Gaston Day Annual Report 23-24

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The Annual
Report
GASTON DAY SCHOOL STUDENT ART BY OLIVIA COLE | CLASS OF 2020

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Table of
Contents
Head of School ........................ 03
Board of Trustees..................... 04
Annual Fund............................ 06
Integrating AI.......................... 07
Parent’s Association................. 08
Admissions Statement............. 09
Athletic Club............................ 10
Director of Development.......... 11

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Letter from the
Head of
School
DAVIDSON HOBSON
Our school stands at the cusp of a
transformative phase, driven by bold
investments that promise to further
develop our educational environment and
strengthen our community.
This past year, we embarked on an
ambitious plan to expand our student
body. This growth is not merely in numbers
but in the diversity of experiences and
perspectives that enrich our learning
environment. Our student body grew by
over 8% this year and we look forward
to welcoming so many new families
to our school. A third pre-kindergarten
classroom was added in our lower school
to accommodate demand and several
grades are on a wait-list. This year, we are
hosting international students from Canada,
China, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey,
Ukraine, and Vietnam. As promised, we
welcomed artists, inventors, story tellers, and
big-picture thinkers to our campus in August.
A new building is on the horizon, designed
to house our upper school students and
faculty with additional classrooms and
specialized facilities. The expansion allows
us to redesign how our lower and middle
school students learn and play. The process
of reimagining our current academic
spaces will take place this year in order to
be ready for August of 2025.
Furthermore, we are re-imagining our
community spaces to create environments
that foster collaboration and innovation.
These spaces are envisioned to be more
than just areas of congregation; they are
to be incubators for ideas and interaction
among students, faculty, and the extended
Gaston Day family.
This academic year represents a major step
forward in our commitment to providing an
exceptional educational experience. As we
grow our resources and facilities, we remain
guided by our mission to educate our
students not just academically but as global
citizens prepared to contribute meaningfully
to the world.
Thank you for your continued support
and belief in our vision. Together, we are
building the foundation for a future that is
as promising as it is ambitious. I look forward
to what we will achieve together in the
coming years.
Warm regards,
Davidson Hobson
Head of School, Gaston Day

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Letter from the
Board of Trustees
Dear Gaston Day Community,
As Chair of the Board of Trustees, it is my privilege
to address you through this annual report at a
time when our school is experiencing incredible
success. Thanks to the collective efforts of our
community, Gaston Day is ranked one of the
best independent schools in North Carolina.
Our achievements are a direct result of the
hard work of our students and teachers on the
ambitious and forward-thinking strategic plan
implemented over the last several years. This
plan has guided our school through a period of
significant growth and improvement, impacting
every aspect of our campus life—from
academics and athletics to arts, community
engagement, and our financial stability.
Through thoughtful enhancements in
communication and a commitment to diversity,
we have fostered a vibrant community
atmosphere. Our financial strategies have
significantly strengthened our school’s economic
foundation, allowing us to invest in cuttingedge
technologies and innovative academic
programs that prepare our students for future
challenges.
Additionally, our focus on attracting and
retaining exceptional faculty has ensured that
our students are guided by skilled educators
who are leaders in their fields. Investments in
state-of-the-art learning environments and the
development of new curricula have further
established Gaston Day as a beacon of
academic excellence and innovation.
As we celebrate these successes, we also
recognize the importance of continual growth
and adaptation. I am excited to announce the
commencement of a new strategic planning
process next year. This comprehensive process
will continue to elevate our school to new
heights of excellence.
The development of our new strategic plan
will require the active participation and input
from all aspects of our community—students,
parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. Your
experiences, insights, and aspirations are vital to
crafting a plan that reflects our collective vision
and goals.
For those who wish to review our current
strategic plan, it is available in PDF format on our
website. I encourage each of you to familiarize
yourself with the goals that have driven us to this
point and to consider how we might together
build on this strong foundation.
Thank you for your continued support and
dedication to Gaston Day. Together, we
have achieved remarkable things, and I am
confident that with your involvement, our next
strategic plan will lead us to even greater
accomplishments.
Warmest regards,
Morkor Newman, Chair

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2023-2024
Board of Trustees
Morkor Newman, Chair
Tamara Burrell
Jeff Colyer
John Connor
LeeAnn Harris
Ben Hinton
Betsy Hurst
Lauren Lebioda
Jeff Simpson
Liz Sisk
Jeff Vanacore
Pam Warlick

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Annual Fund Numbers
At a Glance
Total Annual Fund $245,557
OTHER RESTRICTED
DOLLARS
$29,788
ATHLETIC CLUB
DOLLARS
$15,074
THEATER GUILD
DOLLARS
$6,600
95 %
100 %
FACULTY/STAFF
PARTICIPATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
PARTICIPATION

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All About
Integrating
AI
THE INTEGRATION
OF AI AT GASTON
DAY SCHOOL IS SET
TO REVOLUTIONIZE
SEVERAL
ASPECTS OF THE
EDUCATIONAL
EXPERIENCE.
INTEGRATING AI
As educational institutions strive to stay
ahead of the curve, Gaston Day School is
leading the charge by integrating artificial
intelligence (AI) into its teaching strategies.
This transformative initiative, introduced by
Carolyn Senter, Head of Upper School, and
supported by Head of School Davidson
Hobson is designed to prepare students and
educators for a rapidly evolving technological
landscape.
Carolyn Senter’s decision to focus on AI for
the 2023-2024 school year was influenced by
her extensive research and attendance at
webinars dedicated to AI in education. AI’s
role in education is multifaceted, offering
both challenges and opportunities. Senter’s
proactive approach involved meeting with
teachers before the school year began to
discuss how AI could be tailored to each
department’s needs. This foresight aims to
ensure that AI implementation is both relevant
and impactful.
In January, the school hosted Evan Harris, an
AI Education Consultant, for a professional
development day. Harris’s session emphasized
the practical applications of AI for
teachers. He demonstrated how AI could
streamline daily routines, from automating
administrative tasks to providing personalized
learning experiences.
The integration of AI at Gaston Day School
is set to revolutionize several aspects of the
educational experience, including:
1. Empowering Educators: AI can generate
efficient study schedules and automate
repetitive tasks, allowing teachers
to devote more time to personalized
student engagement. This efficiency is
crucial for addressing the diverse needs
of students.
2. Streamlining Workflows: AI’s ability to
automate processes like registration
and scheduling is transformative. AI can
reduce what used to be a months-long
process to a matter of weeks, freeing up
valuable time for educators to focus on
meaningful interactions with students.
3. Holistic Strategy: A comprehensive
approach to AI includes rethinking
assessment methods and integrating AI
into simplifying mundane tasks for other
areas of the school, including college
counseling, development, and admissions.
PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
The ultimate goal of integrating AI at Gaston
Day School is to prepare our faculty for
a world that is continuously evolving. By
reclaiming time through AI, teachers can
focus more on student-centered activities,
enhancing the overall learning experience.
Pathos, a partner in this initiative, supports
the school’s AI integration efforts, underscoring
the commitment to innovative education.
The video link below reinforces this partnership,
showing how Pathos helps schools
navigate the complexities of AI adoption.
Gaston Day School’s initiative to integrate AI
into its educational framework is a testament
to its commitment to innovation. As illustrated
in the video, AI is not just a technological
advancement but a powerful tool that can
reshape the educational landscape. By
embracing AI, Gaston Day School is not only
enhancing its internal processes but also
preparing students for a future that is rapidly
unfolding. This initiative promises a dynamic,
efficient, and forward-thinking learning
environment that empowers our faculty and
staff to thrive.

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Letter from the
Parent’s
Association
All families are a part of the Gaston Day School Parents’
Association. Our goal is to enhance the experience of
every Gaston Day School student and faculty member. This
past year, we were able to provide the following events
and activities for our school:
• Back to School BBQ
• Support our teachers with snacks and drinks
• Teacher appreciation events throughout the year
• School Store
• Volunteer at the Book Fairs
• Spartan Fest
I would like to thank all of our committee chairs, grade
parents, and volunteers who provided their time and
talents to make this past year such a success.
If you would like to learn more about volunteering,
please send an email to
parentsassociation@gastonday.org.
Thank you all again for a wonderful year, and I am
looking forward to a great year ahead!
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Sisk

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Admissions Statement
HIGHLIGHTS FOR
2024-25
135
CAMPUS TOURS FROM
AUG 2023-JULY 2024
225+
APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED
487
ENROLLED STUDENTS
113
ENROLLED
NEW STUDENTS
90 %
STUDENTS RETURNING
+1
ENROLLED A THIRD
PK CLASS

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Enhancing Our
Athletic Program
Thanks to the generous contributions from the Spartan
Athletic Club, we were able to make several significant
additions to our athletic programs last year.
TRAVEL SUPPORT
The club covered state tournament travel and hotel rooms for multiple
sports, including a last-minute charter bus for the Varsity Baseball team
after their thrilling come-from-behind victory in the State Tournament
opening round!
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HOODIES
Boys Track and Field and Girls Tennis teams received special hoodies
to celebrate their State Championships.
NEW UNIFORMS
Varsity Girls Soccer, Varsity Boys and Girls Tennis, Varsity Boys and Girls
Track and Field, and practice jerseys for Boys Basketball all received
new uniforms.
COACHES’ GEAR
Our coaches received new polos and GDS shirts.
ATHLETICS PRACTICE GEAR
We are excited to announce the introduction of new GDS Athletics
Practice Shirts for our student-athletes. As we strive to build a strong
collective culture and foster bonds across our programs, these
practice shirts will add a level of professionalism and unity to our
practice attire. Student-athletes will receive their practice shirts after
tryouts. The Spartan Athletic Club covers the cost of these practice
shirts for all student-athletes. A special shout-out to many of our Class
of 2025 student-athletes for their assistance in designing the practice
shirts that will be worn by Spartan student-athletes for years to come!

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Letter from the
Director of
Development
It is with great honor and enthusiasm that
I introduce myself to the Gaston Day
School community as the new Director of
Development. As I have spent my first weeks
meeting members of this community and
learning the many traditions of this school, it
is obvious that Gaston Day fulfills its mission
of educating students and preparing them
for academic success and responsible,
productive lives.
The 2023-2024 school year showed the
continued commitment of our faculty and
staff, trustees, parents, alumni, grandparents,
and friends through the support of the
Gaston Day School Fund, our school’s
annual fundraising campaign. Gifts to the
fund help to provide critical support to our
operating budget which impacts every
aspect of school life: in the classroom, on the
playground, on the athletic field, in our arts
program, and beyond.
We are looking forward to an exciting
2024-2025 school year, where we will need
continued support to enable us to provide
the outstanding experience for our students
as well as our faculty and staff. My goal is
working with each of you in the year ahead
to discuss our operational needs, as well as
how your investment in endowments and
future capital projects can help us dream big
in the future.
I am excited to be a Gaston Day School
Spartan,
David Ibsen
Director of Development

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Exciting Things
Happening at Gaston
Day! Stay Tuned!