welcome to hcs
The mission of Hampshire Country School holds a special place in my heart. From the moment I set foot on campus, I knew I had come home; the work we do here, and the way we do it, is meaningful in a way I can hardly put into words. It’s rare to find a place where differences are embraced so wholly and where lighthearted understanding colors every community interaction. I can’t imagine a more rewarding place to dedicate my time and energy.
Hampshire Country School is a place of possibilities for high-ability, neurodiverse students enrolling in later elementary or middle school who have not found success in traditional educational environments. Hampshire Country School offers understanding, light-heartedness, and structure to educate students in a family-style, supportive, and calming learning community.
To me, these are not merely words on a website or in a glossy brochure. While I didn’t attend Hampshire Country School myself, I am neurodivergent, and I owe much of my own success to a few calm, light-hearted adults in my childhood who saw me clearly and embraced me as I was. They understood the strengths hidden within my differences, offered structured support, and gave me the time and space necessary to explore my own unique path. These mentors, much like the dedicated teachers here, gave me the security I needed to heal, grow, and achieve academically by constantly holding me in high regard while I worked through an asynchronous adolescence.
As a child I experienced first hand what it feels like to try to fit into a society which was not built to accommodate the neurodivergent. Like our students at HCS, I also spent much of my childhood parsing out which developmental quirks were challenges I needed to work to overcome and which were actually strengths in disguise. I understand how it feels to be misunderstood. I know how vital it is to be seen and held in high regard. This personal experience drives my commitment to supporting our students at HCS as they discover their strengths, embrace their challenges, and find confidence in themselves.
HCS’s Mission is the articulation of precisely the kind of approach which changed my life as a child, and gave me the confidence and skills I needed to become a happy, successful, and thriving adult. To now lead a team that is committed to helping each student grow academically, socially, and emotionally is an incredible privilege. At HCS, we embrace and celebrate neurodivergence, recognizing the unique perspectives and strengths each student brings to the world. Our tradition is to honor, respect, and nurture each individual’s journey in a way that I know firsthand can transform lives.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Hampshire Country School brings its mission to life—through our supportive approach, the beauty of our 1,900-acre campus, and the vibrant learning community we cultivate—I warmly invite you to reach out. I’d be honored to share more about what makes HCS such a special place.
Chris Heys
Head of School
