Billy Procida re Hydes Finances

[Anonymous]

Billy, it was the following post that people were asking you about.  On another thread there were lots of questions posed to you about Hyde's finances and the honesty being shown by the Gauld family who are obviously enriching their pocketbooks to the tune of over 30M dollars!!  I will try to find you find you the other thread with the questions, but in the meantime you might want to look at the following thread

http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... sc&start=0

[Anonymous]

Billy, it was the following post that people were asking you about.  On another thread there were lots of questions posed to you about Hyde's finances and the honesty being shown by the Gauld family who are obviously enriching their pocketbooks to the tune of over 30M dollars!!  I will try to find you find you the other thread with the questions, but in the meantime you might want to look at the following thread

http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... sc&start=0

Guest wrote:
Hyde has been in the business of delivering a product "Character Education" for forty years. In all those years their has never never never been any attempt to quantify the result. Establish a metric, a set of metrics and track graduates through their adulthood. There is nothing to substantiate any of their claims except anecdotal evidence in the form of graduate/parent testimonials. These are no more believable then the testimony of shills at a medicine show.

Why has this not been done?
1) they are too stupid or lazy
2) they really _are_ that venal and it is all about the money

Pick one


I think you're right. Hyde's data and evidence are very thin indeed. They offer lots of anecdotal claims about their successes but few hard numbers. Here are the questions Hyde should be confronted with and expected to answer:

1. What percentage of students who apply to Hyde are accepted?
2. How many students enroll in each grade, 9 through 12?
3. What percentage of students who enroll in 9th grade actually graduate from Hyde? 10th grade? 11th grade? 12th grade? That is, what percentage of students leave Hyde without graduating?
4. What percentage of Hyde graduates (a) enroll in college, and (b) graduate from college? How do these percentages compare with national figures?
5. When Hyde publicizes parent satisfaction data, who do they include in the sample? Do they include parents who enrolled at Hyde but left, or only those who lasted through graduation (who, obviously, are the people most likely to be satisfied with Hyde)? Does Hyde stack the deck by including only those who stay at Hyde until the end, or do they include everyone who enrolled? How honest is Hyde about the data they report?


Billy: I notice that you haven't responded to this request for information. Have you shared these questions with Hyde staff? Have you received a response?


Billy: It's been quite some time since someone asked you to respond to these questions. I'm curious to know why you haven't responded.

[Anonymous]

please show me a school that posts negative parent feedback. i'm talking about the other boarding schools or private schools. please be realistic here. as someone in admissions, i honestly don't know some of those answers. from 4 years here, i can DESCRIBE the answeres unofficially with no actual numbers in front of me. also, i really do mean that this year's admissions acceptances are a lot different from the past years. a kid today i toured ended up getting kicked out of his interview. he refused to answer questions and had a bad attitude overall. normally, we might try to get him to come back when "he's ready" meaing...we need you. we were, to my understanding, more desperate for numbers and money. this campus. the young one. but this year's a lot different. and we seem to have more freshmen, for example, coming back next year. usually, a small few would be planning on returning. we have, i believe, 10-12? keep in mind, freshmen class is also fairly small in teh first place. so idk about actual numbers. you can get that just like i can. so why don't you call admissions and ask. and if you want to be dishonest about it, pose as an educational consultant. or you could just ask. idk what the answer will be. probably not too good. the admissions HISTORY isn't too good, the admissions FUTURE AND PRESENT is a lot brighter.
i've got practice now. and a track team to prepare for tomorrow's first meet of the season.
- bill procida '07

[Anonymous]

please show me a school that posts negative parent feedback. i'm talking about the other boarding schools or private schools. please be realistic here. as someone in admissions, i honestly don't know some of those answers. from 4 years here, i can DESCRIBE the answeres unofficially with no actual numbers in front of me. also, i really do mean that this year's admissions acceptances are a lot different from the past years. a kid today i toured ended up getting kicked out of his interview. he refused to answer questions and had a bad attitude overall. normally, we might try to get him to come back when "he's ready" meaing...we need you. we were, to my understanding, more desperate for numbers and money. this campus. the young one. but this year's a lot different. and we seem to have more freshmen, for example, coming back next year. usually, a small few would be planning on returning. we have, i believe, 10-12? keep in mind, freshmen class is also fairly small in teh first place. so idk about actual numbers. you can get that just like i can. so why don't you call admissions and ask. and if you want to be dishonest about it, pose as an educational consultant. or you could just ask. idk what the answer will be. probably not too good. the admissions HISTORY isn't too good, the admissions FUTURE AND PRESENT is a lot brighter.
i've got practice now. and a track team to prepare for tomorrow's first meet of the season.
- bill procida '07

Am disappointed in your answer Billy.  You are right that schools are not going to post negative feedback, but do they post lies?  You and I both know that the stats Hyde posts are not true.  Why are they saying that 99% of the graduating class is accepted into a four year college. Don't say anything rather than trying to mislead! If they wanted to tell the truth they would say, "approximately 50% of the graduating class goes onto a four year college." At least this was the correct stats for my graduating class and even then about 25% dropped out within a year.  I don't think Hyde or any school should mislead parents.  Keeping part of the truth from someone is as good as lying in my book! Agreed?

 Speaking of which I am very surprised you would recommend lying to the school in order to get information.

[Ursus]

I agree, big difference between sins of omissions vs. sins of commission (i.e., flat out lies).  Plus there is that less than aromatic way Hyde goes about cooking the books.  See this thread re. making sure the percentage of graduates appears favorable, and the consequences (to students and parents) thereof:
http://wwf.fornits.com/viewtopic.php?t=21094
Somehow any action or behavior that Hyde doesn't like gets labeled "dishonest" or "cowardly."  Pretty bizarre.  Those labels have emotional baggage and connotations that are completely not in keeping with their context.

[Anonymous]

the lying bit was kind of sarcastic. the 99% acceptance rate was true, actually. i know this year, we have 2 kids going on to do P.G. years, and almost everyone has gotten in, but there are still some waiting to hear back. i know one may not get into schools due to a credit thing and will enter next spring...but i think it's now like 97-98%. that's actually true. at least in my past 4 years. they post all the seniors and what schools they got into and continuously update it as we hear back. if you're a former student, what were the statistics for your class? what i've said applies to the woodstock campus only. i don't know stats for bath. and as for the hyde d.c. school, seniors can't graduate there until they are accepted into a college. that might change, but they have a 100% acceptance rate, obviously due to that criteria for graduation. the other questions asked, you can call up and ask admissions yourself from 9-4 monday through friday. i don't need to do research you can do yourself. it's P.A. time.
next question....
- Bill Procida '07

[Anonymous]

please show me a school that posts negative parent feedback. i'm talking about the other boarding schools or private schools. please be realistic here. as someone in admissions, i honestly don't know some of those answers. from 4 years here, i can DESCRIBE the answeres unofficially with no actual numbers in front of me. also, i really do mean that this year's admissions acceptances are a lot different from the past years. a kid today i toured ended up getting kicked out of his interview. he refused to answer questions and had a bad attitude overall. normally, we might try to get him to come back when "he's ready" meaing...we need you. we were, to my understanding, more desperate for numbers and money. this campus. the young one. but this year's a lot different. and we seem to have more freshmen, for example, coming back next year. usually, a small few would be planning on returning. we have, i believe, 10-12? keep in mind, freshmen class is also fairly small in teh first place. so idk about actual numbers. you can get that just like i can. so why don't you call admissions and ask. and if you want to be dishonest about it, pose as an educational consultant. or you could just ask. idk what the answer will be. probably not too good. the admissions HISTORY isn't too good, the admissions FUTURE AND PRESENT is a lot brighter.
i've got practice now. and a track team to prepare for tomorrow's first meet of the season.
- bill procida '07

Am disappointed in your answer Billy.  You are right that schools are not going to post negative feedback, but do they post lies?  You and I both know that the stats Hyde posts are not true.  Why are they saying that 99% of the graduating class is accepted into a four year college. Don't say anything rather than trying to mislead! If they wanted to tell the truth they would say, "approximately 50% of the graduating class goes onto a four year college." At least this was the correct stats for my graduating class and even then about 25% dropped out within a year.  I don't think Hyde or any school should mislead parents.  Keeping part of the truth from someone is as good as lying in my book! Agreed?

 Speaking of which I am very surprised you would recommend lying to the school in order to get information.

Don't be bustin on my man billy.  He said. "if you want to be dishonest"   He did not tell you to lie.  Besides these days it is called "pretexting"  All the big companies do it.

[Ursus]

Don't be bustin on my man billy. He said. "if you want to be dishonest" He did not tell you to lie. Besides these days it is called "pretexting" All the big companies do it.

'Cuz he's probably NOT "{your} man, Billy;" at the very least, not any more!
 ::troll::  ::troll::  ::troll::

[lucy]

the lying bit was kind of sarcastic. the 99% acceptance rate was true, actually. i know this year, we have 2 kids going on to do P.G. years, and almost everyone has gotten in, but there are still some waiting to hear back. i know one may not get into schools due to a credit thing and will enter next spring...but i think it's now like 97-98%. that's actually true. at least in my past 4 years. they post all the seniors and what schools they got into and continuously update it as we hear back. if you're a former student, what were the statistics for your class? what i've said applies to the woodstock campus only. i don't know stats for bath. and as for the hyde d.c. school, seniors can't graduate there until they are accepted into a college. that might change, but they have a 100% acceptance rate, obviously due to that criteria for graduation. the other questions asked, you can call up and ask admissions yourself from 9-4 monday through friday. i don't need to do research you can do yourself. it's P.A. time.
next question....
- Bill Procida '07

Hi Billy.  Thanks for your very insightful and honest posts.  I have been very disturbed reading about those 990's which are the IRS forms for non profits like Hyde.  Did you ask your friends at Hyde about this?.  How come Joey gets up in front of the parents at family weekends and literally begs for money when he doesn't need it?  He gets a little carried away with what bad shape the school is in and how they need this money to improve the facilities. I don't understand how he can ask in good concience for money from kids who can barely buy clothes.

Please let me know what you think about this whole thing with the forced donations

[Anonymous]

Don't be bustin on my man billy. He said. "if you want to be dishonest" He did not tell you to lie. Besides these days it is called "pretexting" All the big companies do it.

'Cuz he's probably NOT "{your} man, Billy;" at the very least, not any more!
 ::troll::  ::troll::  ::troll::

  He is just a kid who drank some kool aide.  I like him.   I think he has character.  I am sending my recommendation to Laura for his graduation.

Emil

[Anonymous]

the lying bit was kind of sarcastic. the 99% acceptance rate was true, actually. i know this year, we have 2 kids going on to do P.G. years, and almost everyone has gotten in, but there are still some waiting to hear back. i know one may not get into schools due to a credit thing and will enter next spring...but i think it's now like 97-98%. that's actually true. at least in my past 4 years. they post all the seniors and what schools they got into and continuously update it as we hear back. if you're a former student, what were the statistics for your class? what i've said applies to the woodstock campus only. i don't know stats for bath. and as for the hyde d.c. school, seniors can't graduate there until they are accepted into a college. that might change, but they have a 100% acceptance rate, obviously due to that criteria for graduation. the other questions asked, you can call up and ask admissions yourself from 9-4 monday through friday. i don't need to do research you can do yourself. it's P.A. time.
next question....
- Bill Procida '07

Hi Billy.  Thanks for your very insightful and honest posts.  I have been very disturbed reading about those 990's which are the IRS forms for non profits like Hyde.  Did you ask your friends at Hyde about this?.  How come Joey gets up in front of the parents at family weekends and literally begs for money when he doesn't need it?  He gets a little carried away with what bad shape the school is in and how they need this money to improve the facilities. I don't understand how he can ask in good concience for money from kids who can barely buy clothes.

Please let me know what you think about this whole thing with the forced donations

Billy, why do you answer other questions, but you won't react to the topic of Hyde's finances or ask Hyde about them?Don't you think this is very important if we are to trust Hyde and the things they say?

[Anonymous]

simply because i dont' know much of anything about the financial stuff at hyde. i also don't mind much since money is not what the school is about. that has nothing to do with character.

[Anonymous]

money is not what the school is about

 :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:  :rofl:
$30 million dollars, at least SIX corporations/foundations/trusts that we've been able to find, bought with a legacy of tortured, damaged souls!

For your own sanity, if nothing else, stop drinking the kool-aide, boy!

[lucy]

simply because i dont' know much of anything about the financial stuff at hyde. i also don't mind much since money is not what the school is about. that has nothing to do with character.

You couldn't be more wrong Billy.  It is ALL ABOUT CHARACTER!! Lies, and more lies, and you say this isn't about character?  I am not sure about you, guy!  

Hyde gets up on the podium crying and begging for money from many already struggling parents and you say this is not about character?  You are very naive.  It proves that the "family" is all about MONEY, not CHARACTER!!!

[Anonymous]

right... "family" values.... GAULD family finances!