The Rollercoaster Year that was 2020-2021

As I prepare to head to Six Flags with our 8th graders tomorrow, a change from our traditional Canobie Lake trip thanks to covid, I can’t help but think about roller coasters.

I always think I love them. I eagerly stand in line, but as I pass all the warnings about who should not ride this ride, I start to get nervous. I’m always up for some fun and, inevitably, the second the safety bar is down, I regret my choice. Still, when I get off the ride, sometimes with serious sea legs, I can’t help but laugh. Laughing to the point of tears, I always say never again, but of course, one should never say never!

This past week, in the back of my mind, I could hear the clink, clink, clink, of a roller coaster chugging up to that final release. Everywhere at GUS, in every grade, every day, we have been making the climb to the moment when this coaster of a year lets loose. ​All the excitement around the end of school is really making ​time speed up and with just about two weeks to go, it’s time to throw our hands into the air and enjoy the ride.

What a ride it has been! The thrill of coming back to school in August filled us up and our strong sense of community kept us going as we handled the highs and lows, the sudden drops and quick turns, the year threw at us. While there were uncertain moments that made us feel uneasy, maybe even downright queasy, there were also happy ones when we couldn't help but smile or yell with joy. From All School Meeting spotlight dance parties and in-person partner activities, to Boar Cup and, now, the musical, we have so many wonderful moments to celebrate. Events like the Woodland Creatures Hike, May Day, and Starry Night were filled with the joy of community coming together, but we also found joy in the quiet moments, like standing under the solstice tree hearing the wooden star ornaments make beautiful music in the breeze. In big ways and small ways, there were so many high points to this crazy year. As the ride winds down, I hope we all hold on to the exhilaration that came from being brave enough to get on this ride in the first place and hold on to all those thrilling moments of community and joy that sprung up all over campus during the course of the year.

For me, the end of the year is always bittersweet, even this year. We have watched our students grow, on the inside and on the outside, and they are ready for the next ride. For our graduates most of all, the reality of the end of the year is setting in. Evening with the Graduates and graduation rehearsals are starting, and with the play over, most of the other milestones of their eighth grade year are now behind them. It's exciting and terrifying all at once. And while celebrating the class of 2021 with a day of roller coaster riding certainly feels appropriate, tomorrow is actually about slowing down. Together, they don’t have to worry about speeches or papers, tests or projects, they just get to be kids having a fun day together. The day is about what is most important here at GUS, this year more than any other - it’s about community.

So as a community, we will enjoy these last two weeks of fun and celebration. We know the scary parts of the ride are behind us and we know we have plenty of time to recover before we have to get on the ride again. It’s time to exhale. We made it! For us all, teacher or student, 8th grader or 1st grader, parents too, we must remember now is the time to slow down. So as the ride comes to an end, we will finish as we always do, with laughter, joy, and celebration, but most of all, we will end the year filled with pride. Pride because together we can truly do anything.

Trust and Go Forward,

Gretchen Forsyth
Head of School