CHARACTERCollege Bound

mattersHYDE LEADERSHIP CHARTER SCHOOL NEWS Spring 2012, Volume 5, Number 1

It’s 3:00 p.m. on a Thursday afternoonand a group of 11th graders are ready

to focus on and discuss what they havebeen thinking about for several years—college. Hyde-Bronx’s College Counselor,Shaquinah Taylor, is just waiting untileveryone is seated and settled before she begins her weekly meeting on college selection and preparation. It’s Ms. Taylor’s job to help Hyde-Bronx students successfully navigate the complicated college admissions process.The majority of these students will bethe first in their families to attend collegeand there is an equal mixture of excite-ment and anxiety when thinking aboutthe future.

Ms. Taylor has been talking all yearwith individual students regarding theirspecific needs and issues about selectingand applying to the right college, prepar-ing for SATs, and what financial aidmight be available. However, the focus of today’s weekly session is on the pros

and cons of various types of colleges:private vs. public, near home vs. far,two-year vs. four-year, small college vs.large university. Ms. Taylor also wants toalert the group to dates of upcomingtrips to theUniversity ofConnecticut,Wesleyan andQueens College.

Although college has beendiscussed at Hyde-Bronx sincethe students were in elementary school,and the school has taken 10th and 11thgraders on trips to see various public and private colleges, selecting the rightcollege has been an abstract concept for most of the students until now. Yes,they plan to attend college and knowthat grades and SAT scores are impor-tant, but they really haven’t focused onexactly what decisions they will have

to make. However, as high school juniors, college selection is now a realityand students must begin to think criti-cally about who they are and what theyare looking for in a college experience.

Ms. Taylor and others at Hyde-Bronx arethere to help the students. But, as Ms.Taylor says, “The college process is reallythe first time that students begin to seethemselves as young adults responsiblefor their own futures. They really have tostart thinking about how the choicesthey make today affect the options theywill have tomorrow.”

Continued on page 3

“The college process is really the first time thatstudents begin to see themselves as youngadults responsible for their own futures.”

Left: 11th grader, Augustine Ibeanusi, working on a practice PSAT. Right: Ms. Taylor discussing requirements for college financial aid with small group of 11th graders.

In This IssueCollege Bound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Message from Head of School . . . 2

Results Matter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Class Trip to the Capital;Community Clean-Up . . . . . . . . . 4

A Winning Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The First Leadership Lion . . . . . . . 6

What Our Parents Have to Say . . . 7

Who We Are . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Character Matters is published twice yearly

by the Hyde Leadership Charter SchoolHydeBronxNY.org

718-991-9550

Elementary and Middle School730 Bryant Avenue

Bronx, NY 10474

High School830 Hunts Point Avenue

Bronx, NY 10474

Character Matters Staff:Editor-in-Chief: Susan Marber

Contributing Writers/Reporters:

Lupita Alvarez, Peter Anderson, Mimi Cooper,

Eric Froman, Matthew Hittenmark, Ken Kerns,

Meredith Lewis, Betsy Olney, Denise Rivera,

Sigrid Rosa, Staci Williams Seeley, Shaquinah

Taylor, Cindy Warnick

Contributing Photographers:

Lupita Alvarez, Mimi Cooper, Herb Fixler,

Christine Moloughney, Kathleen Murtagh

Consultant: AnnaLee Wilson

Design: Kaeser and Wilson Design Ltd.

Hyde Leadership Charter SchoolSchool Leadership Team:

Betsy Olney, Head of School

Michael McNamara, Chief Operating Officer

Celia Sosa, Director of High School

Liz Springer, Director of Middle School

Peter Anderson, Director of

Elementary School

Cindy Warnick, Director of H.S. Family

Education Department

Yvonnia Wise, Dean of Students, K–8

Maureen Greco-Blois, Special

Education Director

Staci Williams Seeley, Director of

Development

Board of Trustees:

Herbert B. Fixler, Board Chair

Wilder D. Baker, Deborah Dumont,

Shara Freeman, Herbert M. Kaplan,

Robert F. Rosario, David M. Steadly

©2012 Hyde Leadership Charter School

A Message from Our Head of School

Dear Friends,

The future is now. In mid-February our juniors—Hyde-Bronx’s

oldest students and first graduating class—experienced the

proverbial “rubber-hits-the-road” conversation. Wanting to

share the wealth, we held similar, age-appropriate sessions with

our sophomores and freshmen at Academic Assemblies to

address graduation requirements. The first PowerPoint slide

posed the question, “How will the choices you make today affect tomorrow?”

As a community of educators and families, we adults have been planning for the

future for years. Well before our oldest students entered our doors and we embarked on

this journey together, their families were preparing them for life beyond their doors and

ours. Now, with the future well within our sights, we find ourselves talking more than

ever about academic rigor and college readiness. We are showing students the path to

high school graduation and beyond in carefully outlined steps. What we require for a

Hyde diploma exceeds the state’s requirements in math, foreign language, and the arts.

Our students must complete 100 hours of community service, one public performance

per year, and participate in two team sports. They must also engage in personal self-

reflection and receive feedback from peers and faculty in discovery groups and senior

evaluations. The academic, community, and character bars are set high, but with clear

expectations and instructions for reaching them.

Even when our conversations are more explicitly academic, the same questions

remain:

“Where are you now, where are you going, and how will you get there?”

“How will you truly maximize your unique potential rather than just ‘get by’?”

“What is the best way to seek help for what challenges you most?”

No matter where our students are on their journey—entering college, high school,

middle school or kindergarten—you will see within these pages how eagerly we meet

them at that place, embrace them and their families for the entirety of their K–12 years,

and, ultimately, share the bittersweet joys of sending them on their way to college and

the world.

Warmly,

Betsy Olney

Head of School

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Register your e-mail now!All you have to do is go to

www.HydeBronxNY.org, register your

e-mail and we’ll keep you up to date on

Hyde-Bronx happenings. The link is

found on the homepage. Just click the

“Join Our Mailing List” button.

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College Bound Continued from front cover

As a first-generation college graduatewho grew up in the South Bronx with asingle mother, Ms. Taylor knows what adifference working hard and attendingCornell University made in her life, andshe wants to share her experience andknowledge with Hyde-Bronx students.

Everyone at Hyde-Bronx also knowsthat family involvement is critical, so Ms. Taylor works with Hyde-Bronx’sFamily Education Department to sched-ule parent workshops. These workshops

help parents understand what challengesawait their children and how best tohelp them navigate the complex andexpensive road to a higher education.“It’s critical to have parents be part ofthe process and to alleviate any concernsor fears they might have about their children going to college,” says Ms.Taylor. “Our role at Hyde-Bronx is tohelp students uncover their uniquepotential, and college enrollment is animportant aspect of that.” n Ms. Taylor: “My door is always open.”

Middle School ProgressHyde participated in a Harvard EdLabs-conducted study of 37 NYC charterschools, comparing three cohorts ofstudents in grades 3-8 and their resultson math and English state-administeredtests over time. Test results were com-pared with those who applied to thesame schools, but who did not win therandom admissions lottery. The studyfound that Hyde-Bronx middle schoolstudents, as compared with those whodid not win the school’s lottery, gainapproximately one month of learningin math and two months of learning inEnglish for each year they are enrolledin Hyde-Bronx. While many charter

schools are making significant gains inmath, Hyde-Bronx was one of only twoof the 13 middle schools studied thatshowed significant positive impact inEnglish Language Arts scores.

High School ProgressNow in its third year of serving highschool students, Hyde-Bronx has seen a significant increase in Regents scoresand passing rates. Students must passfive Regents exams, a New York Stategraduation requirement. In January,more than half of the junior class passedthe English Regents exam a year and ahalf ahead of schedule. Moreover, 75%of the junior class has passed three

Regents

exams—in math, English and history—out of the five required for graduationwell in advance. Passing these exams now allows juniors to take advancedcourses in their senior year, and, havingmet the majority of their requirements,to turn their focus to the college applica-tion process. n

Exciting news of favorable academic outcomes in the middle school and the highschool at Hyde-Bronx point to signs that our students are achieving excellence in

demonstrable and meaningful ways.

Results Matter

HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Our character-based, academically rigorous program provides transforma-tive experiences for our students and their families. Our school commu-nity is poised to share a host of life-changing moments over the nextseveral months as we graduate our

first senior class and grow to our fullenrollment number of 950 students ingrades K–12.

Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to Hyde LeadershipCharter School. You will be contribut-ing to the excellence, character and

achievement we seek to inspire in ourstudents each and every day.

A donor envelope is enclosed or you can contact Director of Develop-ment Staci Williams Seeley in ourDevelopment Office located at 830Hunts Point Avenue, Bronx, NY 10474.

Bellanise Estrella, junior, works with history teacherRick Rowe on college prep.

Excitement is mounting among our 8th graders. Not only are they look-

ing forward to graduating from middleschool and moving to the new Hyde-Bronx high school building nextSeptember, but on June 6th, seventy-five8th graders will be boarding a 7:00 a.m.Amtrak train at Penn Station to begin a three-day graduation trip toWashington, D.C. and ColonialWilliamsburg. For many of the students,this will be their first trip out of the tri-state area, their first stay in a hotel, andtheir first visit to the nation’s capital.

“It is so important for students tohave an ‘away from home’ experiencebefore they head off to high school,”noted trip coordinator and 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher MeredithLewis. The students agree. “I cannot waitto see what Washington, D.C. is allabout, and permission to go on the tripshows how much my parents really trustme,” says 8th grader Maria Guzman-Ellis.

The trip will include two days oftouring D.C.’s monuments and museumswith student-created itineraries. In

the evenings, all students will see aproduction ofThe Music Man atArena Stage andhave a dinner-dancecruise on thePotomac River. Thetop 10 performersin social studies willhave the experienceof a lifetime whenthey walk the hallsof the White House.

To prepare for the trip, 8th graderscreated their own Dream D.C. itinerarycomplete with maps, “cool exhibits”and admission costs. In their DreamD.C. PowerPoints, Prezis, posters andvideos, students also identified curricularties with social studies, science and English language arts classes.

The opportunity to travel comes with a financial challenge for many fami-lies. To help cover the cost of the trip,which amounts to $350 per student, ourinnovative and industrious 8th gradershave been fundraising all year. Under theguidance of Mimi Cooper, 8th gradersopened up a “D.C. Nail Salon” during the fall parent/teacher conferences and gavemanicures to students, teachers and parents throughout the day. While stu-dent fundraising activities will continueuntil June, we owe a special thanks toour wonderful Hyde-Bronx teachers whohave helped enormously by reaching outto their families and friends and collect-ing additional contributions for the classtrip. If you are interested in donating tothe effort, you may contact MeredithLewis directly: mlewis@hydebronxny.org.Every little bit counts. n

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Leaving Our Community Cleaner Than We Found ItAt Hyde-Bronx, community servicestarts early, and this year in recognitionof Martin Luther King’s birthday, 275 ofour elementary school students decidedto show their leadership and concern forthe Hunts Point neighborhood by pick-ing up the trash on Lafayette Avenue.

The police blocked off the street, andin an hour our eager and enthusiasticyoung community-minded students collected more than 128 lbs. of trash.

Imagine what they could have donein two hours! n

Planning a Class Trip to the Nation’s Capital

An example of a D.C. Itinerary, designed by 8th grader Leslie Martinez.

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ARE YOU 35 OR UNDER?

Know of someone looking for agreat cause? Is it you?

Hyde-Bronx is forming a HydeLeadership Young ProfessionalsCommittee (HLYPC) for NewYorkers age 35 and under who wantto give back to the community andsupport our character-building mission. Learn more by joining usfor conversation and complimentarydrinks and hors d’oeuvres:

HLYPC Cocktail ReceptionWednesday, May 16 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.400 Park Avenue, New York CityHost: City National Bank

RSVP by contacting Staci WilliamsSeeley in the Development Office byphone or email: 718.991.5500, x2128or SSeeley@HydeBronxNY.org

Even if you or the person you havein mind cannot make it, contact us so that we can be in touch.

EXCELLENCE LIVES HERE

Hyde-Bronx is a community of caring,talented and dedicated teachers andstaff, eager to serve our students andtheir families. “From the start we haveworked hard to build a true partnershipwith our parents, together helping students go after their best. Hyde-Bronxparents and guardians consistently stepup to meet the high expectationsrequired of them,” says JoanneGoubourn, current Hyde FoundationDirector and former Hyde-Bronx Headof School. “Personally, this school represents the realization of a dream for me. My dream has been a school

that can provide a top-notch, rigorousacademic program and, utilizing theHyde character culture, meet the emotional needs of all students, parents,and staff—a school that will thrive,making decisions based on what is bestfor the students and not for the adults.”

Refer an EducatorYou can help us find great teachers and instructional leaders! We know thatour Hyde-Bronx teachers are our mostimportant asset, so we deeply appreciateyour referrals and your commitment tospreading the word about Hyde.

If you know someone who is inter-ested in Hyde or who you believe wouldbe a great fit for our school community,please send the following informationto Abby Rosenswaike (ARosenswaike@

HydeBronxNY.org):- Your first and last name.- Your email address.- Teacher’s/leader’s first and last name.- Teacher’s/leader’s email address and

phone number.- Subject or grade level taught.

Ahuge shout out goes to the Girls’Junior Varsity Basketball team who

went undefeated en route to a 10–0record and to the citywide CSAA(Charter School Athletic Association)Championship, the first for any girls’team in Hyde-Bronx’s six year history.In addition to winning the champi-onship, there were a number of individ-ual milestones achieved during theseason. Efosa Erhunmwunse set theschool record for points in a season with 114, Keisha Osei set the schoolrecord for rebounds in a season with111, Nicole Jurado set the school record for assists in a season with 25, and Efosa also set a school record for steals

in a seasonwith 50.

Hyde-Bronxfinished the regularseason 8–0 before besting OpportunityCharter School 22–5 in the Semifinalsand beating Renaissance Charter HighSchool for Innovation 23–16 in theFinals. All of the hard work and gruel-ing hours put in over the four monthseason really paid off, not only on thecourt but off the court too. The girlsstarted out as separate players but finished more as a family than a team.Thanks to all the students, parents andstaff who supported the girls through-out the season. n

A Winning Season

The Championship Team:(left to right) Coach MarionHolley, Zariah Love-Hall,Tanaye Amis, Kianna Cruel,Itea Davis, Keisha Osei,Coach Eric Froman, EfosaErhunmwunse, Aileen David,Dehna Dyer, Jasmine Jones,Nicole Jurado and TiannaGutierrez.

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DID YOU KNOW... ?

4 Hyde-Bronx provides a safe,disciplined and motivating environment where students wantto come. Again this year, the average attendance for all gradeswas nearly 95% vs. 88% in otherDistrict 8 schools and 89% in all NYC schools.

4 Parent participation at Hyde-Bronx has been the envy of otherNYC schools. In 2011, 86% ofparents/guardians participated in a minimum of six parentevents/activities.

4 Our Cross Country Team partici-pated in three fundraising races for cancer research, raising over$2,000 to help battle the disease.

4 As part of Hyde-Bronx’s belief inhelping its students develop theircharacter, all middle and highschool students participate in community service.

4 Hyde-Bronx HS students partici-pated in NY Cares Day on April 21,planting trees and flowers, buildingsoil beds, and cleaning up gardensin Soundview Park, the “Gateway tothe Bronx River.”

4 With the support of Grammy Award winner Roberta Flack, theRoberta Flack School of Music atHyde-Bronx continues to offer our students another venue in thearts for character growth and learning.

4 Hyde-Bronx offers over twentyafter-school athletic opportunities.In 2011 we had 112 competitivegames/events, 295 practices, 10internal internships and lots ofsmiling faces.

Introducing the First Leadership Lion

Meet third grader Idiatou Diallo,Hyde-Bronx Elementary School’s

first ever Leadership Lion!With the objective of encouraging

more leadership and more recognitionfor students who are demonstrating

leadership in the elementary school,Hyde-Bronx has implemented the“Leadership Lion” program where a particular student is voted for by his or her peers and, for a full week, is a visibleand acknowledged leader.

Each week, a different elementaryschool classroom is selected to vote for a new Leadership Lion. Using the Hyde“Five Words” (Curiosity, Courage,Integrity, Leadership, Concern), whichare defined as the essence of characterand the core of Hyde’s explicit philoso-phy, the class thinks about which mem-ber of their classroom best embodies the“Five Words” and fills out the name on aballot. After ballots are counted, thename of the student is announced at theweekly Elementary School Meeting andthe new Leadership Lion is crowned.Striving to promote leadership, ourLeadership Lion co-leads the ElementarySchool Meeting and s/he wears his/hercrown and lion sash and reminds stu-dents of the meeting rules.

Idiatou was chosen because herpeers, as well as the faculty, recognizethat she sets a great example for theschool. She shows integrity by being

very honest, responsible, and trust-worthy. She always shows her friendsconcern. Her friends also knew that shehad the courage to be the very firstLeadership Lion and to get up and leadthe school meeting and model for othershow to do it.

Idiatou is an avid reader and a greatclass helper. As her teacher, Yasmin Jonessays, “Idiatou is very curious and lovesto share her personal experiences. Shecan always be counted on not only to dothe right thing and make good choices,but also to set an example for others andhelp show them how to do their best.”

When we asked Idiatou to tell us a little about herself, she said, “I like to beactive and to read and write. And I alsolike to hang out with my family. I waschosen to be Leadership Lion because Ishowed all of the Hyde “Five Words.”Even when the teacher has to walk out ofthe classroom, I still show leadership andintegrity. Being Leadership Lion felt reallygood for me because I got to wear thesash and crown, and got to step out ofclass and do fun things. And I stillshowed leadership.” n

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“This was my first retreat withHyde and this experiencehelped me open up and shareinformation about myselfwhich has allowed me to let goand not hold anything back. Ilove what you guys stand for,your mission and goals for thechildren and their families.”

“I was never one to say how I feel. But after I spoke up at the retreat and poured out myfeelings, it felt good to get it off my chest. This helped me to be more open with my family.”

“I’m closer to my daughter now more than ever because I shared my life goals with others. The Hyde-Bronx retreathas made me think seriouslyabout making positive changesin my life. Changes like havingconcern for my health andthinking about myself and mydreams.”

“I feel that my son and I aremuch closer now. At the begin-ning of the retreat trip he satwith his friends, but he satwith me on the ride backhome. I learned that I need tobe more tolerant of others andcommunicate more.” n

At Hyde-Bronx, our core program includes components not found in other schools. One such component is the several parent and student retreats that the Family Education Department conducts each year. Parents and students leave the Bronx for a

weekend to go through a series of exercises designed to get each participant reflecting on who they are and the challenges they face,their values and their principles. Our experience has shown that the retreats make a deep impact on parents and students alike andresult in positive changes at home and in school. But you needn’t take our word for it. Here is what a few of our parents whoattended the January middle school retreat in Woodstock, NY had to say:

What Our Parents Have to Say

Family Retreats: (clockwise from topleft) Student on the ropes course atHyde-Woodstock challenges her com-fort zone; elementary school families at Clearpool Education Center enjoy a trust activity where family membersguide each other while one is blind-folded; Mother and son create an artistic collage of items they collectedtogether on a nature walk at Clearpool; Families rest on the rocks at Clearpool after team-buildinggames.

Hyde Leadership Charter SchoolElementary & Middle School730 Bryant AvenueBronx, NY 10474

High School830 Hunts Point AvenueBronx, NY 10474

Developing a Child’s Character is as Important as Developing a Child’s Mind

WHO WE ARE

Hyde Leadership Charter School (Hyde-Bronx) is the onlyK–12 college preparatory school located in the Hunts Pointsection of the South Bronx, the poorest Congressional district in the nation. We’re a school that was founded on a simple premise: developing a child’s character is as importantas developing a child’s mind.

We develop socially responsible leaders because of our distinctive character-based curriculum. While our academicprogram is rigorous, academics are only part of what we teach. At Hyde-Bronx, we focus on helping our students findtheir unique purpose in life and developing the confidencethey need to become responsible, ethical and fulfilled human beings.

Our approach to character development is holistic. Characterdevelopment is integrated into our academic courses, artclasses and our athletic program. Explicit teaching of Hyde’s“Five Words” (Curiosity, Courage, Integrity, Leadership,Concern) and “Five Principles” (Brother’s Keeper, Conscience,Truth, Humility, Destiny) occur inside and outside the classroom.

The way we teach is different too. We believe that every student, every parent and every teacher is meant to connectwith a deep and unique purpose. Character development isthe key to unlocking that purpose. It prepares Hyde studentsto succeed not only college, but also in life.

If you would like to visit Hyde-Bronx and see what our uniqueschool is doing, just get in touch with Director of Develop-ment Staci Williams Seeley at SSeeley@HydeBronxNY.org or(718) 991-5500 ext.2128. She’ll be happy to schedule a visit. n

Brother’s Keeper: Hyde-Bronx’s fifth graders helping first graders.