Dear GFS Students, Faculty, Family & Friends,

Welcome back to school! We've had a wonderful first two weeks on campus welcoming back students and launching the Boyce Center for Learning & Thriving! The Boyce Center Team has been hard at work getting to know students across campus and supporting them in the transition to a new school year full of possibilities and adventures!

As we say good-bye to summer, I can't help but reflect on some lessons learned. Like many of you, I enjoyed watching the Paris Olympics with my family. As I watched these young athletes achieving at the highest level, my mind wandered to all of the hard work taking place behind the scenes: the athlete's family and coaches who serve as their support system, the growth mindset these athletes display as they put in countless hours of work to correct mistakes and continue to grow, and the pressure that these incredibly talented young people must manage as they balance their physical and mental health. We know that mental health and physical health are inextricably linked, and performing on a global stage certainly requires many tools to manage the mental, emotional and physical impacts of that level of pressure. I am reminded that all of us are works in progress and that, in order to achieve our true potential, we need a toolbox of skills to face the challenges that will inevitably come our way. My goal for the Boyce Center is that we help all of our students build and fill their personal toolbox with skills and strategies over the course of their time at Garrison Forest, giving them a multitude of opportunities to develop and use those tools, whether it's in math class, on the playground or in the lab at Johns Hopkins.

I am looking forward to working with your children and your family in the months to come and encourage you to reach out with feedback, questions or to learn more. We have incredible things planned for you this year!

Many thanks,

Shannon

During this August's orientations, I promised to share this wonderful video from Lego, More Than Perfect, about instilling a growth mindset and combatting perfectionism. I strongly encourage you to check out the video and accompanying "10 Steps to Fostering Creative Confidence" guide and join our faculty's effort to intentionally shift our language and encourage a growth mindset in our students. You can read more about Lego's Play Unstoppable Campaign here.

Please join me in welcoming our Boyce Center Reading & Math Specialists, Margaret Bitz and Julia Holt! Margaret and Julia have already been busy pushing into Preschool, Lower School and Middle School classrooms and are also available in the Boyce Center Learning Lab each day for extra support from 3-4pm for Middle & Upper School students.

• Margaret, our Reading Specialist, comes to Garrison Forest from McDonogh School, where she spent twenty six years serving in various roles on campus including Houseparent, Coach, Lower and Middle School Teacher, Coordinator of Character and Service, and Grade Coordinator and Dean. In addition to her time in the classroom, Margaret has tutored students across all grade levels, and is trained in IMSE’s Phonological Awareness, Orton-Gillingham & Fundations programs.
• Julia is excited to have stepped into the role of Math Specialist and brings over twenty five years of experience teaching mathematics, including sixteen years as a Lower School Math Specialist at Calvert School and, most recently, three years as a Lower School Math Specialist and Middle School Math Teacher at St. James Academy. Julia brings a wealth of experience using Singapore Math and a background in providing enrichment and extra support to students in Kindergarten through Algebra I.

On Wednesday, September 4th, the Garrison Forest school community joined together for wellness and community building activities for the Boyce Center's first Wellness Wednesday! These will take place schoolwide on the first Wednesday of every month. The goal is to encourage our community to focus on our mental, physical and emotional well-being, while also creating a sense of belonging and building connections.

For our first Wellness Wednesday, students in Lower, Middle and Upper School spent some time "Chalking the Walk" by decorating campus with inspirational messages. Check out the pictures here to see the sweet messages of support.

During lunch, we welcomed therapy dogs from Pets on Wheels, bringing joy to students and faculty alike! The adorable photos can be found here. Finally, boarding students benefitted from special Wellness Wednesday programming with our Director of Counseling, Shondra Cowling, before enjoying frozen strawberry lemonades for Treats & Tasties courtesy of Lauren Baylor, US Dean of Students.

In October, we will welcome the Boyce Center for Learning and Thriving Advisory Board member and Expert in Residence, Rachel Simmons. In addition to meeting with students, faculty and staff, she will be facilitating two workshops for parents. Mark your calendars!

• Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 PM: Raising a Resilient Daughter (open to all GFS parents and friends)
• Wednesday, October 9 at 3:45 PM: Parent/Daughter Friendship Workshop (open to GFS families in Grades 4-7 only; space is limited

Rachel Simmons is an internationally known expert in raising and supporting girls and women in school and business and author of Odd Girl Out, The Curse of the Good Girl, and Enough As She Is. You can register for her sessions using the link below or clicking here.

Over the summer, I discovered the goop Podcast episode below featuring Kathleen Nadeau, a clinical psychologist and the founder and director of the Chesapeake Center for ADHD Learning and Behavioral Health in Maryland. She explains how ADHD symptoms can differ between boys and girls, why women aren’t diagnosed as early as men, and she shares her advice for how parents can support their children through ADHD and beyond. You can access the podcast episode by clicking here or using the link below.