Meet our New Assistant Head of School + Director of Admission
We are excited to welcome two new members to the GUS Administrative Team, Brad Belin as assistant head of school for curriculum + program, director of upper school, and Katie Chhu, director of admission and community outreach. We look forward to having them join us in July, but in the meantime, read on to learn a little more about each of them - and why they’re excited to join the GUS community!
Brad Belin: Assistant Head of School for Curriculum + Program, Director of Upper School
Belin Family (left to right): Connor, Brad, Sarah, Maddie, Hannah (front/center)
Tell us a little about yourself!
I am the father to three multiracial children - Maddie (8) Hannah (6) and Connor (3), and spouse to a wonderful wife, Sarah. I self-identify as both neurodiverse (ADHD) and as a Transracial/Korean American Adoptee, and am committed to using my professional and lived experiences to help create more inclusive and equitable learning spaces. As a New England native, I support all of our local sports teams, and my family’s happy place is at the beach (ironically, I grew up summering in Manchester-by-the-Sea, and ripping around Singing Beach!) I love traveling; indulging in ice cream, and gummy bears (just not together!) dumplings and pad thai; I start each day by boxing as a form of daily self-care (shoutout to Fight Camp) and I am a big Ted Lasso fan!Where were you before GUS?
Over the majority of my career, I have had the privilege of working at other independent schools fairly regional/local to GUS. For the past four years, I have been part of the Berwick Academy community, and prior to that, I spent seven years at the Fessenden School.What do you love about working with middle school students?
A few years ago, the Washington Post put out a great article centered around middle school teaching - appropriately entitled, “To raise independent kids, treat middle school like a dress rehearsal for life.” Ever since reading that piece, two things have been ingrained in my mind: a.) the analogy could not be more accurate and, b.) it is why I love working with middle school students! To me, at no other point in time are you able to witness, or play a role in a child’s identity and character development, or cultivate and foster many life-skills and habits than between the ages of 10-14. I have also found that because the societal pressure to “get into college” is not yet there for the vast majority of middle schoolers, as a middle school educator you are also given multiple opportunities to create learning conditions that are both joyful and challenging.Why are you passionate about project-based learning?
I firmly believe that when we create learning opportunities and conditions for students which are both relevant and contextualized to their lives, what students are learning in class becomes more meaningful and engaging because they feel involved in the learning process, and not simply passive consumers of mass amounts of information. Authentic PBL is a great way for cultivating and fostering this very mindset in both teachers and students alike, and ultimately creates more joyful learning communities where students and teachers engage in this authentic, empathy-driven work, together.What are you most excited about in joining the GUS team?
As both an incoming member of GUS’ leadership team, as well as a parent of three kiddos who will be starting their own educational journeys at GUS in September, I am so excited to be joining a community whose founding mission is rooted in hands-on, experiential, place and project-based learning, and social justice. From my preliminary conversations with Gretchen, to my campus visit and meetings with various members of the GUS community, it is crystal clear to me that GUS is a place that is committed to its “Mean well. Speak well. Do better.” motto in multiple ways. I have particularly felt this when it comes to GUS’ ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work, and being at the tip of constructivist pedagogy and student-centered teaching and learning in a locally competitive market. These are quite literally the core qualities of what I believe are the key ingredients for a thriving, rigorous and meaningful education as both an educator, and as a parent - and I am humbled to be joining the GUS family!
Katie Chhu, Director of Admission + Community Outreach
Chhu Family (left to right): Ty, Khiet, Cora, and Katie
Tell us a little about yourself!
Although born and raised in Kansas City, I have spent the last 13 years establishing roots firmly in Beverly! My husband Khiet and I have two children ages 5 and 3. We like to spend our time hiking Long Hill, collecting sea glass at Brackenbery Beach, playing at Dane Street Playground, and walking to the library. I have also grown very fond of riding my bike to nowhere and giving digital high-fives on the Peloton!Where were you before GUS?
I have spent my career at Landmark School serving students with language-based learning disabilities. During my tenure, I taught tutorials and study skills, and executive function courses. I also have been actively involved in providing professional development for educators as the former director of Landmark Outreach's Online Program. My most recent role has been as the Assistant Director of Admission enrolling mission-appropriate students to the school.What inspired your transition from teaching to admission?
While I love the classroom and working directly with students, I was drawn to admission to learn all I could about student learning profiles. I wanted to better understand how cognitive, academic, and social-emotional evaluations can best be used to determine a students' ideal learning environment and drive the instruction they receive.What is your favorite part of the admissions process?
Each stage of the process is really exciting. I like learning about the student and family when they inquire and then assessing and interviewing students to learn more. However, I think my highlight is touring families and watching it click for the student as they envision themselves as part of the community.What are you most excited about in joining the GUS team?
From my earliest conversations, the passion and dedication of the administrators and faculty was incredibly evident. I am eager to support the strong DEI work underway at GUS. Finally, I'm looking forward to August when I can start meeting current students and see the "GUS Magic" up close!