Gauld is president of the Hyde Schools, a network of public charter and private boarding schools dedicated to the development of character in students and families. The Hyde Leadership Public Charter School in Northeast D.C. enrolls more than 750 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.
What’s different about these schools?
Hyde schools are committed to what we call family-based character education. We believe that who you are matters more than what you can do, and we focus on attitude over aptitude, effort over ability and character over talent.
Where do your students come from?
The kids come from everywhere in the District. Most of them come from the neighborhoods around the school.
Has the school been successful?
We’ve now had six consecutive years of 100 percent college placement, where all of our graduates have gone to college. We’ve probably graduated about 250 kids by now.
What’s the difference between a charter school and a regular public school?
The difference is in the management of the school. You are basically granted a charter to operate a public school in a private manner. There is more autonomy.
How does that improve the school?
It doesn’t, necessarily. Autonomous people can run a bad school, too. It gives you the chance not to be tied to constraints that are often found in schools. We had a unique idea and wanted to try it out with kids in the District.
What is unique about it?
It speaks to the whole person. My personal believe is we are in a period of history where we are suffering from test mania, and I’ve now taught schools for 30 years and I don’t see much of a connection between how someone performs on a test and how they do in life. Hyde is often the kind of place you are going to like later, but you are going to be challenged in ways you don’t want to be challenged.
– Susan Ferrechio
