Walk through the hallways of the Upper School and you'll see students actively engaged in their classes as well as fully committed to their activities outside of class. Academic rigor coupled with exploration and discovery is central to a GFA education, and the academic day may include discussing poetry around a Harkness table, checking on a bio experiment in the marsh, or recording a podcast in a foreign language.
You'll find teachers who are passionate about their subjects and who also care deeply for their students. They challenge students to stretch their imaginations, assure that they have the skills for success, and happily meet one-on-one with students who need extra help. Beyond the classroom, teachers are advisors for a small group of students and have lunch with them once a week. They are also on the sidelines at games and in the audience at plays and concerts.
Outside of the classroom, you'll find students leading clubs, raising money for favorite charities, writing for the newspaper, or simply relaxing in the café or throwing Frisbees
on the front lawn. In addition, students explore their individual interests through a wide array of independent studies, guided research, travel, or off-campus studies.
As a community, we celebrate the accomplishments of our students, including a nationally ranked tennis player, a published author, or an award winning photographer, and we also value our time together, gathering for student announcements, assemblies, movie nights, and pot luck dinners. Whether in the classroom or beyond it, students in the Upper School have many opportunities to discover their passions, and coupled with the outstanding education they gain at GFA, they are well prepared for success in college and beyond.