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Pictured: Hampton Roads Academy Headmaster Tom Harvey with HRA student athletes, musicians, thespians and artists in the Academy's Charles R. Spencer Jr. Gymnasium Lobby.
“As much as we talk about intimacy and the whole-child philosophy, the power of our academic performance draws families.”
Hampton Roads Academy
739 Academy Lane
Newport News, VA 23602
757.884.9100
www.hra.org
Photography: Kelly Mihalcoe
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Walking down the halls of Hampton Roads Academy, an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory day school serving students in grades PK - 12, visitors notice the energy.
Headmaster Tom Harvey says, “People never fail to remark that this is a vibrant school. I think that kind of energy comes from caring, intimacy and respect among students and teachers. Everything stems from relationships built on trust.”
The faculty is expected to demand the best from students and to help them learn and take charge of their education. But, Harvey is quick to emphasize the caring environment, “We’re such a high-octane academic school, and expectations are so high that we have to care. Along the way, we cheer everything a kid does right because success inspires success.”
Even with a stellar academic background, (92 percent of graduating students will get into a university or college they have designated as a “top choice”), the school recognizes the “whole child.” Harvey says, “We consider the nonacademic life to be extremely important. Better than 80 percent of our students are involved in sports and extracurricular activities. We teach the whole child. Some are better at music than math, athletics than drama. HRA allows students to discover the things they excel in and to grow their skills in areas that are challenging. We admit kids with myriad talents.”
Hampton Roads Academy also prides itself on being a school of inclusion. “We want diversity,” Harvey states. “All children learn better in a diverse environment. We want different religions, races and backgrounds. In a community of inclusion, you need a sense of personal trust and intimacy. Here again, you see that everything we do comes out of that seminal relationship between kids and faculty—and we put our faculty first in supporting them.”
Harvey comments that the reasons families choose Hampton Roads Academy vary. “I think families come for many reasons, but we know from our own research that as much as we talk about intimacy and the whole-child philosophy, the power of our academic performance draws families. What our students are able to accomplish in terms of AP classes, SAT scores, college placement, and so on is admittedly stunning. On the eve of its 50th anniversary, Harvey observes that, “HRA has never been stronger.”
He adds, “Once here, families come to appreciate our consistent emphasis on the core school values of Honesty, Respect and Responsibility. The fact that there are no locks on HRA school lockers is just one tangible sign that the core values here are meaningful.”
Shared goals also are a theme running through Hampton Roads Academy. Harvey says, “It’s what we used to call discipline. Now we call it climate. We all know why we’re here. We have shared goals, close focus, always reaching for the next step, always preparing for higher education and a lifetime of accomplishment and impact.”
Finally, Harvey says, the school offers its students security. “Of course it’s physical safety and stability, but even more than that, its emotional security. ‘I can be who I am here.’ Hazing, putdown humor and intimidation are virtually absent here. This is a safe place to be you. Clearly, this should come as no surprise. When you build a community of inclusion, you must have this. You must be committed to respect and celebration of differences. Everyone is an outsider at some point, and this school is about welcoming the stranger . . . welcoming everyone, a kid has to feel like he or she belongs.” |
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