The Hockaday School

Hockaday, founded in 1913, provides a college preparatory education for girls of strong potential and diverse backgrounds who may be expected to assume positions of responsibility and leadership in a rapidly changing world. It is the purpose of The Hockaday School to foster a community of concern and friendship and to instill in every girl a love of learning, an understanding of herself and the ethical principles which guide her life, an appreciation of excellence in all its forms, and a commitment to what is right and good.

Through small classes, creative teaching, and an approach which emphasizes the process of learning, Hockaday seeks to discover unique aptitudes and awaken the intellectual curiosity of every girl. Through a strong physical education program and the challenge of competitive sports, Hockaday seeks to develop in each girl an enthusiastic spirit, a healthy body, and a sense of responsibility for herself and her actions.

Through a continual exposure to the arts, Hockaday seeks to engender an appreciation of beauty and a joy in self-expression that will bring added enrichment to each girl’s life. Through constant emphasis on moral and ethical values, Hockaday seeks to nurture a courteous attitude, a sense of grace, respect for the ideals of human worth and dignity, and a harmonious and mature character well-equipped to make responsible choices and be prepared for the future.

At Hockaday, we are firmly committed to the Four Cornerstones of Character, Courtesy, Scholarship, and Athletics, and collectively we are driven by our mission statement: Believing in the limitless potential of girls, Hockaday develops resilient, confident women who are educated and inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact. Miss Hockaday imagined and created a place for girls to learn, achieve, and find purpose, and we will work to carry her vision forward. We have set a strong course for Hockaday with input from the parents, alumnae, faculty, staff, students, and past parents who came together to share ideas about the ever-changing landscape of education, so that we might ensure that Hockaday remains a forward-thinking, relevant school for its students today and tomorrow.

Our philosophy and purpose is to awaken the intellectual curiosity of every girl; to develop in each girl an enthusiastic spirit, a healthy body, and a sense of responsibility for herself and her actions; to foster an appreciation of beauty and joy in self-expression; to nurture a courteous attitude, a sense of grace, respect for the ideals of human worth and dignity, and a harmonious and mature character well-equipped to make responsible choices and withstand the pressures of today’s society. We foster a community of concern and friendship within the student body, faculty and staff, families, and alumnae to instill in every girl a love of learning, an understanding of herself and the ethical principles which guide her life, an appreciation of excellence in all its forms, and a commitment to what is right and good.

We accomplish our goals with involvement from all of our constituencies. Those who teach and work at Hockaday are representatives of a diverse population with expert knowledge and training in their fields and possess a strong desire to change and grow to meet the challenges of the 21st century. Our inclusive community fosters a racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse student and family population. We recruit and enroll students who possess strong moral character, academic promise, sound ethics, perseverance, diligence, resilience, spirit, and sportsmanship. Our alumnae, as well as parents, continue to maximize their connection to Hockaday by supporting the mission and work of the School with their time, talents, and resources.

We acknowledge the complexity of diverse life experiences and openly engage in building inclusivity. Through the adopted approach of cultural competency, individuals and groups work effectively across cultures with a defined set of values, principles, skills, attitudes, policies, and behaviors. This developmental process and continuum evolves over time for each individual, within programs, and throughout the school environment. As a school, we implement a model of cultural competency which includes cross-cultural effectiveness skills, cultural self-awareness, cultural intelligence, and countering oppression through inclusion.

Our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and global initiatives is reflected in the Four Cornerstones, the Philosophy and Purpose Statement previously mentioned, the Mission Statement, and the Strategic Plan with the goals of preparing every girl for the diverse world in which they will live. Our belief is that through shared and meaningful experiences cross-cultural competency can be gained over time as one community and one Hockaday.