On Thursday, January 23, parents, board members, faculty, staff, and alumni gathered together to mark the Centennial year at the 10th annual State of the School. With student performances, humorous remarks from Middle School Head Andrew Meyer, a keynote from Head of School Bob Whelan P ’24, and a shared, bold vision for GFA’s future, the evening was a night to remember. In honor of our school’s 100th anniversary, Ashley ’15, Caroline ’17 and Whitney Rintoul ’19, fourth-generation alums and the great-great granddaughters of founder Mary Bolton, spoke about their family’s long-standing relationship to GFA. “Mrs. Bolton and Ms. Laycock’s vision and leadership shaped the course of hundreds of students, teachers, and parents’ lives,” explained Caroline. “In founding Bolton, they founded this extraordinary community, of which each of you are a part.”
After recounting the GFA journey of their grandmother, Valerie Miller, Bolton Class of ’59, as well as their father, Michael Rintoul ’84, the Rintoul sisters shared what it meant to carry on their family legacy at GFA, decades later. “What can we say of our time on this stunning campus, in the classrooms of Andrew Jones, Ward Abel, or Elizabeth Cleary?” asked Ashley. “We can say we were prepared well beyond graduation with the foundation to find deep meaning in work, life, and relationships.” Added Whitney, “...we think of this place often, with awe and with gratitude, because it’s in our very bones, and because it made us who we are.” After wishing their alma mater a happy birthday, the Rintouls introduced Co-Vice Chairs of the Board of Trustees, Vani Bettegowda P ’22, ’25 and Don San Jose P ’22, ’25, to share a financial overview of the school. In keeping with the Centennial storytelling theme, the Trustees reflected on GFA’s growth—not just in terms of physical footprint, enrollment, the GFA Fund, and the endowment, but in the very fabric of the campus over the course of the past century. Through all the changes, the core values and motto upon which our school was founded remain the same: “In 1929, Mary Bolton wrote, “Growth is accompanied by changes,” recalled Vani. “My, has her school grown. And yet, the motto she and her sister landed on for that four-person school, ‘Each for All and All for Each.’ has endured.”
With that sentiment in mind, Vani and Don introduced the premiere of a Centennial video, “Then and Now: 100 Years of GFA,” featuring stories and tributes from alumni, current and former faculty and administrators.
To see this film and other videos from the State of the School, check out the website (contact our Communications Team for the password). You can also see the photo album from the event reception and program.