Here you'll learn about our mission, location, faculty, curricula, and get answers to frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked
Questions

Here are the most frequently asked questions we receive—and the answers.

• Is the school co-educational?

  From kindergarten through third grade, both boys and girls will study together. Beginning in the fourth grade, boys and girls will be educated separately.

• What grades will be available when you launch in September 2022?

  We will offer kindergarten through 9th grade and we will expand into high school over time.

• What will tuition be?

  Tuition for the 2022-2023 academic year for K-8th grade is $13,000; tuition for 9th grade is $15,500

  While we have intentionally set tuition below the cost of education to open Hawthorn to a wide variety of applicants, we recognize that additional grants and aid may be required to enable all deserving applicants the opportunity to enroll. Hawthorn has engaged FACTS Grant and Aid to assist with calculating additional tuition awards. One a student is admitted, Grant and Aid applications will be accepted directly through FACTS.

• What sports will be available?

  Over time we anticipate offering the following: baseball, basketball, climbing, crew, cross country, field hockey, golf, horseback riding, lacrosse, rugby, sailing, soccer, softball, squash, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling.

• Why is there an an emphasis on mentoring?

  If education is to be personal, then an individualized means of formation is necessary. This personalization is what mentoring provides. Recognizing that every child is unique, the mentor can tailor his or her approach to suit the particular needs of each student. Mentoring lies at the very heart of our mission.

• From where will families be commuting?

  We have families interested in commuting from as far south as Manhattan to as far north as Darien.

• Will the school provide transportation?

  Yes. We will provide shuttles from Manhattan, New Rochelle, White Plains, the Stamford Metro-North Station, and from anywhere else where there is sufficient demand.

• What is Opus Dei’s involvement in Hawthorn?

  Opus Dei is a personal prelature of the Catholic Church. The spirit of Opus Dei informs the mission and praxis of our school. The aim of Opus Dei is to foster among men and women a profound awareness of the universal call to holiness and apostolate, pursued freely, in their ordinary work and place in society.

• What makes an Opus Dei school different from any other school?

  Opus Dei schools are independent private schools guided by the charism that one can sanctify one’s daily work in the middle of the world. In practice, this means doing the ordinary things extraordinarily well, for the love of God. Further, the lay character of Opus Dei means that our aim is not to separate our students from the world, but rather to prepare them to embrace freely all that is good in the world, and to serve their fellow men and women in and through the ordinary circumstances of their lives. We acknowledge that parents are the primary educators of their children and that the school’s role is to partner with parents and families who share the school’s educational goals..

• What is Hawthorn’s relationship with the Diocese?

  Although The Hawthorn School is independent of the diocese, we are currently leasing our campus from the Archdiocese of New York, and the Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, has given his full support to the school’s future campus in Connecticut.

• How will Catholic devotions be lived out in the school?

  The Catholic Faith will be lived out in both small and large ways in an atmosphere of freedom. For example, we will offer Mass and confessions daily, begin every class with a prayer, have an image of Our Lady and a crucifix in each classroom, pray the Angelus at noon, and pray the Rosary on Marian feasts. Moreover, students will have the opportunity to make a visit to the Blessed Sacrament periodically for personal prayer. Throughout the year, the liturgical calendar will inform aspects of the life of school, as we will celebrate important festival days with delicious food and friendly competition. Thus, students will begin to live the rhythm of the liturgical year, from Advent and Christmas to Lent and Easter and celebrations of the many feasts of the year. Most importantly, the faculty will offer a consistent example of professional men and women who aspire to glorify God in the course of their ordinary lives.

• Do students use technology at Hawthorn?

  We are purposeful with our use of technology, which is a tool that can assist, but ought not replace, what makes us truly human: the capacity to think freely and form meaningful friendships. In grades kindergarten through 5, we will highlight habits of observation and the powers of memory and perception. At an age when children are particularly impressionable, this approach fosters an appreciation for the natural world and the capacity for self-governance. In middle school, students will use technology for particular assignments, such as typing essays. In upper school, we will offer courses in computer science. At all levels, students will be freed from the distraction of personal electronic devices while at school. The fruits of our approach to technology are the ability to think independently and concentrate deeply, as well as the development of a strong memory and the formation of genuine friendships.

• Why is there a dress code or uniform?

  The uniform imbues the school with a high tone and reinforces a sense of beauty and order on a daily basis.

  It is a visual symbol of the Hawthorn community and reinforces a sense of belonging. Both boys and girls are proud school ambassadors while wearing the school colors.

  In addition to elevating the tone of our school, wearing a uniform affords students the opportunity to more readily develop a sense of dignified professionalism in their work.

  Moreover, many parents report that uniforms simplify family life by helping with budgeting and sustainability.

• What extracurricular activities will Hawthorn offer?

  It depends on demand, but we anticipate offering a great variety of extracurricular activities, from coding and debate to mountaineering, robotics and service. Additionally, we encourage students to pursue their interests with an enterprising spirit by proposing new clubs of their own.

• Will Hawthorn offer summer camps?

  Yes. We anticipate offering camps for boys and girls starting in the summer of 2022. Additionally, we plan to offer a family olympics weekend.

• What is the student-teacher ratio?

  We aim for a student-teacher ratio of 10:1. This combines the rich interaction of varying personalities with a manageable focus on curricular progress.

• What does the name Hawthorn mean?

  The inspiration for our school’s name is the hawthorn tree. This tree has ancient origins and is associated with Jerusalem and Rome. According to legend, the crown of thorns was woven from the branches of a hawthorn tree, and during the time of the Roman empire, legions spread these trees around Europe. Many royal households prized hawthorn blossoms for their beauty, a fact that is reflected in medieval poetry. Further, hawthorn trees, whose flowers share the same name, blossom in both Westchester and Fairfield counties. Thus, the significance of the name of our school is both universal and particular, ancient and contemporary. It is also worth noting that hawthorn blossoms are called mayflowers; to spread the hawthorn tree, then, is symbolically to spread devotion to the Virgin Mary.