Parents

First and foremost we ask that parents understand the mission of the school and see it as a good fit for their own family’s goals and values. Because middle school is a time when, in a developmentally predictable stage, children are beginning to express more independence, parents can begin to feel less connected to the classroom than they did in elementary school. We try to support connections by providing opportunities for parents to be in close contact with school.

We stay in communication via phone, email, and through our web-site to keep parents informed about what is happening in their children’s lives and why we believe our program is valuable for middleschoolers.

Teachers, the school counselor, and the head of school are all available to parents and we invite parents to call whenever questions arise.

We have two scheduled conference periods each year where parents will have an opportunity to hear reports from all a student’s teachers in person. Written comments from all a child’s teachers are sent home twice a year.

Parents are involved in countless ways in a child’s education and all those activities are very much appreciated by Hyla. We also appreciate the many ways in which parents support the school:

• By participating in the Hyla Parent Association (HPA) which provides many opportunities for parents to take part in community- building and fundraising events for the school.
• By helping with special play productions, chaperoning field trips, and volunteering to share a particular expertise in classroom presentations which directly supports the work of the teachers.
• By giving to the fund-raising campaigns sponsored by the school’s Board of Trustees which directly support all aspects of the school’s operations. At Hyla, as at most independent schools, tuition only partially covers the cost of educating its students. The school budget depends upon the tax-deductible dollars donated by generous members and friends of the school community. It has been the tradition of families to make gifts of time, talent, and resources and all members of our community have benefited from this generosity.