Trusting, and going forward.
Trust and Go Forward is not our school motto. People often confuse our motto, Mean Well, Speak Well, Do Well, with our school battle cry.
Trust and go forward isn’t meant for every day - it’s meant for battle. It’s meant for the times you need to dig deep. I don’t know many schools that have a battle cry, but ours has certainly brought me comfort and courage during a time of difficulty. It has allowed me to think beyond the present moment, to focus on the future, and to move forward despite the uncertainties of this time.
At GUS, we pride ourselves on challenging students to step outside their comfort zone, whether it is on the stage, on the field, or in the classroom. We talk a lot about how much students learn and grow in moments of discomfort. It is amazing to reflect on how much we have all grown in these last few months, as we have been forced out of our routine and confronted with so much change. In this moment, rather than despair, we are seeing how much growth is possible when we dig into our challenges with the courage and determination to continue moving forward.
We already know that education will change in the months ahead - it has changed so much already! While we are all craving a return to personal interaction and the assurances that come with the warmth and familiarity of the GUS classroom environment, we are taking the opportunity of this challenge to grow as a faculty and a school, to innovate, and to widen our vision of what GUS can be. The learning curve presented by distance learning has been steep, but our experiences in these last 10 weeks have been eye-opening. We are deepening our understanding of how children learn best and how they can adapt to changing environments, and we are finding elasticity in the GUS mission and philosophy. No matter the distance, relationships and community remain at our core, and we continue to find ways to keep interdisciplinary, project-based learning alive.
The blending of work life and home life has been another major change. I believe that our children and family relationships will be changed for the better by this experience, or at least I hope they will. As hard as this is, it’s also so incredibly special. Soon it will be back to playdates and sleepovers, but for now, it’s about family fort building and bike rides. It’s working side by side and sharing small moments during the day, a peek into our other lives. What an opportunity, offered through difficulty, to grow together. My hope is our children will understand and value this time together. May they prioritize family time when they become adults, as they remember these days of unexpected togetherness.
Not only has it helped to be grateful for the positive outcomes of this experience, but I also take solace in the things that don’t change. On campus or online, relationships continue to be a cornerstone of the GUS experience. The old adage ‘the more things change the more they stay the same’ seems to ring true today. I am so proud of the efforts of our faculty to maintain continuity and connection with our students. They have gone above and beyond to continue to meet the needs of every student. I feel our community connection in big things like the success of the GUS Together Fund and in the smaller moments like Friday Morning Meeting or the Virtual Bingo with Mr. E. While it may feel like we have lost so much, our sense of community cannot be shaken. There is no doubt, our trust in each other has helped us move forward together.
As we near the end of the school year, we look forward to celebrating our 8th graders with great joy. They began this year together, on-campus, and we all hope to finish together in a live graduation in July. As we work with parents to reimagine graduation, an event filled with tradition but reshaped to work in today’s world, we are struck by the value of the GUS experience. What proves most meaningful are the relationships and the sense of preparedness. Though 8th graders didn’t experience the traditional 8th grade spring, with its projects, trips, and cherished events, they did get a challenge unlike any class has ever faced. They have risen to that challenge with courage. My hope is that they will carry this life moment with them forever, not thinking of what they lost, but remembering how they overcame an unexpected battle, and bravely persisted amidst unprecedented times. As we prepare to say goodbye, may our graduates feel empowered to go forward, trusting that they have all they need to conquer any challenge they may face. We look forward to celebrating not only the individual accomplishments of this great class of students, but also their resiliency, their strength, and their sense of community. I can’t wait to celebrate this special class in their own special way.
We have all in our own ways been faced with difficulties and challenges that have asked us to step outside our normal routine and forced us off our expected path. Here we are, months in, knowing we still have months to go. So now is the time for all of us, parents, teachers, and graduates, to trust and go forward. Over and over again, we see that we can, and we will, get through this together.
Trust and Go Forward,
Gretchen Forsyth
Head of School