The Gunston School is excited to announce the Golfing “fore” Gunston fundraiser will be held on Friday, October 9, 2020 at the Chester River Yacht & Country Club in Chestertown, MD with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Individual and team prizes will be awarded for categories such as closest to the pin, straightest drive, and more. The day includes food, drinks, and fun give-aways.

This event is the first of many smaller-scale fundraising events planned for the upcoming year in lieu of Gunston’s signature event, the annual Bull & Oyster Roast which is typically held in October.

“We’ve been working all summer with a group of dedicated parent volunteers and board members to come up with fun and safe fundraising event alternatives that adhere to the new reality of the pandemic,” said Head of School John Lewis.

“In a typical year, donations allow Gunston the ability to offer more than 60% of our students financial aid as well as a host of amazing opportunities such as traveling to student leadership conferences, robotics competitions, environmental trips, and more. It allows us to extend professional development opportunities to faculty and staff in order to bring the latest educational trends and best practices back to the classroom,” explains Director of Advancement Tricia Mooney. “However, this year in particular it is critical because during the growing economic uncertainty, the need for financial aid is going to greatly increase. We also need to maintain our supplies of PPE, create outdoor classroom spaces, continue faculty and staff upskilling, and make ongoing infrastructure upgrades.”

Golf registration is $150 per player or $600 per team. Sponsorships are also available and include the opportunities to have your logo or name on many of the give-away items such as a golf shoe bag, golf balls, towels, and even a mini hand sanitizer bottles (the “Anti-Pandemic Sponsor”).

Currently, Tournament Sponsors include Riggo Productions and the Hershey Family & InTown Companies. Additional sponsors include Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat (now with a new location in Kent Island!) Moorhouse Electrical Services, Callahan’s Gas & Appliance, The Country School, Attraction Magazine, Reliable Pest Control, and the Talbot Spy.

Visit https://www.gunston.org/giving/golfing-fore-gunston to register for the outing or a sponsorship (or both!), or call Tricia Mooney at 410-758-0620 ext. 1200 or email tmooney@gunston.org.

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information.

Every year, the Gunston School kicks off the fall semester with a special ceremony called Embarkation, where new students, faculty, and staff arrive by boat to be formally welcomed by the entire Gunston community and sign the school’s Honor Code. While this year’s celebration looked a little different than previous years—with a limited audience, cohorts, masks, and social distancing—it was nonetheless exciting to welcome the largest incoming class to Gunston since it first opened in 1911.

On Monday, August 31, a total of 70 new community members, which included 57 of the 60 incoming 9th graders, five 10th graders, one 11th grader, and seven staff members were divided into cohorts and arrived at the Centreville Wharf about a half hour apart. After a health screening, they boarded a flotilla of boats and, in four separate “waves,” cruised down the Corsica River to meet Head of School John Lewis with a “foot tap” greeting in lieu of a handshake. From there, they were invited to sign the “Responsibilities of the Community” by Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis before making the trek up the hill to Gunston’s campus. Lining a wooden fence in six foot intervals were a limited number of student leaders and faculty members who waved and welcomed them warmly.

Parents and family members were called down to the waterfront a few at a time to watch their student formally join the Gunston community. Typically, this event is held on the first day of school and is followed by convocation with the entire student body in attendance.

“A considerable amount of planning went into making sure this day could still happen,” said Lewis. “We are so fortunate many parents and friends of the school stepped up to offer more boats this year, and the weather was just fantastic.”

The week prior, on Wednesday, August 26, Gunston hosted an in-person orientation for 9th grade students, held outdoors. Students and faculty brought stadium chairs and sat six feet apart, participating in various activities and ice-breaker games. “This interaction and team building before the school year begins is so important. The class of 2024 hails from more than 22 different schools in five counties across two states,” explains David Henry, Director of Admission & Financial Aid.

On Tuesday, September 1, the school year officially begins with a phased reopening in which all 9th grade students begin in-person instruction, while 10th, 11th, and 12th graders begin with distance learning, with the goal of having further class groups re-enter the campus in phases starting in late September.

“By starting with 25% of the student body on campus, as well as smaller numbers of faculty, the school has the opportunity to integrate a complex set of new health, screening, and safety policies with lower campus density,” explained Head of School, John Lewis. “New 9th grade students possess the greatest need for direct connection with their teachers and classmates, and they are easier to cohort, given their schedules.”

This approach also allows Gunston to maximize the use of indoor and outdoor teaching space, as well as the opportunity to resolve any glitches related to concurrent teaching (where classes have students both inside the classroom and students connected online), lowers the initial student density on school transportation, and minimizes a campus outbreak, should it occur.

“Most importantly, our Phased Reopening gives us opportunities to effectively adjust policies and procedures as they are implemented. Indeed, it is our belief that a cautious, phased reopening raises the chances of Gunston remaining open over the longer term,” said Lewis.

Additionally, Gunston is moving forward with an intramural sports program and is only offering Tier 1 sports including golf and cross county. “Together with a group of student leaders, we are designing an intramural sports program that will allow us the best opportunity to create a meaningful physical health and wellness experience this fall,” said Director of Athletics Jon Mellinger. “While we have not yet finalized the rotation, sport choices will likely include waterfront activities such as sailing and paddling, various court sports like pickleball and badminton, and some field sports such as kickball and other lawn games.”

Melinger continued “We’re very excited to be offering two varsity sports, golf and cross country. Gunston had two individual champions in both of those sports last fall. While we graduated our cross country winner, we have some up and coming runners and our golf program looks to have another strong finish.”

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more about our upcoming in-person (October 11 & November 22) and virtual (October 28 & November 18) Open Houses at gunston.org. 

The Gunston School is pleased to announce the addition of two members to its Board of Trustees, as well as several new faculty members. Joining the board this year are Joe Janney, P’21 of Annapolis and Jill Caron, P’17 of Chestertown. Janney was a long-serving executive at Oracle, and in addition to his service on a number of educational and environmental non-profit boards, he serves on Gunston’s Chesapeake Watershed Semester Advisory Board. Caron has been a long-serving member of Gunston’s Advancement Committee, and she has provided dedicated leadership through her service on the Gunston Parents’ Association.

In addition, Gunston’s new board chair is Patrick Shoemaker ’03, who has served on the board since 2012. Shoemaker is a founding partner of PEAKE Technologies, a healthcare information technology services firm. Joining Shoemaker on the Executive Committee is Pat Parkhurst, P’18, 21, 23 as vice chair, Megan Cook, P’22 as secretary, Mark Freestate as treasurer, and Mara Schmittinger, P’16, ’19 as member at large.

Gunston is excited to add several faculty and support staff to its team for the upcoming year. Will Freda will be teaching English and hails from Kennebunk, ME. He attended Deerfield Academy and then Kenyon College where he double majored in religious studies and Italian. A world traveler, Freda spent a year studying in Italy, at a Buddhist monastery in China, and as a Fulbright Scholar in Thailand. He recently taught literature and creative writing at St. Paul’s School, NH, and history, literature and English language at Hebron Academy’s new China campus in Hangzhou.

Carter Law will serve as Gunston’s new Assistant Athletic Director, rowing coach, and science teacher. Law most recently worked with Greenwich Academy (CT) where he was highly regarded as an educator and coach. He is a 2017 graduate of Penn State with a degree in Agricultural Science, and has a strong background in the domains of environmental science and sustainability. In addition, Law is certified by the EPA in watershed management.

Ronnie Vesnaver is Gunston’s new Environmental Humanities teacher for the Chesapeake Watershed Semester, although this year she will be teaching English and history. Vesnaver spent the last five years teaching U.S. history and government for both middle and upper school students, as well as living as a residential faculty member at the Pennington School in Pennington, NJ. In 2017 she and a colleague formed and led a sustainability committee that is now a growing and essential part of the school program at Pennington, stressing the importance and power of environmental education. Vesnaver is a graduate of Colby College in Waterville, ME where she majored in American studies and art history. She recently earned her Master’s degree in environmental history from Rutgers University-Newark.

Fairuz Manion, MSN, RN, joins Gunston as the new School Nurse/Health Coordinator. Manion brings a wealth of experience to this newly created position, both as a registered nurse and an educator. Most recently, she worked for BayHealth Medical Center in Dover for more than 15 years, specializing in patient care, discharge planning, and overseeing outreach programs. She has a Masters degree in Community Health, and an extensive background in nursing education, serving recently as a Professor at Wesley College, Wilmington University, and Ana G. Mendez University.

Juan Camilo Angarita joins the Gunston faculty full-time as a Spanish and English teacher. Angarita is a 2005 graduate of The Gunston School where he was the winner of the school’s top honor: The Gunston Award. He earned his B.A. in government and legal studies and Latin American studies from Bowdoin College, where he was awarded The John H. Turner Prize in Latin American studies. For nearly a decade, Angarita worked in the corporate world before recently returning to the Eastern Shore, where he has been serving Gunston as a soccer coach and long-term substitute teacher.

Finally, Gunston welcomes Millicent Sheets as the new Math Department Chair. Previously Sheets worked part-time at Gunston as a teacher and a lacrosse coach and had a distinguished and lengthy career at The Country School in Easton, MD. Most recently, Sheets taught at Flint Hill School in Oakton, Virginia. She earned her B.A. in Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

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The Gunston School has announced it will move forward in September with a Phased Reopening of its campus. In consultation with the Queen Anne’s Department of Health, Gunston’s Health Advisory Team and School Nurse/Health Coordinator, Gunston’s senior leadership team has spent the past three months devising a plan that balances the clear educational and psychological benefits of reopening its campus with the maximization of health, safety, and welfare of the community.

Phase 1 will begin with inviting new 9th grade students to campus for a modified Orientation. Tenth through 12th grade students will begin the academic year via distance learning, with the goal of having further class groups re-enter the campus in phases starting in late September.

Phase 2 prioritizes 12th grade students as the second group to return, given their seniority and college guidance needs. Exact dates will remain fluid, however in a best-case scenario, all students will be reintegrated by the end of the first quarter. Gunston will finalize the relevant benchmarks for determining when to greenlight further phases of re-entry over the next few weeks.

With regard to Gunston’s athletic season, the school is in close communication with the Eastern Shore Independent Athletic Conference (ESIAC) to formulate a plan that may permit limited conference competition starting in late September. Should ESIAC decide to suspend the season, Gunston will offer a robust intramural program.

“By starting with 25% of the student body on campus, as well as smaller numbers of faculty, the school has the opportunity to integrate a complex set of new health, screening, and safety policies with lower campus density,” explained Head of School, John Lewis. “New 9th grade students possess the greatest need for direct connection with their teachers and classmates, and they are easier to cohort, given their schedules.”

This approach also allows Gunston to maximize the use of indoor and outdoor teaching space, as well as the opportunity to resolve any glitches related to concurrent teaching (where classes have students both inside the classroom and students connected online), lowers the initial student density on school transportation, and minimized a campus outbreak, should it occur.

“Most importantly, our Phased Reopening gives us opportunities to effectively adjust policies and procedures as they are implemented. Indeed, it is our belief that a cautious, phased reopening raises the chances of Gunston remaining open over the longer term,” said Lewis.

With regard to distance learning, Gunston has prepared all summer for this possibility, and expects to offer a best-in-class experience for those students participating. Every Wednesday since graduation, faculty and staff have spent the summer exploring and mastering various new technologies and the creative possibilities they offer. When not experimenting with how to integrate software, faculty attended weekly virtual professional development with educational experts.

Gunston is switching to a 4+1 block schedule with a mid-week Wednesday of distance learning for all students. In addition to providing for a midweek deep cleaning (recommended by the QAC Health Department), this “+1” day allows the delivery of key elements of their mission—clubs, tutorials, advisory, and other individual meetings—that are constrained in a restricted, physically-distanced environment. It also gives students much needed screen breaks.

“Having evaluated the landscape, we are simply unwilling to make sweeping, months-long determinations about the structure of our school year, (e.g. distance learning until January, or guaranteed 100% on-campus attendance on September 1st),” said Lewis. “Of course, should the Health Department or the Governor mandate that we need to move to 100% distance learning, we must do so.”

“The decision has been made using the best-available science and after a thorough evaluation of our capacity to maximize learning and minimize risk. Given what we know, “throwing the doors open” is clearly a recipe for chaos; at the same time, starting the year with 100% distance learning does not align with what we know about mitigating COVID-19 and the negative psychosocial impacts of campus closures. We are also prepared to accommodate those students who wish to attend 100% remotely in the fall,” added Lewis.

“Over the next few days and weeks, we will be releasing communications with granular details on scheduling, health and safety policies, calendar events, transportation, and other important Q&A’s,” said Gunston School Nurse & Health Coordinator Fairuz Manion.

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

The Gunston School is very proud to announce 15 students received advanced placement (AP) scholar awards from the College Board this spring.

“This spring was a tough one. The format of the exams completely changed— they were administered at home, which was tough for students with spotty internet access or distractions, and the format changed from multiple choice questions to only free-response questions, meaning you can’t guess—you just had the questions and the knowledge in your brain to work with. So this was a big shift from how students were used to preparing for AP exams, but like everything else this year, they handled it really well,” explains Director of College Guidance, Kellee Webb.

Photo: top row (l-r): Gunston School AP Scholars with Distinction include William Newberg ’20 (also a National AP Scholar and Gunston’s Valedictorian), Aeropl Bai ’20, Isabella Santoboni ’20, and Qirui Wang ’20. AP Scholars with Honor include Andrew Amygdalos ’20 (top row, right), (second row, l-r) Annie Bamford ’20, Max Scott ’20, Peter Sharpless ’20, Charles Shifrin ’21, and Yaxuan Zhuo ’20. Third row (l-r) pictured are AP Scholars including Abigail Miller ’22, Sydney Nittle ’21, Ethan Nuessle ‘21, Sean Riley ‘21, and Owen White ‘20.

AP Scholars (students who scored a 3 or more on at least three AP exams) include Abigail Miller ’22, Sydney Nittle ’21, Ethan Nuessle ‘21, Sean Riley ‘21, and Owen White ‘20.

AP Scholars with Honor (students who average a minimum of 3.25 on the AP exams they take and score 3 or more on at least four of those exams) include Andrew Amygdalos ’20, Annie Bamford ’20, Max Scott ’20, Peter Sharpless ’20, Charles Shifrin ’21, and Yaxuan Zhuo ’20.

AP Scholars with Distinction (students who average a minimum of 3.5 on all their AP exams and score 3 or more on at least five of these exams) include Aeropl Bai ’20, William Newberg ’20, Isabella Santoboni ’20, and Qirui Wang ’20.

In addition, Will Newberg ’20 was also named a National AP Scholar, which is awarded to students who average at least a score of 4 in all the AP exams they take and score 4 or more in at least 8 of those exams. Newberg was the valedictorian of Gunston’s graduating class of 2020.

“We’re incredibly proud of our AP Scholars,” noted Head of School, John Lewis. “They have challenged themselves to meet the highest standards of academic excellence, and succeeded.”

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

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After the spring’s crash course in distance learning, the faculty and staff at The Gunston School have spent the summer upping their game by exploring and mastering various new technologies and the creative possibilities they offer.

When not experimenting with how to integrate software—FlipGrid, Nearpod, Edpuzzle, Pear Deck, Quizlet, and others to name a few—Gunston’s faculty attended weekly virtual professional development with educational experts every Wednesday this summer. In addition, every faculty member is now Level 1 Google Educator Certified.

Some of the weekly topics discussed include leveraging mind-brain education strategies, integrating social-emotional learning, incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion in lesson plans, as well as thinking deeply about extended instructional time. Faculty members are also becoming Apple Teacher Certified, documenting their micro-credentialing process using individual Google Sites, which allow them to share their ideas, progress, and advice with each other.

Click on https://flipgrid.com/+morningmeeting and enter the password GoGunston to see an example of a FlipGrid.

“Planning for teaching this fall feels a bit like packing for the study abroad program I did in Wales,” says Emily Beck, Director of the Chesapeake Watershed Semester and Environmental Programs, who currently also serves as the Director of Distance Learning and Co-chair of the Distance Learning Steering Team. “I knew I spoke the language, would be traveling with other students from Colgate University, and had a place to stay, but beyond that, so much was unknown to me. As I packed my bags, the piles grew higher and higher. Clothes for three seasons—hiking and trips to the city—sheets for my bed, camera, laptop, etc. My suitcase, dubbed ‘the body bag,’ was stuffed to the gills and probably earned an overweight baggage fee.”

In a way, Gunston’s faculty is doing the same thing—they’re packing their teaching plans with instruction for different scenarios, including shifting guidance from health professionals, and with attention to new and enduring student needs.

Music Department Chair and Performing Arts Teacher Jessica Newell created a distance learning music website for students using Google Sites, which included resources, a feedback form students could use to make suggestions or express a concern, and fun activities students could do online together such as Soundtrap, which offers collaborative music-making. Each student adds their own track, creating beats, and implementing effects.

In another project, Newell used Screencastify to make an instructional video to help students use the Music Map program to complete an assignment in which they navigate the world of music genres.

Watch video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw0zTSQ7DHA&feature=youtu.be

“I’ve enjoyed adding all these new tools to my teaching toolbox,” says Newell, who attended a two-day virtual conference for Maryland Music educators. In addition, she attended the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) Equity Playbook Workshop by the Wells Collective with several other members of faculty and administration. The workshops focused on how to create anti-racist curriculum and understanding school culture.

Dr. Sarah Lipchock, who teaches Chemistry has had her own YouTube Channel since 2015, when she developed and implemented a “flipped classroom.”

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRwfyFJOjxRly1qPMuHoAaw?view_as=subscriber

“Using a flipped classroom model (where students watch video lectures as homework and do labs and problems in class) improved student outcomes,” explains Lipchock. In this video, she used the Notability App as a whiteboard during a synchronous Google Meet with chemistry students. “The whiteboard function allows me to talk through problems in the same way that I would in class, or in a tutoring session,” explains Lipchock, who edits students out of the recording sessions to protect privacy before adding to her YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=93&v=vmTmaqPqdDY&feature=emb_title

Director of College Guidance Kellee Webb used Nearpod to bring her students up to speed about the rapidly changing college admissions process. “News was changing so frequently for juniors, who were understandably anxious about their college options this spring,” explains Webb. “I created this Nearpod of the most current information as it came in and students could post on the collaboration cork board and discuss their answers in a synchronous class.”

Over the course of the summer, Webb has attended the National Association of Independent Schools Diversity Leadership Institute in addition to a variety of workshops on anti-racist educational practices, bystander intervention and de-escalation training. “All of these are hot topics on university campuses. We would needlessly place our students at a distinct disadvantage if we didn’t discuss these issues before they head to college.”

Head of School John Lewis, who himself continues to teach a section of AP Government, shared, “In the face of these unprecedented circumstances, our teachers continue to rise to the challenges placed in front of us. As a teacher myself, I’ve also been deeply supported by our summer upskilling program, and I’ve grown more this summer as a teacher than in any other summer I can remember. Whatever the fall brings, I feel confident that we’ll be ready.”

In a rapidly changing world, Gunston is at the forefront of an educational renaissance, be it daily in-person instruction, distance learning, concurrent instruction, or a mixture of all three. As Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius said, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Visit gunston.org for more information. 

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The Gunston School is pleased to announce the addition of Fairuz Manion, MSN, RN, to its staff as the new School Nurse/Health Coordinator. Ms. Manion brings a wealth of experience to this newly created position, both as a registered nurse and an educator. Most recently, she worked for BayHealth Medical Center in Dover for more than 15 years, specializing in patient care, discharge planning, and overseeing outreach programs aimed to prevent communicable diseases and comorbidities within the state of Delaware. She also routinely volunteered as a substitute school nurse for Holy Cross Elementary for a number of years. She has a Masters degree in Community Health, and an extensive background in nursing education, serving recently as a Professor at Wesley College, Wilmington University, and Ana G. Mendez University.

As the leader of Gunston’s health program, Manion will lead the school’s overall approach to health, wellness, and health education; working with the school’s leadership team to review, revise, develop, and deliver a best practices health and wellness education program. In addition to serving as the school’s certified medications administrator, Manion is responsible for the management and oversight of health forms, training faculty and staff in FirstAid, and ensuring safety protocols of summer camps

Manion will serve as the school’s liaison with local and state health departments, provide essential information and training to faculty and staff, and keep emergency health policies up to date and in alignment with standards of care, as well as develop and implement Gunston’s COVID-19 health guidelines in conjunction with the school’s Health Advisory Team.

“In a competitive field of candidates, Fairuz rose to the top. She’s experienced, innovative, warm, and caring. Her combination of practical nursing experience, school nurse experience, and community health programming experience is a perfect match for Gunston’s needs. She’s going to be a wonderful addition to the community,” says Head of School John Lewis.

Having earned her Bachelors and Masters in Nursing from Wesley College, she is in the final stage of acquiring her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Nursing Science from the Medical University of South Carolina.

The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Learn more at gunston.org.

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An Email Forward

It started with an email forward. “Have you heard of this new virus that causes pneumonia?” from Gunston’s Head of School John Lewis to the school’s senior leadership team on January 19. After the confirmation of the first case in the USA on January 20, Gunston sent out their first health notice about the virus that would later become known universally as COVID-19. On January 28, as the scope and challenge of the infection became apparent, Gunston made the decision to institute a 2-week self-isolation for several students and a faculty member who recently returned from an area designated by the CDC as level 3 or higher.

Life went on. Second-quarter honor roll grades were announced. The school celebrated Global Awareness Day and invited admitted students and their families to celebrate on Friday, February 28.

Meanwhile, the school’s leadership team remained on high alert, following news of COVID-19 closely and consulting with state and national associations, peer institutions and the local health department, and on Sunday, March 1, Lewis called an emergency meeting with senior staff.

“This virus is going to spread. Extended school closure will happen, and Gunston needs to be prepared,” Lewis announced to the group.

And then they got to work.

Making Plans

Assistant Head of School Christie Grabis immediately began to formulate an academic continuity plan, contacting vendors, compiling resources, and learning everything she could about how to structure a robust distance learning plan. A survey was sent out to the Gunston community to collect information about which faculty and students may have limited access to the Internet. Students were advised to take all of their school materials (textbooks, notebooks, devices) home with them for the upcoming spring break. “That was one of the best decisions we made,” reflected Grabis.

On Saturday, March 7, Gunston’s spring break vacation had officially started, and Lewis made the difficult decision to cancel a student educational trip to South Africa. On Thursday, March 12, Gunston advised students and parents that spring break would be extended by a full week to allow the leadership team and faculty time to finalize preparations for the delivery of remote instruction. Two hours later, Governor Hogan made an announcement along with State Superintendent Dr. Karen Salmon that all Maryland public schools would be closed through March 27. The Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools recommended that member schools follow this directive. On Friday, March 20, after three intense days of faculty training, Gunston launched a “test run” of distance learning and by Monday, March 23, distance learning at Gunston was fully launched.

Distance Learning Launches

At this point, Gunston’s administrative team and faculty were working around the clock to learn new software and programs (Zoom, Google Hangouts, and more), crafting detailed communications and instructions  for families, compiling resources, creating contingency plans for various upcoming events, and implementing a temporary distance learning leadership structure so that every aspect of this new reality was covered.

“Our first goal was to get distance learning up and running smoothly to engage students, and re-establish the sense of community and support,” recalls Lewis. “The value of community is central to our distance learning efforts. In all of our academic and non-academic planning, we prioritized the value of relationships and connection.” This included a number of video Q&A’s with students and faculty.

“When the second announcement was made to extend the school closure to the end of April, we were more than prepared,” says Emily Beck, Director of the Chesapeake Watershed Semester, who was appointed to co-chair the school’s newly formed Distance Learning Steering Team, and as the Chair of the Academic Conduit Team, which is responsible for supporting academic departments and faculty professional development to integrate a best-practices distance learning program.

“In effect, every Gunston teacher suddenly became a first-year teacher again. As teachers, we have found this experience to be disorienting, but also exciting. In the past week, we’ve learned to use new instructional tools. We’re thinking about pedagogy and assessment in fresh ways. Most importantly, we’re participating in a robust professional development ecosystem that Gunston has developed to support the growth of every teacher on campus. Our goal is to improve week-by-week, and we believe that one positive outcome of our campus closure will be the opportunity for faculty and students to develop an entire new toolkit of teaching and learning skills,” says Lewis.

The Return of the Gunston Community

While much of the planning was focused on streamlining the academic process, Gunston spent just as much time formulating plans to keep community members connected, keep spirits high, and promote self-care and healthy habits like daily exercise and time away from the screen.

Student leaders were asked to form a “Good Vibes” committee and collaborate with Gunston’s communications team to come up with fun daily social media challenges like #gunstonpets, #gunstonbestblooms and they even made a Spotify Playlist called #GunstonGoodVibes.

Athletic Director Jon Mellinger sends out weekly fitness challenges, offering students and faculty the opportunity to win points for their team. Every student and faculty member at Gunston belongs to either the Green or White Team. Competitions exist in the form of both traditional and non-traditional athletic events as well as intellectual and artistic competitions.

“Needless to say,” says Mellinger, “we’re going to have to get creative this spring with how the Green and White teams win points. Between physical challenges like push ups or running a mile, and non-physical challenges like bakeoffs and open-mic nights, it’ll be exciting to see how the spring shakes out. We’re also looking into creating virtual athletic competitions with our interscholastic programs in our league. Anything we can do to stay engaged and competitive.”

Lewis and his two young daughters made a series of funny campus videos. Students volunteered to vlog their daily routine to help others get organized. Standing virtual lunch invitations were established. National Honor Society members were emailing to offer their tutoring assistance to fellow students.

The community was coalescing back together (albeit virtually).

Two separate surveys went out to parents and students asking for feedback. “The Distance Learning Steering Committee meets three times a week and we are constantly reviewing survey responses, addressing concerns, and planning, planning, planning,” says Beck. “The committee also devotes time during each meeting to discuss if any community members are struggling in this transition — faculty, staff, students, parents — and how can we help them? We may not be physically together, but the supportive community that defines Gunston remains firmly in place.”

Gunston’s New Normal

Gunston continues to look ahead, keeping a close eye on potential community burnout. “The amount of positive feedback that Gunston has received about our distance learning program has been appreciated and we’re grateful for the support of our community,” adds Lewis. “At the same time, we soon expect to exit the ‘Honeymoon Period’ and see rising levels of angst and dislocation that are consistent with the effects of culture shock that one experiences when being thrust out of a comfortable routine and culture.  But I have full confidence that we will once again pivot, adapt, and grow. I’m especially inspired by the support of our parents and the adaptability of our students.”

Lydia Periconi ‘21 notes, “Even though the switch to distance learning was a big adjustment, I think I have adapted well. Although I am sad not to see my friends and teachers in person, I really enjoy the days that I get to chat with my classes over a video call. This makes the switch much easier, and it’s fun to see everyone face-to-face and catch up!”

Mekonnen Sahle-Selassie ’23 shared that “As a hands-on learner, it took me a while to adjust. But after a couple of days, I finally adjusted to this new way of learning thanks to the teachers. I am very impressed with how the teachers transitioned from the classroom to the computer. Even though we aren’t in class, we still communicate well and learn efficiently.”

“Our family feels so blessed to have our daughter attending Gunston,” wrote Dawn Clair, parent of a child in the 10th grade in an email to Lewis. “The overall joy we feel at having chosen a school that has been there for our family during the good times and bad sure feels special and goes above and beyond.”

Visit Gunston’s Distance Learning Hub online to learn more, or to register for their Virtual Open House on Sunday, April 26 at 3 p.m.

———————

Founded in 1911, The Gunston School is an independent, nonprofit, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland. Gunston is home to the nationally recognized Chesapeake Bay Studies program, (now in its 24th year) as well as the recently launched Chesapeake Bay Watershed Program. Visit gunston.org for more information.

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“What if it is our duty, as citizens, to listen?”

This was the question posed by Andrew Forsthoefel to an audience of 400 people at The Gunston School, who listened intently as he recounted his 11-month journey over 4,000 miles and 13 states from his home in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, to Half Moon Bay in California.

On February 28, Gunston continued its annual tradition of a school-wide, student-led Global Awareness Day featuring a diverse array of interactive workshops and presentations designed to encourage students to challenge their perspectives, reflect upon their values and identity, and examine their relationship with the world around them, with the ultimate goal of helping them to prepare for the unique demands of a globalized economy.

Prospective students and parents were also invited to campus to take part in the day’s events as part of Visit Back Day, an event in which accepted students are paired with a Gunston student ambassador for the day and have an opportunity to enjoy the “Gunston Experience” before orientation in August.

This year’s theme, “What’s Your Story?” featured a keynote presentation by Forsthoefel, author of the book Walking to Listen: 4,000 Miles Across America, One Story at a Time, which chronicled his epic journey backpacking across America with a large sign that said “WALKING TO LISTEN.”  He set off with the goal of seeking a “graduate program in the human experience. […] I wanted to learn what it actually means to come of age, to transform into the adult who would carry me through the rest of my life.”

Forsthoefel recalled several instances in which he came across people with whom he forged a connection, only to find out they had beliefs that he found to be abhorrent. “I had connected with them and they were very nice to me, and then I found out we don’t share the same beliefs, and it was hard for me.”

Head of School John Lewis explains why Global Awareness Day is so vitally important. “There are two main reasons — first, we have a diverse and global student population here at Gunston, and this event is dedicated to exploring and celebrating this. The second important reason is that, quite simply, we believe that is has never been more important to understand the forces that are shaping our world — economic, cultural, political, environmental, and recently, epidemiological and financial — and we believe that the more you, as a future citizens and leaders, understand these forces, the better off you (and our world) will be.”

After the keynote, students broke into groups and attended workshops focusing on such issues as self-expression and self-care, history and culture, and equity and justice.

The workshop “Making Zines,” fell under the category of self-expression and was spearheaded by a team of senior students, Daphne Provance, Grace Holmes, Erica Reece, Hunter Mansfield and Zaria Dalton. A zine, (pronounced “zeen,” like the end of the word “magazine”) is a homemade publication, usually the work of a single person or a very small group.

“We thought zines would be a fun and quick way to get students to express themselves where they  could reflect on what they learned that day,” says Provance ’20. “I printed out a photo of everyone in the workshop ahead of time to make their zines more personal. Everyone really enjoyed learning a new craft. I know the workshop leaders had a great time, myself included. I think I speak for all of us by saying this was the best Global Awareness Day we have attended!”

Another workshop, “Developing a Self-Care Plan,” led by Sage Liu ’20 focused on activities that help students stay healthy and deal with pressure. “Self-care is not selfish,” says Liu, “A self-care plan allows you to experience your full range of emotions in a safe and healthy way.”

“Today’s youth are under a tremendous amount of stress and pressure,” explains Gunston’s Director of College Guidance Kellee Webb. “As important as it is to study and work really hard to get into a good school or internship, it is equally as important to learn the skill of taking care of yourself and developing healthy coping strategies.”

Many other Gunston students led workshops on subjects ranging from Korean Food Culture, Mythology, Environmental Justice, Civil Rights, Gender and Society, and Power, Privilege and Positionality, to name a few. During lunch, students hosted a talent show where several students and faculty performed musical classics such as “Hotel California,” as the crowd sang along.

“What I love about Global Awareness Day is it gives students a chance to learn and teach each other in a really authentic way. Beginning with the workshops, our students have the opportunity to share their passions and interests. In the afternoon, they take a deeper dive into exploring their own values and identities. The theme this year’s students selected was intended to encourage us all to practice listening to one another’s experiences and, through this, to expand our understanding of the world,” explains David Miller, Gunston’s Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

“Student leadership is central to the success of Global Awareness Day. The day is almost entirely student-planned, organized, and run. I am so proud of our students for diving into this immense undertaking with enthusiasm, courage, and care. Since January, Gunston’s diversity leaders have dedicated over five hours a week to developing this year’s program and curriculum. The time they put into the day was essential to this year’s success,” adds Miller.

“I ran the Civil Rights Jeopardy workshop as well as the 10th-grade afternoon session,” says Rion McClusky ’21. “People were often really surprised by the Jeopardy answers and I was glad to know I taught at least a few people some things. I helped plan and organize many of the workshops and afternoon sessions. I think that Global Awareness Day is always important to students because it really is the one day that is dedicated to the community coming together talking about what makes us us. The theme every year is picked with guidance from the Student Diversity Leadership Council and that is what makes it more relatable to students.”

The Gunston School is an independent, co-educational college preparatory high school located in Centreville, Maryland serving grades 9-12. For more information about Global Awareness Day, or any other Gunston programming, visit gunston.org. 

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