Hyde in New York

[caroline preston]

Does anyone have thoughts about the Hyde School in New York? Were there objections to its opening, given concerns raised here and elsewhere? Anyone know how it's doing thus far?

[caroline preston]

I am considering writing an article about Hyde in New York that would look at both the positive impact of the school on students here as well as concerns of parents and students. Please email me at [email protected] if you have thoughts about the New York school OR you have had experiences at other Hyde schools that you would like to share. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I am considering writing an article about Hyde in New York that would look at both the positive impact of the school on students here as well as concerns of parents and students. Please email me at http://www.isaccorp.org/documentsam.asp#hyde

Recently I came across a very good article about Hyde from a Stanford Univ. (Hoover Institution) publication.  I think the author really "gets" Hyde: http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/3251926.html .  

Another web site that has information about problems at Hyde is: http://cafety.org/index.php?option=com_ ... 5&Itemid=2

Here's a fascinating "expose" by a Hyde parent who had a traumatic experience there: http://www.isaccorp.org/hyde/eskowstatement.pdf

Here's a link to a lawsuit filed against Hyde for alleged sexual harassment of a student  by a faculty member: http://www.isaccorp.org/hyde/eskowstatement.pdf

You can also find testimonials from people who like Hyde.  Hyde is quite skilled at packaging and promoting itself.

[Anonymous]

I am considering writing an article about Hyde in New York that would look at both the positive impact of the school on students here as well as concerns of parents and students. Please email me at http://www.isaccorp.org/documentsam.asp#hyde

Recently I came across a very good article about Hyde from a Stanford Univ. (Hoover Institution) publication.  I think the author really "gets" Hyde: http://www.hoover.org/publications/ednext/3251926.html .  

Another web site that has information about problems at Hyde is: http://cafety.org/index.php?option=com_ ... 5&Itemid=2

Here's a fascinating "expose" by a Hyde parent who had a traumatic experience there: http://www.isaccorp.org/hyde/eskowstatement.pdf

Here's a link to a lawsuit filed against Hyde for alleged sexual harassment of a student  by a faculty member: http://www.isaccorp.org/hyde/eskowstatement.pdf

You can also find testimonials from people who like Hyde.  Hyde is quite skilled at packaging and promoting itself.

Here's the web site that has the lawsuit filed against Hyde for alleged sexual harrassment: http://www.isaccorp.org/documentsam.asp#hyde

[caroline preston]

Thanks for your help. I've read on this site that the charter schools are a different breed altogether. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help. I've read on this site that the charter schools are a different breed altogether. Any thoughts?

It's very hard to know whether the charter schools are cut from a different cloth.  I've not visited them.  Based on my experience with the boarding schools, I'm deeply skeptical of major aspects of the Hyde model.  I have the impression it works much better with kids who are basically defiant and works much less well with kids who are coping with major mental health and substance abuse problems.  At the boarding schools many of the kids have serious mental health and substance abuse problems, but I don't think Hyde is set up to deal effectively with these problems.  Also, I've been amazed at how inexperienced an untrained so many Hyde staff are.  There are some Hyde staff who have been there a long time and seem to be "married" to the school; many others are young, struggling with issues in their own lives, and I think ill equipped to deal with the very challenging student population. That explains why so many people are not happy with Hyde.  

I'd like to know what kinds of kids the charter schools are getting, the extent to which the staff are well trained, how staff respond to the kids' behavioral challenges, whether Joe Gauld is involved (in my view that's a major problem at the boarding schools), etc.

[Anonymous]

I am considering writing an article about Hyde in New York that would look at both the positive impact of the school on students here as well as concerns of parents and students. Please email me at [email protected] if you have thoughts about the New York school OR you have had experiences at other Hyde schools that you would like to share. Thank you.

What kind of article are you considering writing about Hyde?  Our family had a dreadful experience at Hyde.  We were very unimpressed with the quality of many of the staff there, and the educational experience was really lacking.  When we enrolled our child there we had no idea that so many Hyde students have such serious problems.  And the family seminars were sometimes bizarre. Quite a few times we saw people break down and "lose" it.  I had no idea this is the sort of thing that goes on at Hyde.  I guess some people like it, but I met many people who were horrified by what they experienced.

[Anonymous]

The Hyde School NY might be a "different breed" as you say, but it is still run by the Gauld family which makes it scary in my opinion.  I am sure you have read what some of the people on this board think of the Gauld's.  I personally was very concerned when I heard they were opening another charter school.

[Anonymous]

I am considering writing an article about Hyde in New York that would look at both the positive impact of the school on students here as well as concerns of parents and students. Please email me at [email protected] if you have thoughts about the New York school OR you have had experiences at other Hyde schools that you would like to share. Thank you.

What kind of article are you considering writing about Hyde?  Our family had a dreadful experience at Hyde.  We were very unimpressed with the quality of many of the staff there, and the educational experience was really lacking.  When we enrolled our child there we had no idea that so many Hyde students have such serious problems.  And the family seminars were sometimes bizarre. Quite a few times we saw people break down and "lose" it.  I had no idea this is the sort of thing that goes on at Hyde.  I guess some people like it, but I met many people who were horrified by what they experienced.

Caroline, you ask about concerns at the school.  I don't know how it is with the Charter Schools and whether there is more regulation, but the boarding schools do not have any regulatory government policies in place.  The parents have no recourse other than through the courts which as you know can be very costly. Basically these "therapuetic schools" or "Character Education Schools"  run how they want other than certain policies that are put in place in certain states.  Many states do not have policies.  

As far as the Charter Schools, they are getting money from the govt, but the big question is whether the government or states have a watchdog committee to oversee these schools. Whoever operates the school is obviously making a nice living off of it.  This is where you have to be careful.  When it is a money making operation, (obviously it is or they would not do it) you must make sure they are not cutting corners at the expense of the kids.  There has been a lot of controversy about Charter Schools and whether they truly are any better than well run county schools.  The reports I have read seem to be negative about the abilities of the Charter Schools.

Good luck to you.