About Hyla

Hyla School was founded in 1993 group by a group of parents, teachers, and administrators with a mission to provide a thoughtful, student-centered education rooted in experiential learning, community engagement, and intellectual curiosity.

Originally established as a middle school, Hyla was created to offer an alternative to traditional education—one that nurtures the whole child and emphasizes personal growth alongside academic challenge. Over the years, Hyla has remained true to its founding values while expanding its vision.

In response to strong community support and a desire to continue this unique approach into the high school years, Hyla launched its upper school in 2021. Today, Hyla serves students in grades 5–12 across two campuses, offering a forward-thinking program that empowers students to thrive academically, socially, and personally.  

Middle School Campus (Grades 5-8)
Our 13-acre middle school campus is located on a historic homestead, redesigned as a school specifically for the developmental growth of this age group with features like outdoor hallways, separate buildings, flexible space, and lots of open outdoor space. In 2021, the entire campus was renovated, including the addition of:

• a new Community Hall
• theater
• kitchen
• HyLab (makerspace).

Our campus also includes the historic barn, outdoor playfield, disc golf course, sport court, meadow, Gaga pit, and surrounding woods and trails.

High School Campus (Grades 9-12)
Our high school campus is intentionally designed to best serve the age and the program. Our upper school campus is located on Ericksen Avenue in Winslow, with easy access to downtown, the ferry terminal, and Kitsap Transit buses.

What type of students attend Hyla? 
There’s no single “type” of Hyla student.

Our students are artists and athletes, musicians and makers, deep thinkers and big-hearted doers. What they all share is a spark: of curiosity, of compassion, of purpose.

• They ask big questions and dive into real-world challenges.

• They build strong relationships with their teachers and peers.

• They show up for their communities — with care, integrity, and action.

At Hyla, students discover new interests and stretch in new directions as they learn and lead. The best part? They experience this together in a community where connection runs deep and friendships often last a lifetime.
 

How are families communicated with? How do parents know how students are doing?
Hyla values close partnerships with families. Parents receive regular school-wide updates through weekly newsletters. Monthly progress reports are shared with families. Parents also receive formal written evaluations at the end of the year. In addition, Hyla hosts conferences where families and teachers come together to reflect on growth, set goals, and celebrate achievements.

What type of arts and athletics are offered?
At Hyla, the arts are both a dedicated program and a part of everyday learning. Middle school students take classes in visual arts and performing arts as part of the curriculum. At both the middle and upper school level students experience art woven into core subjects—using creative projects, design, and expression to deepen their academic work. Additionally, there are visual and performing art electives for all students.Our athletics program includes ultimate frisbee, along with fitness and outdoor activities. Both programs focus on creativity, teamwork, and building confidence. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in school sports through BISD.
 

Do students strongly/successfully matriculate?
YES! Hyla graduates move on to a wide range of excellent colleges and universities where they thrive both academically and socially. Our alumni are known for their curiosity, confidence, and ability to build strong relationships with teachers and peers.
 

What makes the education unique?
Hyla is built on four essentials:

• Purposeful learning: grounded in relevance, driven by curiosity.
• Real-world connection: in the classroom and beyond.
• Creative exploration: where imagination meets action.
• Community care: because learning is relational.

Here, students don’t just prepare for college—they prepare for life.
 

Do you offer transportation?
Parents are responsible for transporting their students to and from school, but we do offer a shuttle service for off-island families. We encourage car-pooling.  We also partner with Kitsap Transit's "BI Ride"  bus service and they come to our middle school every afternoon after school. Students at our upper school can walk to the ferry terminal to access all the Kitsap Transit bus routes.

What does it cost? 
Hyla uses a Flexible Tuition model. Flexible Tuition allows different families to pay different amounts based on their unique financial circumstances.

2025-2026 Tuition Range*:
Middle School: $4,500 - $29,972
Upper School: $4,900 - $32,728

*A limited number of families may pay as little as $1,500 per year, based on demonstrated need.