When the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, there is a special energy on campus! Spring is my favorite time of year in schools, though I think I say that about the period between Thanksgiving and winter break (and the week of the Boar Cup too!).
Read MoreThis past month, we have been focusing on all the joy at GUS, which has not been hard to do! Every day at GUS, there are countless moments that warm our hearts and feed our souls.
Read MoreThis Solstice promise of lighter and brighter days ahead is certainly coming true here at GUS. The Class of 2024 took one giant step closer to graduation with the completion of an amazing Arts Night. Their speeches gave us wonderful insight into this class, both as individuals and as a collective group, and we could not be more proud.
Read MoreAs we enter the final stretch of the calendar year, with the winter solstice fast approaching, it is time to reflect on gratitude and community. Gratitude, it has been said, is the key that unlocks a happier and more fulfilling life. It allows us to acknowledge the abundance that surrounds us and fosters a positive outlook.
Read MoreOne of the wonderful things about our new mission statement is that it begins with ‘through the joys of learning.’ In early drafts that part had been at the end, and at the suggestion of our faculty, we moved it to the front. That change felt so right! Here at GUS, we always lead with joy and that has certainly been true this fall.
Read MoreAs the GUS strategic planning process continues, in partnership with the Board of Trustees and the school, Head of School Gretchen Forsyth shares why it's important to look to the future needs of our children to find creative and innovative ways to push our school further, and bring our vision to life.
Read MoreAs we begin the 2023-2024 school year, who we are as a school is clearer than ever, and I’m proud to share our new mission, vision, and values - a collective effort by many members of the GUS community:
Read MoreWe are pleased and honored to share that The Carol Stewart Memorial Fund has been formally established at Glen Urquhart School. This fund, lovingly and thoughtfully supported by her family and friends, will make small, annual gifts to help offset the costs of GUS preschool for the children of our faculty and staff.
Read MoreThe 2022-2023 school year was the year of inquiry! An important and essential GUS question guided our strategy and planning throughout the year - who am I?
Read MoreI’ve been thinking a lot about learning and making mistakes. Maybe it was watching the 8th grade in The Little Mermaid? There is a girl who makes a seemingly big mistake, but also rights the wrong and saves the day. I keep thinking about how our children crave independence and how incredibly scary that is for us as parents.
Read MoreSo often I think of the quote ‘what would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?,’ and how this philosophy not only drives important developmental growth for students, but also helps them discover new parts of themselves.
Read MoreAs it does every year, it feels as though we are off to the races from the moment we arrive back on campus from March break, slowly gaining speed all the way through to June and graduation. With so much going on this time of year, it’s important to remember all this “fun” is actually important development milestones that encourage and celebrate important student growth in so many ways.
Read MoreWhen the Enrollment Management Association asked to feature our approach in a podcast, we were flattered to be recognized for innovating the traditional approach to financial aid which can create a barrier for families to explore independent schools.
Read MoreFebruary into March is a very busy time for schools. Here at GUS, it is no different. The second trimester is wrapping up and we are all eagerly awaiting Open Mic Night, Boar Cup, Spring Break, and secondary school admissions decisions. It’s an excellent time to slow down and reflect.
Read MoreHere at GUS, the old adage “the more things change, the more they stay the same” seems to ring true. Skyscrapers, Lighthouses, and White Shirt projects came in over the first weeks since the winter break…
Read MoreAs we are now deep in fall and preparing for GrandFriends’ Day and Bread day in the near future, the year seems to be flying by! It’s been a whirlwind first few months of school, as we return to a relative “normal” year. While so much is the same, we find ourselves in a moment of reflection, more closely examining not only who we are but who we want to be.
Read MoreI was reading an article in NAIS’ Independent School Magazine that talks about long-serving headship. In the article, the author discusses the idea of schools as seasonal, cyclical communities in a state of perpetual becoming. This idea spoke to me deeply, and highlights why I love the start of a new school year and the profound sense of hope that it brings.
Read MoreIt can be hard to watch the news these days and sometimes even impossible if your children are in the room. It seems as though the unthinkable happens every day. The mass-shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and the recent race-related shootings in Buffalo, NY and Laguna Woods, California make it clear that there are just some truths we can’t shield our children from.
Read MoreGrowing up is hard. Skinned knees, monsters under the bed, clothes stained beyond recognition, childhood can be scary, messy, and sometimes painful. As parents, we cringe when they ride a two-wheeler for the first time. Full of pride and scared to death that they’ll hurt themselves. We buy goldfish, weekly if need be, to protect their young hearts from the pain of loss. We want them to grow up, but we also want to protect them. As someone who has worked with many families with children from pre-k through high school, I can attest that these feelings never go away.
Read MoreIn my family, Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday. When I think about why that is, it’s not about yummy food or holiday hooplah, it’s about the simplicity in how my family celebrates. For us, this is a time to slow down, come together, and take a moment to be grateful for life’s many blessings. Every year, there seem to be more reasons to be thankful. Over the last few years, the reasons to be grateful keep multiplying, especially here at GUS.
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