Glen Urquhart School

"Our mission, vision, and values not only reaffirm who we are, what we believe in, and where we are going, they are the bedrock upon which our unique and enriching educational experience is built, one that resonates deeply with our community, perhaps now more than ever. In an independent school, we have the agency to teach in a way that’s both relevant and engaging for our students, that allows them to deepen their critical thinking and inquiry skills, and stays true to who we are." Read more from Head of School Gretchen Forsyth, on why educators and families choose independent schools. https://lnkd.in/eFzgzirk

This year at GUS, we have been working hard to help guide our families through what we are calling The InbeTWEEN - the messy and unpredictable early teen years between fourth and eighth grade that are notoriously challenging for parents to navigate. The good news is that we have many experts on the subject here at GUS, and we’ve got some sound pointers for surviving this tricky time. The bad news is that the only ‘normal’ thing about being a tween is that everything feels (as your tween might say) ‘sus’, and we mean EVERYTHING. Read more from School Counselor Bre Brandt:

"We’ve been talking a lot about the tween years and how messy they can be. It’s true, the road through middle school can be bumpy! It’s awkward and uncomfortable, but it is also equally exciting and joyful. These years are also some of the most profound, developmentally. For us, as teachers and parents, the joy of witnessing children come into themselves lies not just in their achievements but even more so in the realization that they are becoming the people they are meant to be. It is truly a gift to bear witness to this growth." Read more from Head of School Gretchen Forsyth in our January Tartan.

The GUS community was well-represented at last week's National Association of Independent Schools?People of Color Conference! Pictured: Director of Upper School Brad Belin P’27’30’32 (also a presenter!),Sara Wilson P’29, and Board of Trustees Vice President, Michael Buensuceso.

"In my family, Thanksgiving is the most important of occasions. It was particularly meaningful for my parents. As a result, we have a lot of traditions, right down to cooking a turkey with special apple wood. Yet, most importantly, my parents passed down an understanding of how meaningful it is to pause, look inward, and acknowledge the many blessings in our lives, both big and small. Before we gather with loved ones during this season of reflection and gratitude, let’s take a moment to be grateful for GUS." Read more from Head of School, Gretchen Forsyth, in her monthly letter.

"Research consistently shows that outdoor learning benefits students emotionally and academically. Throughout my years at GUS, I have witnessed this firsthand. Students forge connections between outdoor learning and their experiences, finding peace and calm as they sketch our GUS stream. Collecting pollinator data and comparing it to past records fosters inquiry into broader issues like pesticides and climate change." Science Teacher Emilie Cushing shares why she hopes that shining a light on outdoor learning, while not a new concept for GUS, will allow us to expand upon the rich learning experiences our campus offers all students.

"Project based learning builds something within a student, beyond the graded product. That something is connection. Earlier this year, I reached out to Dawn Southworth, our art teacher of 30 years, to propose a collaboration. The idea was to have students generate a visual representation of a scene from the spooky story they were writing in English Language Arts." Hear more about the Spooky Story Share project from Upper School English Teacher Kate Doyon '01!

This summer, Pre-K Teacher Polly Pfau P'33 traveled to Norway, where she explored the Scandinavian philosophy of friluftsliv, and their outdoor schools. Her trip was made possible by The Tadler Grant, which provides opportunities for GUS teachers to explore and bring first-hand experiences and knowledge back to the classroom. Read more about her trip and what she is bringing back to the GUS Pre-K classroom!

Glen Urquhart School has a long history of partnering with families to make a GUS education accessible. For the last five years, we have been working to deliver on and improve upon that commitment by?reimagining our entire admission process to make it more equitable, transparent, and accessible. Additionally, at GUS, our child-centric approach puts students at the center of their learning, and we are proud to reflect that same philosophy in our admission process with an approach that is individualized to each family. This school year, we are proud to further expand access to our school by offering rolling admission to students in first through eighth grade.

"How I love the Tartan as a metaphor for GUS! The idea of individual threads coming together to create something special certainly rings true here on campus - and in this newsletter! This issue features some amazing GUS stories that are both new and exciting while also authentically and classically GUS." Read more from Head of School Gretchen Forsyth in her October Message, and catch up on what's going on at GUS in our first Tartan newsletter of the year!