Consolidation Chronicle #1
A Progress Update on an Educational Coming Together by Malcolm Gauld ’72, President & CEO November 2016
This is the first in a series of newsletters intended to inform the extended Hyde community of our progress regarding our plans to consolidate Hyde’s two boarding campuses – effective September 2017 – into a single campus at Bath, Maine, where Hyde first set out on its mission of family-based character education in 1966. I. II. III. IV. V.
Pre-Game Meeting on the 50 Overview – Feedback since the announcement Outreach to date The plan moving forward Next Steps
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I.
Pre-Game Meeting on the 50
Hyde-Bath and Hyde-Woodstock huddle before the game
Both squads, and we mean the full squads (!), came out to the 50-yard line for pre-game handshakes before the final football contest between Hyde-Bath and Hyde-Woodstock on November 12. While the game was originally scheduled for Bath, the Phoenix made the magnanimous offer to travel to Woodstock so their sister school could play its final ever football contest on its own soil. The Wolfpack showed their appreciation by serving up a powerful offensive display that secured a decisive victory (38-6). The Phoenix, well, they took solace in knowing that they will be joining forces with some very good players next year.
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II.
Overview – Feedback since the announcement
As you probably know, on October 7, we announced our plans to consolidate Hyde’s boarding operations on to a single campus at Bath, effective next September. Since then, the Hyde community’s mood has understandably been on a bit of an emotional roller-coaster ride. Speaking personally, I hope that it’s both healthy and normal to carry two competing emotions at once because that is what I’m doing.” To explain… On the one hand, this transition carries great promise for Hyde’s future educational excellence and financial well-being. It offers a profound opportunity to secure the future. Consolidation will also streamline our operations, resulting in an efficiency that will benefit all. It will enable enhanced curricular options. Those things excite me. On the other hand, our twenty years in Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner” have been rich and inspiring. Thousands of students and families have passed through our doors. The campus has evolved from eyesore to gem. The walls of The Krebs Family Gymnasium are covered with championship banners won by some great Wolfpack athletic teams. The Class of 2017 will be the last group of Hyde seniors to make graduation speeches in Woodstock. Those things make me sad. Since the announcement, we have received scores of emails and phone calls from all of Hyde’s constituencies. Most have touched on two dominant themes: Happy (for Hyde’s future) and Sad (to see my/our school close). Not surprisingly, some of the most gripping statements have been made by individuals with ties to Woodstock. Here are two that I found especially poignant: From an alumnus: Thanks for sharing the news. I'm sure this decision will result in an even more impressive offering of Hyde's one-of-a-kind education. My life is forever different because of my time at Hyde and specifically because of the mentors I had there. I'll be sad to see Hyde Woodstock go but I'm excited to celebrate our time there at the Homecoming event. Not a day goes by that I don't think about Hyde School. See you soon! – Woodstock ’12 From an alumni parent: This [$500 check] is an unrestricted gift. It is prompted by the message today of your decision to close the Woodstock campus. My son was a member of the first class at Woodstock. It changed his life and was wonderful for our family. I was profoundly impressed by the school's mission and faculty in all my visits. While I am saddened by the closing of Woodstock, as is [my son], I deeply respect the Board's decision and was impressed with the quality of the communication of the decision. As a higher education leader myself, I recognize how difficult these decisions are, and tip my hat to all of you. – Woodstock ’97
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III.
Outreach to date
The primary focus of our energies has been to communicate, share, and process the feelings held by Hyde’s individuals and constituencies. Each October and early November weekend found us gathered as follows: -
October 7 October 14-16 October 18-20 October 20-22 October 28-30 November 1 November 3-4
Consolidation plans announced; meetings on both campuses Fall Family Weekend at Bath Fall Family Weekend at Woodstock Laura Gauld held 35 1-on-1 meetings with Woodstock employees Hyde-Woodstock 20th Anniversary Reunion First “Hyde Day,” Woodstock students visit Bath Board of Governors Meeting at Woodstock
In addition to informal conversations throughout, both Fall Family Weekends and the Woodstock 20th Reunion Weekend included optional meetings for individuals to ask questions, share feelings, and offer suggestions. These discussions have helped us forge some guiding premises that are proving to productively inform our planning. Some of these include…
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IV.
The plan moving forward
1. The Consolidation is a coming together; it is not an absorption. Since the announcement, a number of people have understandably asked, How will the Woodstock students and teachers be welcomed and incorporated into the Bath community? As important as this question is, we have come to feel that it’s the wrong one. Instead, we are asking, How are the students and teachers of both schools going to come together as one? More than any of us had considered, next year represents the opportunity for all Hyde students, parents, employees, and alumni to start a new school and everybody must be in, make that “All In,” on it. 2. The Consolidation begins now. At the recent men’s and women’s soccer games between our Bath and Woodstock teams, veteran Hyde faculty member Ken Grant ’72 (and Hyde-Woodstock’s founding head) pulled the team captains together and stressed the importance of a competitive but clean afternoon of athletic contests. The message was: Go hard but remember that you will be playing on the same teams next year… together. It was a great display of a master teacher bringing the goods for the betterment of all. (And it was extra cool that he was doing it on the very field that bears his and Claire's name!) There have been a number of other steps taken in this spirit. In the first of several home-andaway “Hyde Days,” a contingent of Woodstock students came to Bath on November 1 to share ideas to best prepare for the consolidation.
Hyde-Woodstock students go to class with Hyde-Bath students
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The next “Hyde Day” is scheduled for Woodstock on December 6. Also, on November 13, a combined lacrosse squad of Bath and Woodstock players (see photo below) joined together for a round-robin tournament in Massachusetts.
Hyde-Woodstock and Hyde-Bath lacrosse players play together in Massachusetts
3. “Nothing Changes” At one point during the Hyde-Woodstock Fall Family Weekend, one parent openly and frankly wondered whether the quality of the educational experience would diminish as the end of the year approaches. (Love that Hyde honesty!) Head of School Bob Felt answered in two words: “Nothing Changes.” He went on to assure the parents in attendance that the entire faculty is committed to the idea that the current school year will finish just as strongly as it has started. Throughout the weekend, I was highly impressed by the leadership exhibited by Bob, John Rigney, and the faculty. As hard as this has been for the Woodstock community, the weekend was focused on what it is supposed to be focused upon: personal and family growth. The end result was an inspiring three days for the whole community. By all indications, the parents departed campus on Sunday with a clear confidence in the commitment of the faculty. 4. Partnership with Woodstock Academy The administrations and boards of both Hyde and Woodstock Academy (WA) are working together to ensure that ours is much more than a buyer/seller relationship. Both parties are acting as partners in education and committed to the notion that the Hyde-Woodstock campus will live on as a place where young people are prepared to be productive, successful, and fulfilled adult citizens. Had we perceived this transition through the narrow scope of a “real estate deal,” we would have likely proceeded differently than we have. While the two parties have arrived at a mutually agreeable price, both also agree that some things matter more than price. One of those things is the commitment Woodstock Academy has voiced to make every effort possible to hire those current Hyde-Woodstock employees who do not make the move to Bath. Thus far, both Hyde and WA agree that this transfer of assets needs to be right for both parties involved and both expect this spirit of cooperation to continue throughout the school year.
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V.
Next Steps
Who’s Going Where? This may well be the question foremost on the mind of the readers of this newsletter. When it comes to the Woodstock students, the answer is easy: Every student in good standing has already been offered a place at Bath for 2017-18. We hope each and every student will make the move… Regarding faculty and staff, the answer is more complicated. One of the positive aspects of this issue is the fact that the decision to consolidate has been made so early in the year, thereby allowing our employees optimal time to ponder their future plans. Every year at Hyde, we have faculty members who decide to move on to graduate school, another school, or another line of work. This year will be no different. We typically ask our faculty members to inform us in February of their intentions for the following year. We will move that up slightly in order to meet our goal of offering employment contracts by March 1. In the meantime, we will maintain close contact with Woodstock Academy to coordinate our respective offers of employment. The Deal The Purchase and Sale Agreement (PSA) has been signed and Woodstock Academy has submitted the first of two deposit checks. We are in a due diligence period until mid-winter and the closing will occur after graduation so as not to interfere with the school year at Woodstock. As would be expected, both schools are represented by quality attorneys, and while some of the members of our business office are working with them, we have consciously decided to have our administrators focus on what they do best: Teach, Coach, and Educate. The 2017-18 School Year Executive Director Laura Gauld is leading the effort to organize and prepare the Bath campus as the home of our consolidation. The short “To Do” List for this transition includes: org chart, faculty hiring, administrative appointments, course offerings, financial aid budget, facilities additions and/or renovations, athletic offerings, student residential life, and estimated total enrollment project. As might be expected, we have received many questions relative to enrollment. Current capacity at Bath is 180 boarding students and our current projections indicate that next year’s enrollment will be within that range. (For the record, we have accommodated over 230 students at Bath during two separate eras in our history.) Our top priority is to assemble the best faculty and staff possible.
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In closing, six weeks have passed since the announcement of our planned consolidation.
Overall, the decision has been received with a decidedly positive outlook. Perhaps not surprisingly, Bath alums, students, parents, and employees have been close to universal in their approval. And as would be expected, the Woodstock community has had more difficulty in processing the decision. Nonetheless, my sense is that regardless of campus affiliation, the vast majority perceive this decision as a positive step forward for Hyde’s future sustainability and educational excellence. Above all, our extended community is coming together to help Hyde reach its unique potential and define its destiny. Onward,
Malcolm Gauld ‘72
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