A Forty Year Love Affair

By Stephen & Dale Hoffman, 2022–2023

Annual Fund Grandparent Chairs

On a winter day in 1982, having decided to move to Greenwich from Manhattan, the two of us toured Greenwich Country Day School, hoping that the school would be a good fit for our daughters, Emily, age 6, and Anna, age 3. The trim white clapboard buildings; ebullient yet attentive children; and warm, involved teachers were then much as we find them today when we visit our grandchildren’s classrooms. That day we fell in love with GCDS, a love affair that continues 40-plus years later.

GCDS has been a formative, positive influence on our children and, currently, our three grandchildren—a partner in helping them develop into the kind of human beings we hoped they would become. For us, the guiding concept of Tiger Pride says it all. It is a time-honored GCDS credo instilled in our children from nursery through high school—a focus on character development, integrity, engagement with the larger community, mutual respect and inclusiveness.

And this is not “lip service!” We hear these values embedded in our grandkids’ descriptions of their community service, whether it is high schoolers running weekly soccer clinics at the Boys and Girls Club; 3rd graders using walkathon funds to pack 160 kits of baby books for Read to Grow; 5th graders packing Thanksgiving baskets for Building One Community in Stamford; a high school Intersession project teaching science curriculum to students at Waterside School; or 6th graders packing Birthday Bags for Person to Person.

As grandparents, we have been privileged to witness the birth of a world-class high school that reflects the values that Greenwich Country Day has developed and honed during the 40 years of our relationship with the school. The devotion and tireless work of Adam Rohdie and his formidable team of teachers, administrators and Board have created a culture and corresponding curriculum of collaborative, project-driven work.

Perhaps most important to us is that our grandchildren are so happy at GCDS. Each of the three kids feels a sense of belonging to a supportive community where their skills are valued and their participation is appreciated. What more could a grandparent want!

A HUGE THANK YOU to the nearly 550 families who supported this year’s Annual Fund, helping us exceed our goal and unlock an additional $250,000 for the Annual Fund!

You all came out and showed your TIGER PRIDE as you responded to our call to action —your gifts that will positively impact all students, faculty and staff at GCDS, making every day an extraordinary day! Also a huge thank you to the GCDS Board of Trustees for offering the financial support for the challenge.

If you have not yet supported the Annual Fund, there’s still time!

Give online today at www.gcds.net/give