Leading with Joy: October Tartan
Dear GUS Community,
One of the wonderful things about our new mission statement is that it begins with ‘through the joys of learning.’ In early drafts that part had been at the end, and at the suggestion of our faculty, we moved it to the front. That change felt so right! Here at GUS, we always lead with joy and that has certainly been true this fall.
We have found joy in play, but also in the work of learning and growing. There has been joy on the sidelines, as soccer and cross country have enjoyed some beautiful weather and exciting competition, and in Bradley Cooke’s math classes, where she’s working to help students find the joy in math, through belonging. Of course, there is lots to love about our 8th grade heading to the Big Apple! An Alvin Ailey Dance class and the &Juliet Broadway show were exciting new additions to an already amazing trip. As a school that has trips all over the place, especially during the fall, the 8th grade trip definitely stands out as a meaningful capstone adventure for our senior students. Again beautiful weather has allowed all our students to get outside and enjoy all that our campus and the North Shore have in store. We were particularly excited about the partnerships with the Cape Ann Museum and Salem Sound Coastwatch, which continue to offer wonderful learning opportunities for our students.
The joy isn’t confined just to our students and just during school time. Our Parents’ Association has been very active, hosting its first full parent Zoom and revving up for a fun fall social. Grand friends’ Day is coming up and we look forward to welcoming many of you to campus. We are also excited to host the Wicked Kidz Fun Races and look for us at the Green Beverly Pumpkin Smash on November 5. In addition, we are finding the joy in dreaming big, as the Board of Trustees, led by the Long Range Planning Committee, works to plan for GUS’ future and asks for your participation. There are lots of opportunities for you to feel that special GUS joy too!
Yes, GUS continues to find the fun in every aspect of school life. For those of you who are former students, parents, or faculty, I hope remembering your GUS days makes you smile. How lucky we all are to be part of such a special school, with such a big heart and wonderful people, where we find joy in play and in work, and where we welcome not only people but also experiences and positive change. May you all be on campus soon to feel it for yourself. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
