Welcome to Hampstead Hill Academy
Hampstead Hill Academy is a PreK through 8th grade Baltimore City public charter school. Our school is ranked Number 1 in City Schools in elementary and middle school grades. HHA’s elementary grades are ranked in the 94th percentile in the State of Maryland, and our middle grades are ranked in the 98th percentile in the State of Maryland. For the 2025 school year, Hampstead Hill Academy received a 5-star rating on the Report Card from the Maryland State Department of Education click here. Read More Here.
Important Updates to Breakfast, Arrival, Dismissal and Playground Use Policies
Políticas de Desayuno: Llegada y Salida
from the Desk of principal hornbeck
September, 2026
Dear Hampstead Hill Academy Family,
Welcome back! To our incredible 2,000 members of our school family and 900+ bright-eyed students, I am so excited to begin this new year with you. Our first day was magical. Our hallways buzzed with happy hellos and classrooms were filled with smiles and curiosity. The day went very smoothly, a true testament to the strength of this community. Thank you for preparing your children so well, and thank you to our amazing staff for making every child feel seen and valued from the moment they walked in. And speaking of things to celebrate, our new playground is finally here! I hope you’ve had a chance to play on it. The slides, the climbers, the open space for imagination. It’s going to be the backdrop for countless friendships and joyful recess memories this year.
A very special welcome to our new families. We are so glad you’re here. You are now part of a school that doesn’t just teach. It cares, it lifts and it grows together. As we settle into daily routines, I want to gently remind you of the little habits make the biggest difference.
Please help your child by reinforcing:
- consistent bedtimes,
- creating a quiet homework nook,
- reading together each night (even just 10 minutes!),
- and making sure supplies stay organized (a huge shout-out to our incredible PTO for buying and distributing supplies for every kid!).
Also, a friendly reminder about our cell phone-free policy. Keeping devices away during the day helps our students stay focused and fully present in their learning. For daily updates and quick chats with teachers, ClassDojo is our go-to. Returning families are already plugged in, and new families will receive sign-up information from their homeroom teachers very soon. Don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here for you!
Also, mark your calendars! I can’t wait to see you all at our Back to School Night on Thursday, September 10th from 5:30–7:30 pm. We’ll share more about our goals for the year, introduce our team and celebrate this wonderful community together.
I’ll leave you with a line from one of my favorite movies, “KPop Demon Hunters,” because it reminds me of HHA: “That’s the funny thing about hope. Nobody else gets to decide if you feel it. That choice belongs to you.” That’s exactly what you do, HHA. You choose to show up. You choose to lift each other up, and that’s why this school is so special. Here’s to a year of growth, joy and connection.
With warmth and gratitude,
Matt Hornbeck
Principal
