FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL I wish everyone had been able to hear three of our seniors at this year’s first Discovery Day as they talked to prospective families about what was special to them about Glenelg Country School. At GCS, one of them said, “the faculty teach you how to think, not what to think!” In hearing this, I reflected on our founder, Kingdon Gould, how much he valued independent thought, and how relevant this is in today’s world. In an age where we all have immediate access to so much information and opinion, the ability to think for oneself, to make creative connections across subject areas, and
MATT WALSH
to arrive at independent judgments is more important than ever. Another student mentioned the importance of personal relationships here, how faculty are interested in getting to know them as people first, and how available and willing they are to provide extra support outside of the classroom. This is something the faculty themselves have talked to me a lot about during a series of one on one and larger group conversations since my arrival here. They value more than anything getting to know our students, understanding what is unique about them as individuals, helping them to develop their gifts, and encouraging them to explore new things. The students also talked about the wide array of opportunities (academic, athletic, fine arts, clubs, activities, etc.) offered at GCS. They mentioned not just how much freedom they have to delve into these opportunities but how much they value being encouraged by faculty to explore their own interests. One of these seniors was inspired to start a new Middle School Club, which you will read about in this edition of Spirit of the Dragon. Also in this edition (aptly called New Beginnings), our division heads (Hilary McCarthy, Kevin Boland, and Brandon Neblett) reflect on the start of the new school year and what that they have observed so far as we continue to try to optimize our learning environment and return to normal activities as much as we safely can, recognizing that the pandemic is still very much with us. We will embrace this balancing act as a school this year as we embark on the strategic planning process. Despite the many challenges posed by the COVID era, I have been inspired by how aspirational and hopeful this community is about our future. We have every reason to be optimistic. One of our alumni faculty members said that to him, what makes GCS special is that “you can be you here” and there is no mold that the School is trying to put you in. No doubt, we enjoy an incredibly rich diversity of background, thought, and perspective in this community, and this will be our greatest resource as we chart new paths together. Go Dragons!
FALL 2021
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