For his extraordinary contributions demonstrating remarkable vision, resilience, and innovation during his career as a teacher, Malcolm W. Gauld, a member of the Class of 1976 and parent of a member of the Class of 2014, has been chosen to receive the 2025 Distinguished Educator Award.
The award was established in 1964 to recognize outstanding achievement in education (teaching or administration) by a ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ alumnus or alumna in any field and at any level of education.
By adopting and advancing a character-based educational model, Gauld has inspired students, families, and educators to prioritize integrity and personal growth alongside academic achievement. Championing this holistic approach, he consistently challenged traditional educational practices and helped prepare his students for purposeful lives.
Raised in the innovative educational environment of the Hyde School, founded by his father, Joseph Gauld, a member of the Class of 1951, he was immersed from an early age in a philosophy that emphasized courage, integrity, leadership, curiosity, and concern as cornerstones of a meaningful life.
Gauld was an influential student leader at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø±¬ÍøÕ¾ and, after graduating with a double major in government and history, he began his professional journey at Hyde as a teacher, quickly earning recognition for his commitment to students’ holistic development. After earning his master’s degree from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, he worked for two years as director of education, training, and recruiting at Northwestern Mutual Life in Boston, returning to Hyde to lead the school during a critical juncture in 1985, when it faced near-insolvency and leadership instability.
Under his leadership, Hyde not only recovered but flourished. Gauld expanded its reach, creating a second boarding school in Connecticut and establishing public school partnerships in major cities nationwide, including New York, Washington, DC, New Haven, and Orlando. These initiatives brought Hyde’s character-based model to diverse communities, demonstrating its adaptability and power across socioeconomic and cultural boundaries. He further extended Hyde’s positive influence through his book The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have, coauthored with his wife, Laura, which helped encourage family engagement by redefining the relationship between schools and parents nationally.
Gauld has served on accreditation committees for several decades, earning the New England Association of Schools and Colleges’ Lifetime Service Award in 2021 for his dedication to improving educational standards across the region. Colleagues have praised his optimism and collaborative spirit and creativity.
“Too often, schools focus on what students do rather than who they are becoming; we flip that,” Gauld has said, choosing to inspire educators to place character at the heart of school culture.
The award will be presented during Reunion Weekend (May 29–June 1, 2025).
