Glen Urquhart School

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GUS Snowflakes Holiday Tradition

GUS Parents Association

Join us in Honoring Our Faculty

It's been a long-standing GUS tradition to make charitable donations in honor of our GUS faculty during the holiday season in lieu of holiday gifts. This GUS 'Snowflake' tradition began in the 1980s by a former GUS teacher, as a way to celebrate and acknowledge the Glen Urquhart School faculty during the holidays, while at the same time supporting charitable organizations. While in the past families would purchase a 'Snowflake' in honor of GUS faculty by making a donation to either Beverly Bootstraps or GAIN@GUS, this year we're encouraging families to make a donation to any charitable organization near and dear to their hearts (which of course may still include either Bootstraps and/or GAIN!). We hope that by diversifying options for giving, families feel a more personal connection to this beloved Snowflake tradition, and our faculty will see a wonderful array of organizations doing virtuous work in their honor. 

How does this work?

  • Families make a donation on their own to any charitable organization of their choice, in any amount, in honor of the GUS faculty.

  • Paper snowflake templates will be sent home for children to cut out, decorate, and note the organization to which they contributed (or get a head start here!).

  • Students return snowflakes to school (no later than Tuesday, December 12th please!), depositing them in Snowflake "mailboxes" in upper and lower school lobbies. Snowflakes will be displayed in both buildings.

  • We'd love for families to also please fill out this Google Form (only one field to fill in!) so we have a running list of the many different organizations supported by the GUS community through this effort.

  • The final list will be shared with faculty, students, and attendees at our Solstice Assembly on Friday, December 15th.

  • Please Note: We ask that donation amounts not be included in either your Google Form submission or on the physical snowflakes

We’re excited to further this tradition of honoring our faculty while supporting organizations that help make our world a better place! If you have any questions at all, please reach out to us at guspa@gus.org.  

Warmly,

GUS Parents Association Executive Committee

Ideas from Students

Upper school students in leadership groups researched organizations that focus on causes near and dear to their hearts. In particular, they looked for organizations that support work around climate change + sustainability, racial justice, animal welfare, food + housing instability, children’s health, supporting LGBTQ youth, supporting veterans + service members, and providing access to participation in sports + the arts. Students found both local + national organizations, including many of the organizations GUS partners with for field trips throughout the school year. 

  • NAACP

  • The Trevor Project

  • Wounded Warrior Project

  • St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

  • Make-A-Wish Foundation

  • Beverly Bootstraps

  • Open Door Gloucester

  • North Shore Community Development Coalition

  • The Food Project

  • Change is Simple

  • Beverly Bees

  • Green Beverly

  • Maritime Gloucester

  • Mass Audubon

  • Trustees of Reservations

  • Artists for Humanity

  • More Than Words

  • Punto Urban Art Museum

  • RAW Arts Works

  • Cape Ann Museum

  • Peabody Essex Museum

  • Great Dog Rescue New England

  • Great Dane Service Dog Project

  • Cape Ann Animal Aid

  • NEER North Horse Rescue

  • Northeast Animal Shelter

  • Best Friends Animal Society

  • African Wildlife Foundation

  • USTA Foundation

  • National Wheelchair Basketball Association