Another mystery is how the students are selected and paired. Part of that process is a selection committee, whose membership includes the headmaster and the support staff. This Interlude doesn't address the entire mystery, but it does show some of the inner workings of the committee.

This interlude opens midway through one of the last selection committee working sessions for the year. The committee is chaired by the head of the support staff, and includes the entire support staff and the headmaster of the school. As is normal at such meetings, the entire committee is present. They have already resolved six of the eight students to make offers to, and are struggling over the final two.

"Are you sure we are equipped to handle a girl with her problems?" asked Quentin.

"If not us, then who? She fits all of our criteria for selection. Surely you won't say someone ELSE is in a better position to help her, Quentin," Dan replied.

"Better, no. But, she will be really hard on both her support staff and even more on her study partner."

"Granted. One of our founding principles as a school is to be here to help children in situations that keep them from attaining their full potential. While they may not have envisioned someone like her when we were set up, can you envision any other school, she might attend, that could help her reach her potential?" Dan continued to drive home his point. "She even has one point in her favor, over the vast majority of our students: she won't be hurt by the restriction against seeing her family."

"That's all well and good, but doesn't help us get through the first year. You know that it's not until near the end of the year, where it becomes obvious that the older kids are not talking about going home, that we generally have to tell them the rule. So, yes the rule is unlikely to impact her, and if we can get her through the year that fact may help the rest of her year mates." Tracy couldn't help but shudder a little, as she thought about the issues the girl faced. "Seriously, gaining her trust, and even getting her to WORK with a study partner are going to be a monumental undertaking."

"We don't even have a decent candidate to be a study partner for her," added Keith. "Even if we did, would it be fair to saddle her with this girl's issues?"

"That's not exactly true, Keith," interposed Kate. "Her study partner does not HAVE to be another girl."

"What, you mean the American? You can't be serious. That has all sorts of potential problems. First, being that he IS an American." At Kate's shaking head, he bulled on, "I know that legally he can attend any of our schools now. What happens if his father is posted elsewhere, before he finishes? Not only that, we've been able to maintain a low profile with the government since our graduates are all we said they'd be when the school was started. Offering him a position will surely cause his government to do a background check on us. Can we stand up to that? And, if they are doing that kind of check, it could bring others' attention to us. While we're not breaking many laws in the way we provide care to our students, we are certainly bending a few."

"If those are your only objections, Keith, I think you need to think about our official charter, and what you just said. Those issues have nothing to do with the boy," Kate said, bringing Keith up short. "The only one that remotely affects him is what happens if his family moves. And, as long as we sponsor him, he can remain and finish, so that's not an issue either."

Keith seemed to draw back, "You're right. I've been thinking of the school and problems we may experience, not the boy." He turned and addressed the others. "Say we do offer him a position, how can we best support the two of them? An almost thirteen-year-old is not equipped to deal with her problems. I'M not equipped to deal with them."

"Keith, I'd suggest that Kate, Becky or I take her on, as she'd likely have fewer issues talking with a female counsellor," Tracy interjected.

"No, Tracy. I'm afraid I'm the last person she needs for two reasons," Kate contradicted. "Secondarily, and I may as well let you all know now, I'm retiring at the end of the year."

This drew quite a few intakes of breath.

"Kate, you've been here longer than any of us. You were even one of the founding counsellors that made this school what it is. How can you bear to leave?" asked Becky.

"It's not been an easy decision. Quentin has been trying to convince me to stay on a few more years, but looking at the kids, I think the ones I have right now will be able to handle the transition to a new counsellor better than any batch I've had in five years. I mean, take a look at Stacy. She's sure to be selected for top girl after June, and there's nobody more stable than Andy." That got a laugh. "No seriously, I know he fools around a bit. Though, when things get serious, how many others have you seen get that focused on what really needs to be done?" She paused a moment, "However, we're getting off track. Tracy, the other, larger reason I can't take them on is something I noticed on page twelve of her dossier. Read the description of the matron who handled her return from her second foster home."

The others went to the page in question. "Oh my, Kate, I don't know how I missed it, but that description sounds like she could be your sister."

"Exactly, and someone that could muck things up with her like that... In any event, there's little chance she'll be willing to talk to, much less open up, to me like she needs to."

"What about Becky or me?"

"Becky's married, and you've a full load now." All of the younger staff looked at her with that. "I'm not saying you're not very good counsellors. Quite the contrary, you wouldn't be here otherwise. The issue is your experience and available time. Her profile indicates that she's become VERY close-mouthed around young counsellors. I can't say I blame her, but it does pose us a problem. Assuming we offer her a position, any person assigned to her to will need a LOT of time as well."

"Why does my being married have anything to do with," Becky started. "Oh, you expect more over nights being needed, don't you."

"Exactly, but, that's only part of it. We all have personal issues that make things hard. Challenging student issues that we can recognize and anticipate shouldn't make things harder. What, with your eldest starting school next year, and your youngest' issues... No, you and Keith have your hands full."

"I don't like to not pull my weight." Becky started.

"No, you both do your share. But, adding this on top. I'm sorry, but that's more than we will ask."

Dan interrupted, before it could go further. "I interviewed her, and while she wasn't overly forthcoming, as I indicated in my report, she also didn't clam up completely. That's why I recommended her so strongly. I believe we can help her out of her shell."

"I understand, Dan. Based on your report, if she is offered a position, I'm afraid you're the only person on staff that would do. Also, you are right that the boy is by far the most likely person to be trusted, or at least accepted by her. Our background checks on him and the comments you reported that his classmates made about him, all indicate that he is reserved himself. The test results and everything else tell us that he doesn't force himself on others." She paused then, and looked around the table. "To be honest, if we offer her a position, I think we have to ask the boy and hope that he accepts. What alternative do we have for her, for a study partner?"

"The next best partner for her is Judith Hawes. However, as you can all see, there is likely to be friction, if not major fireworks between the two for quite a while, before they settle down. I'm willing to deal with that, if it comes to it," Dan replied.

"I do still have qualms about offering him a position. And I wonder if, even if we do, if he'll accept. After all, his family situation is not a problem. He's accepted at school, and it is a good school. Why would he accept? And, if he doesn't, Judith isn't anywhere near as good a match."

"True, she's not. But, I actually believe he will accept. His current situation isn't as universally good as you paint. His older brother, to whom he was very close, recently moved away and is currently living in America with their grandparents. Add in, that while he has a few kids at his school he talks to regularly, he's not good friends with any of them. He's the outsider and an American, so different. All in all, I honestly believe he and his parents will accept the offer, if we make it."

"Dan, it looks like you and Kate have put a LOT of thought into the pair. Have you thought about what HE gets out of the school in the short and long run? I mean, we'll be taking him out of a fairly decent situation."

"Oh, it's certainly not a one way street. His current piano teacher is, in many ways, inadequate. He was composing, admittedly simple pieces, when he lived in Naples. And his teacher there had very high hopes for him, and encouraged him to continue. I talked to Sarah Russell, and she indicated that she can continue his musical education on piano and composition. She also suggested that, from my description, he would likely be interested in orchestration. Finally, she said that she has the contacts needed to bring in appropriate adjuncts should they be needed. There's no way a single outside teacher can do so much for him musically."

"You really HAVE done your research here, Dan. What did Sarah say about the orchestra? We've not had a pianist perform with the orchestra. Well, not for over a decade anyway. I'm sure he'll need to learn something to contribute besides the piano."

"Yes, she said that she would bring him into the percussion section. There's a lot of crossover from piano to several percussion instruments. Added to that, he'll have Andy there as a mentor."

"Okay. So, we can offer him something. Besides the risk to the school, not being able to offer him a real benefit was my concern," rejoined the headmaster.

"Quentin, we can address the school risks. We've had risky students before, and they've handled them in the States as well." This last comment generated several different reactions. "Okay, so one time it didn't go well, but they still managed to keep the school together and the students were not seriously hurt."

Keith nodded at that. "So, Dan, are you willing to take them BOTH on?"

Dan gave a sigh, "I think it best, Keith. There's a good chance he will be open with me, after all we share something in common," which got polite chuckles from some of the others. "Besides, he was fairly open in the interview and all of the reports indicate that as well. I think he'll be a good ally in helping her. And, I think his very stability will help her more than we can imagine."

"That's true, Dan. I doubt we have much to hope for, besides acceptance for a while. If they can eventually open up to each other, you'll have your hands full."

Dan laughed. "I suspect you're right on both counts, Kate. And, I think I'll have to agree it would be better if I take them both on. You'll take both Ingrid and Fran?" At her nod, "I thought so. And the other two pairs don't have any major issues." The last was said more quietly, to himself rather than the others.

The committee couldn't find another good pair out of the current year's crop of candidates. In the end, the committee decided to make the offers to the previously selected six students, along with the two agreed on in this session, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Some further information on the selection process may be useful. The process at each school is NOT the same. As Hayfield Hall is the oldest of the schools sponsored by S.P.A. it should not be surprising to discover that their process is the most formal.

Students come from two sources. One group (the smallest contributor, by far) is identified through many paths several years prior to their possible entry to Hayfield Hall. David/Jayne fell into this category. Not all students identified and followed by S.P.A. as possible students at the Hall ever attend, nor are even offered positions there. The majority end up going to normal schools for various reasons, and grow up to be productive members of society. It is only those with great potential, whose potential is not being met by their current circumstances and who are interviewed.

The vast majority of students are identified by a battery of tests given at schools across the country. Not all schools participate, as there is no mandate as such. Some schools participate in the testing–to receive an independent assessment of how they're doing, as educators. The test includes a number of non-academic areas, and even in the academic areas it is very different from other tests in that the emphasis is placed on how the students think, more than things they've learned already.

From the two pools, almost five hundred are identified for final screening interviews by the school support staff. The staff are looking for confirmation of what got the students identified in the first place, whether the student is likely to be able to adapt to the school both intellectually and emotionally. Finally, the staff makes sure that the school can provide all, or at least most, of the support the students will need to reach their potential. The vast majority fail on one or more of these checks. The interviewers write an assessment of every candidate. Background checks are performed on the entire pool, and this information is available to the support staff during the interview, and later in the selection process.

Many long days and nights go into assessing the candidates; culminating in a series of meetings by the selection committee. Each rejection is reviewed by at least one other staff member, to confirm the decision. Then, the remaining students are judged in several categories, including medical need, mental flexibility, musical talent, intelligence and acuity, family, and many more. These assessments are useful, but far from the only tool they use.

Each potential student is then paired with the others, to see if a pairing is likely to result in either or both gaining greater potential through their interactions. There ARE times when no suitable partner can be found, in which case even the best candidate has to be rejected, but most of the time there are several other candidates they could beneficially be paired with. Andrew Haynes, eventually paired with Marcus/Stacy, being one such example. In every case, at least one alternate for each member of an identified pair has to be available to deal with the rare cases when a student was offered a position, but for some reason turned it down.

Some years, they ended up with more pairings than could be accommodated. Other years, like the one above, coming up with four good pairs was difficult. On more than one occasion, they seriously considered increasing the class size from eight to ten. But, until unusual circumstances came up in the 2005/2006 year, they ultimately maintained the eight student class.

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