Gaston Day School Annual Report

More documents

Recommendations

Info

FROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK Gaston Day School is different this year. Because of COVID-19, there is no way to separate this year from last; and I intend to talk about both. The 2019-2020 school year really existed as two separate phases: before COVID-19 and after COVID-19. With the spread of the virus last spring, the whole world changed. Over the 2020 Spring Break, Gaston Day moved at light speed to a new virtual learning platform. Everyone adapted, adjusted, and rose to the challenge. Perhaps the crowning achievement was our graduation ceremony in the parking lot of the Frances H. Henry Field that met all the CDC requirements for safety. Our seniors, who lost out on so much their last year, got a graduation that no one will ever forget and that they deserved! There was no summer break. The administration and faculty had to develop and implement a plan for the new school year that addressed the safety needs of COVID- 19. We spread out desks all over campus, took over non-traditional spaces and converted them into classrooms, bought cameras with automatic thermometers, installed a state of the art air-treatment system, created a new Wellness Coordinator position, and devised an ingenious schedule that breaks classes into cells that do not interact with each other. We came up with a plan that kept in-person, oncampus learning as safe as possible for everyone, and also gave anyone who wanted it the option to continue learning virtually. It was a big, audacious project that de- Gaston Day School Annual Report 2019 - 2020 www.gastonday.org | 4
FROM THE HEADMASTER’S DESK manded incredible planning and execution. I believe we pulled it off. So did the Southern Association of Independent Schools when they asked us to present our plan, to the rest of the South’s independent schools because it was one of the best in the region. So how is the new school year going? So far, so good. We remain ready for anything. We think any COVID-19 outbreaks will be contained to individual classes. If that holds true we can keep the school open for in-person learning all year. But we also are prepared to go virtual again if we have to. We know how to do that well, and we are proud of those students who have already chosen the virtual learning option. Thank you for believing in us and supporting us in such challenging times. Gaston Day School spent over $250,000 in safety improvements to open school this year. We also limited the number of new students we could accept to comply with the CDC guidelines on social distancing. When you move desks apart to prevent viral spread, fewer students fit in a classroom. So enrollment is lower by design to keep us healthier. All of this is good for our students and hard on our budget. If you are proud of what the school has accomplished, please help us by giving as generously as you are able to the Gaston Day School Fund. We need your strong support more than ever to overcome the challenges we face. Thank you for believing in Gaston Day School! We are all in this together! Spartan united! Spartan strong! Gaston Day School Annual Report 2019 - 2020 www.gastonday.org | 5
Page 1 and 2: Gaston Day School Annual Report 201
Page 3: LEARNING STARTS WITH CARING. WE WAN
Page 7 and 8: COVID-19 CHANGED THE WORLD And ther
Page 9 and 10: ANNUAL FUND STATS AND FIGURES If yo
Page 11 and 12: PLEDGE FORM (cut along this line an
Page 13 and 14: DUKE AND DOT KIMBRELL PROFILE Mrs.
Page 15 and 16: FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Our stud

Gaston Day School Annual Report

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?