8th Grade Arts Night 2023

For 27 years now, students at GUS have participated in something called the White Shirt Project, created by art teacher Dawn Southworth.

Sustainability at GUS: 2022-2023

In terms of sustainable practices, this year at GUS we are not reinventing the wheel; we are merely refining our current practices, reevaluating our curriculum, and working to create some achievable goals for the future.

GUS Names New Director of Summer + Auxiliary Programs

We are pleased to announce Joseph Jean-Mary as our new Director of Summer + Auxiliary Programs.

Faculty, NewsWhitney BuckleyOctober 7, 2022joseph jean-mary, SUMMER@GUS, auxiliary programming, hiring, new hire

New Faculty 2022-2023

We are thrilled to welcome (and welcome back!) a number of new faculty members for the school year 2022-23.

FacultyWhitney BuckleySeptember 27, 2022kate ventimiglia, Sam Kourtz, Tamara Villalva Garcia, Margaret Monteith

Brad Belin + Katie Chhu Join Inaugural Cohort of AISNE’s Leadership and Racial Justice Fellows

Over the summer, Brad Belin, Assistant Head of School for Curriculum + Program and Director of Upper School, and Katie Chhu, Director of Admission, joined the inaugural cohort of AISNE's Leadership and Racial Justice Fellows for a weekend centered on inclusion and equity in our schools.

Faculty, DEIWhitney BuckleySeptember 26, 2022Emily Rabinowitz-Buchanan, Katie Chhu, Brad Belin, AISNE, Racial Justice Fellows

Faculty Celebration: Milestones + Departures

Celebrating faculty milestones, and paying tribute to our departing faculty members.

FacultyGretchen ForsythJune 22, 2022

2022 Tadler Grant Awarded to Amy Billings

This year, we are pleased to announce that the 2022 Tadler Grant has been awarded to first grade teacher Amy Billings. The grant will allow Ms. Billings to travel to Mexico City, where she will visit the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Read more about her plans below.

Faculty, TraditionsWhitney BuckleyJune 21, 2022Amy Billings, Tadler Grant, Richard and Donna Tadler

The Power of Writing

I believe that writing can be powerful. Not the follow-the-guidelines, meet the criteria, formulaic kind of writing, but writing that allows us to feel or think. Watching students evolve as writers is an interesting process. Some children focus on grammar usage, vocabulary variety, and content development and organization. Those are good goals. The challenge is to build these skills while also keeping the author’s voice.

Maria Rodrigo Leaman: Lower School Spanish

Maria Rodrigo Leaman joined GUS as Lower School Spanish teacher in the fall of 2021, teaching students in grades pre-k through 5. Hear directly from Maria about her approach to teaching, why she loves to teach Spanish, why it’s important to begin teaching foreign language at a young age.

FacultyWhitney BuckleyMay 28, 2022Maria Rodrigo Leaman, Spanish Teacher

3 Questions with Annie Barton, Jeffrey Bartsch + Sydney Clarke

In honor of their combined 50 years of service to Glen Urquhart School, in a variety of roles, Annie Barton, Jeffrey Bartsch, and Sydney Clarke reflect on their time here, and what they will miss the most when they leave at the end of this school year.

FacultyWhitney BuckleyApril 28, 2022Annie Barton, Jeffrey Bartsch, Sydney Clarke

Meet our New Assistant Head of School + Director of Admission

We are excited to welcome two new members to the GUS Administrative Team, Brad Belin as assistant head of school for curriculum + program, director of upper school, and Katie Chhu, director of admission and community outreach.

Faculty, NewsWhitney BuckleyApril 26, 2022Brad Belin, Katie Chhu

Musical Adventures in a COVID World

Throughout the pandemic, Music Teacher Patty Clark faced no shortage of challenges to her music class. Not being able to sing and holding outdoor classes, among those particularly adverse, and unique, to music class.

Faculty, ArtPatty ClarkApril 25, 2022Patty Clark, music, elementary music, covid music, covid education

Why I Love Teaching Math

From the time I was very young, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I am not sure what it was exactly that I loved about it. But as the oldest of four who was often left in charge it seemed a natural fit. As a child, I would set up school for my dolls and stuffed animals and spend hours pretending to teach them.

FacultyMaureen TwomblyFebruary 23, 2022Maureen Twombly, middle school math, math, growth mindset

Fostering Connectivity + Facilitating Joy

As I take a moment to reflect on my years of teaching, I am struck by how my journey with mindfulness has evolved into an essential part of my being and at the core of my teaching. I am blessed to teach, to be in a profession that fosters connectivity and facilitates joy.

Honoring Native Land

As we head into the Thanksgiving Holiday break, and reflect on our promise to ask who writes the stories, who benefits from the stories, and who is missing from the stories, we want to take this opportunity to explain why we wrote a Land Acknowledgement, why it’s important, and where we plan to go next as we continue to recognize and honor those who came before us.

(More Than) a Few Words from Mr. Bartsch

Jeffrey Bartsch began his journey at GUS in 2010, when he agreed to spearhead the new humanities program. Over the course of eleven years, his humanities 8 has come to be an important cornerstone of the 8th grade year, helping to define a GUS education. Here, he shares his unexpected path to teaching, his approach to teaching, and some changes that lay ahead.

FacultyJeffrey BartschNovember 22, 2021Jeffrey Bartsch, humanities, 8th grade

How a Progressive Education Responds to the Times

While I’ve always believed that a progressive education model that puts the students' needs at the center of the learning experience is how students learn best, the need for this kind of approach is more essential than ever. Today, a truly progressive educational setting can help our children not only survive in a post pandemic world, but more importantly, thrive.

Going Deeper + Further with DEI

In this new school year, backed by the board and the investment of our full community, we are ready to go deeper + further as we work towards the goals we outlined in our DEI plan.