Get to Know the CEO!
Our CEO Brigette Emerick has been involved with HHCS since our founding in 2010, wearing many hats and impacting countless students. Mrs. Emerick and her husband both graduated from Hyndman (before our school was established) and one of her sons currently attends HHCS and the other graduated from HHCS. She is even the author of our school mission statement! Find out more about our CEO, in her own words:
1. When did you join HHCS?
I got involved as one of the founders back in 2010. The school district was conducting studies and deciding if they wanted to close our school(s) in Hyndman. I incorporated and created a PTO organization and from there our founding group was born. I was a board member for almost 6 years and didn't start working at HHCS until July of 2016. I was the Operations Manager until October of 2020 when I became the CEO. Mrs. Holliday our principal handles all the educational aspects and I handle the business side of things. We have a great administrative team at HHCS and we all wear many hats and work very hard for our staff and students. Everyone has their own talents and skill sets and we compliment each other very well and work together seamlessly!
2. Who was your favorite teacher and why?
That would be a three way tie between Mrs. Sylva Willison, Mrs. Judy VanMeter and Mr. Les Bistline. All three were hardworking dedicated teachers that cared about their students, the school, their coworkers, and the community. I believe they instilled that in all of their students to a certain degree. I am very thankful that all three of them were part of my education journey!
3. How does HHCS’s mission and vision align with your personal values?
I actually wrote the mission statement when the school was founded so I wholeheartedly believe in our mission. Every student deserves the best opportunity to learn and grow. The more individualized we can make that education, the better it is for the child. They are happier and eager to learn!
HHCS a community-oriented lifelong learning environment which both reflects and helps to shape Hyndman and its surrounding areas. Striving for high academic achievement and a high rate of post-secondary continuing education, HHCS extends the conventional K-12 classroom teaching/learning boundaries to include varied educational endeavors, employing multiple mediums, settings, and locations to model and promote the practice of lifelong learning. We recognize that each child is an individual and that they are all creative and need to succeed. Therefore, HHCS respects and strives to meet the individual needs of all of our children in a caring and creative environment and we emphasize the social, physical and intellectual development of each child.
4. What do you love most about your role at HHCS?
I love my job. I love seeing the students grow and prosper and I love working with our staff! Each day I get up and get ready for work without hesitation. Most days (even in the summer) I'm at work before 7 a.m. and some days by 6 a.m.
Without a doubt hearing from former students is also uplifting. I recently received an email (it was sent to the school counselor, several high school teachers, the principal and me) thanking us for everything we did for her and updating us on what she is currently doing and pursuing.
5. What else would you like us to know about YOU?
I am a Hyndman graduate (before this HHCS public charter school), I have 2 boys and have been married for 31 years to my husband Kris. Our oldest (Bryce) graduated from HHCS in 2016, obtained a Petroleum Engineering degree from Marietta College in 2020 and currently is a System Operator at AES Ohio. Our youngest (Ethan) is entering 8th grade at HHCS and is a member of the band and Squiz team.
We have lived in a lot of different places over the last 31 years, including Salisbury, MD for 10 years, Lebanon, PA for 5 years and Van Buren AR for about 18 months. We returned to the Hyndman, PA area in June of 2006 and decided to build our house and settle here in 2008. This is home!
Join Mrs. Emerick and the rest of the dedicated team at HHCS. It’s not too late. We’re still enrolling!
ABOUT HHCS
Striving for high academic achievement, and a high rate of post-secondary continuing education, HHCS extends K-12 classroom teaching and learning boundaries to include varied educational endeavors, multiple mediums, dual enrollment and work experience programs to model and promote the practice of lifelong learning. Find out more about our close-knit community school where every student is known for who they are and how they best learn. Enrolling tuition-free for grades K-12, today!