GFA Blog

By Lisa Waldstein
Visual Arts Department Chair

There is an activity that we do at the beginning of our Intro to Visual Arts class every year. The challenge is to build the highest possible structure while using the least amount of supplies. After they are allowed time to build, we ask that if the student’s structures are free-standing, and they believe it to be one of the tallest in the class, they bring it to be “judged” — or measured in height.

By Corinne Kennelly
Lower School Counselor

The first days and weeks of school are instrumental in establishing a tone we hope to keep for the rest of the year. Teachers work hard to reinforce "the GFA way" and establish the emotional tone of the classroom and the lower school. A classroom where a child feels safe, understood, and valued is one where the best kind of learning happens. 

By Soren 
Third Grade

Have you ever heard of the Seed Huntress? I hadn’t until last spring during our Lower School Mini-Term on GFA’s history. Ms. Sefra Levin (GFA alumnae) came to the second-grade science classroom and told us about the life cycle and history of onions. I was so excited to see who was coming the next day. 

By Meghan Chew
Grade 5 and 6 Dean

As part of the annual Fifth-Grade Community Service Day, students and teachers brought The Kindness Rock Project to our GFA gardens. The project “encourages people to leave rocks painted with inspiring messages along the path of life.” 

A person always has the ability to change someone’s day for the better. Simple actions — saying hi, smiling at a person, picking up something that was dropped — this is the foundation for interacting and connecting. Eighth graders gathered in the Middle School Forum Thursday ready to engage in meaningful discussions on how they, as leaders, can be those people who interact, connect, and leave a positive impact on those around them.

By Kevin Coll
English Department Chair

In late July, I attended the week-long Island School Teacher Conference, which "provides a unique opportunity for educators to challenge themselves to become students engaged in sustainable community living and open-learning." The conference, which took place on the school's Cape Eleuthera campus in the Bahamas and was led by Chris Maxey, the school's founder and director, was a head-first plunge into the school's experiential and expeditionary approach. 

By Elizabeth Day, LPC
Upper School Counselor

The appeal for me as a school counselor is that #WinAtSocial meets students where they’re at; there's no finger-wagging — no scare tactics. Instead, this program readily acknowledges the positive aspects of social media use. Then it effectively engages students in discussions around potentially problematic issues by actually using technology to pose realistic scenarios that most teens face every day.

At 2019 Convocation, our Lower School Leaders (Grade 4) presented their new “Wisdom Box” to the GFA community. This box was created using pieces of advice passed on from last year’s leaders to ensure a successful school year.