FAQs
Is the school co-educational?
From preschool through second grade, both boys and girls will study together. Beginning in the third grade, boys and girls will be educated separately.
What grades do you offer?
We are currently offering kindergarten through 8th grade. We will be adding a preschool class in 2024-2025. We are exploring the possibility of opening a ninth grade as well, but this will be subject to family interest and demand.
Are special education services offered?
The school is structured to offer traditional classroom-based instruction delivered by dedicated teachers. Special Ed services are generally available through local public school districts who receive substantial state funding to support these accommodations.
What is the cost of tuition?
Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year is $18,000 per student for all academic grades. 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 qualifying applicants the opportunity to enroll. Hawthorn has engaged CLARITY financial aid service to assist with calculating additional tuition awards. Once a student is admitted, Grant and Aid applications will be accepted directly through CLARITY.
Why is there 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.
Where are students commuting from?
We currently have families commuting from many towns in both Westchester and Fairfield counties and beyond. In New York state, we have families coming from Bedford, Bedford Hills, Cortlandt Manor, Katonah, Mount Kisco, Pelham, Pelham Manor, Pound Ridge, Shrub Oak, South Salem, Thornwood, White Plains, and Yorktown Hills. From Connecticut, we have families in Darien, Danbury, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Ridgefield, Stamford, and Wilton. Families from Manhattan have also relocated to the area to attend our school. Privately arranged carpools are popular with many families.
Is transportation provided?
Per New York state law, local school districts are required to provide transportation to students living within 15 miles of a non-public school at no extra charge. Families must apply for transit with their home district in advance of the April 1st deadline. Unfortunately, those living outside of New York State are not eligible for public school bus service.
What makes a school inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaría Escrivá different from any other school?
Schools inspired by the teachings of St. Josemaría Escrivá 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 such schools means that our school’s 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.
Who was St. Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei?
St. Josemaría Escrivá was a Spanish priest who founded Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church, whose charism 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. St. Josemaría’s teachings inform the mission and praxis of our school insofar as our faculty and administration seek to do their work well for love of God and to be examples of virtue to the students they form and all who are a part of our community.
What is Hawthorn’s relationship with the Archdiocese?
We are currently leasing our campus from the Archdiocese of New York, but are otherwise entirely independent of the Archdiocese from an academic and operational perspective.
How are Catholic devotions lived out in the school?
The Catholic Faith is lived out in both small and large ways in an atmosphere of freedom. For example, we offer daily Mass, begin the day 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 informs aspects of the life of the school, as we celebrate important festival days with delicious food and friendly competition. Thus, students will 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 offers consistent example of professional men and women who aspire to serve 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 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 use technology for particular assignments, such as typing essays.
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 an elevated 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 schools, wearing a uniform affords students the opportunity to more readily develop a sense of dignified professionalism in their work. Many parents report that uniforms simplify family life by helping with budgeting and sustainability.
What extracurricular activities are offered?
Currently, the Hawthorn School offers Chorus Club, Math Club, and Cross Country, with the hope of adding more clubs in the coming year.
For parents, we have clubs too! Our Father’s and Mother’s Club both meet monthly. These groups help to foster strong relationships between students, between parents and their children, and among families at the school.
Additionally, we encourage students to pursue their interests with an enterprising spirit by proposing new clubs of their own.
Does Hawthorn offer summer camps?
Yes, sign up here!
What is the student-teacher ratio?
The current student-teacher ratio is 1:8.
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, traditionally associated with devotion to the Virgin Mary.