regularly participate in Hyde’s character program, from family members to school directors to faculty.

Our collective effort, authentic partnerships with families, and consistent self-reflection attend to the greater humanity of the children we serve, something we believe other urban schools too often miss.

School Meetings

School Meetings convene the entire school to learn about an element of the Hyde philosophy, to strengthen the school’s character-culture, to celebrate success with one another, and to respond to current events. This meeting is an opportunity for students and faculty to reflect on the progress and direction of the larger school community, and is led by a consistent school leader.

Discovery Groups

Discovery Groups create a physically and emotionally safe place for students to grow in their understanding of themselves. Under the guidance of a consistent faculty mentor, these small groups develop a sense of trust, support, and challenge among our students. Discovery Groups promote students’ self-reflective skills, meta-cognitive thinking, and personal growth based on a cycle of action and reflection.

Seminars

Seminars are a powerful tool for personal growth. Typically utilized in Discovery Groups, we use the Seminar structure to examine our personal habits, attitudes, and emotions, in an effort to become the best version of ourselves. In Seminars we have the opportunity to share our thoughts and feelings with one another, and we support each other through constructive feedback based on personal experience.

Signature Practices

In addition to our consistent character-building practices, Hyde students participate in a variety of distinct learning opportunities prior to graduation. These include:

Stepping Up Ceremonies
Off-Site Retreats
Group Performances
Individual Performances
Senior Evaluation Process

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Dominick

Class of 2019

“Dominick Marcelo is only a senior in high school, but he can already call himself a teacher’s assistant. When Dominick found out that English Department Chair, Mark Fusco, was offering a film studies class this year, he took the initiative and spoke to Mr. Fusco about assisting with the class. Soon, Dominick became a co-planner of the course and is now delivering his own lectures on techniques and symbolism in film. Dominick’s passion for film began in 8th grade when his older brother Charley, a Hyde alum, showed him a Martin Scorsese film. After that, Dominick watched every classic film he could. Now, he is helping his peers discover their own unique potential through film and teaching. In the course, students are assigned homework based on the films they watch, and Dominick has been consistently impressed by the movies they make and the essays they write. As a teacher, Dominick is friendly, patient, understanding, and helps translate material for his English as a New Language students…”