A Mindset of Continuous Growth At

GCDS, We Are All Learners

“At GCDS, we are intentionally focused on continuous professional growth, development, and lifelong learning for our faculty and staff. We plan opportunities to learn not only from outside experts, but also from our own internal expertise, as we explore new knowledge, skills, and practices that help us support student growth. These opportunities not only help our teachers and staff remain at the top of their field, but it is also an important piece of our recruitment and retention work.”

—Jacqueline Jenkins, Assistant Head of School

As important as investing in the GCDS Co-Teacher Program, which provides professional growth and development opportunities for recent college graduates and additional resources in our classrooms, we also value continuous learning for all members of the community. Not only is it important to model lifelong learning for the students in our care, but it is incumbent upon us to take advantage of new and continuously evolving knowledge, research, and information on best practices for teaching and learning.

GCDS faculty and staff attend workshops and conferences, as well as participate in on-site professional development with speakers and topic experts. Recent examples include training for Lower and Upper Elementary teachers in Illustrative Mathematics, providing instructional strategies and tools for boosting achievement. Additional training was provided in Responsive Classroom a student-centered, social emotional approach to creating a safe, joyful, and engaging learning environment. This year, teachers will be attending the ACTFL conference—the national organization supporting world language learning—as they prepare for an in-depth curriculum review—a cyclical process that each subject area undergoes. Additionally, the P.E. teacher team will be attending the national SHAPE America National Conference this spring, and the MS Math team will be attending the NCTM National Conference in Baltimore.

At GCDS, we tap into our own expertise as faculty work on Nursery through Grade 12 curriculum articulation and alignment to our Portrait of a Learner capacities and Design Principles. Faculty collaborate across subject areas to create interdisciplinary learning experiences for students.

Program area experts provide in-house professional development opportunities—the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office guides us in ensuring a sense of belonging for every member of the community, and the office of Wellness and Student Support provides training and strategies focused on health and wellbeing, both of which provide the foundation for students to learn at optimal levels.

Schedules are designed to ensure there is ample opportunity for this important work, including during Friday afternoons on the Old Church Road campus, and early morning Wednesday faculty meetings at the Upper School, as well as days throughout the year for faculty from Nursery through Grade 12 to work together. Staff training is also a priority, whether it is attending an enrollment management conference, digital asset management training for communications personnel, or food handling training for Dining Hall staff, GCDS is dedicated to a growth mindset for all employees.

As a community of learners, administrators, faculty, and staff also pursue individual growth opportunities by taking advantage of myriad online learning offerings, reading professional articles, and/or participating in book studies led by colleagues. )

"The adults walking this path with our students are exceptional. They are learners, coaches, directors, cajolers, artists, scientists, magicians, storytellers, caring guides, and curious listeners. Often they are all of these things, all day long. It is exhausting and exhilarating work, and it is the very best way to spend a day.” —

Andrew Ledee, Director of DEI