by Kara Lawler
Dear friends,
It is hard to believe it's August! Summer has flown by, but here at Grier, it has been filled with all good things.
Our Grier Summer Camp has been so much fun! It's nice to have campus come alive again, and to see so many little girls fall in love with all the things Grier offers. I lost a game of Flash Dance yesterday during our morning assembly, so sadly I can't add "winner of Flash Dance" to my resume!
I'm so excited to have your daughters on campus in September. We are rolling out so many new programs, and I look forward to sharing these new initiatives with you at our series of parent meetings in September. I will also be hosting Zoom sessions, which I will link in September's newsletter.
As you know, I'm passionate about girls' education and in doing what is best for girls. It is in that spirit that we are rolling out a new wellness program, an honor code, and new phone policies for our students. The school has invested heavily in these programs, both with time and other resources.
I am so honored to partner with you for the education of your daughter--mind, body, and spirit. As Grier's motto so perfectly states, we remain committed, always, to helping your daughter purse "a sound mind in a sound body."
I look forward to seeing you all soon. Thank you, again, for sharing your girls with us.
Until September,
Kara
For any travel questions, please contact Gage Bassham at travel@grier.org or via phone at (814)-251-2987.
Enrichment Camps:
If your daughter is arriving for any enrichment camp, itineraries must be sent by July 31 in order for us to arrange travel.
- Washington D.C. airports (IAD, DCA, BWI) and JFK are recommended for international travel.
- Local airports include State College (SCE) and Altoona (AOO).
- Local bus service is available from Altoona and State College. www.us.megabus.com or www.trailways.com
- Train service (www.amtrak.com) is available from Tyrone and Lewistown.
Back-to-School dates:
September 4: Seniors and Student Ambassadors arrive
September 5: Students in grades 9-11 arrive
September 6: Students in grades 7-8 arrive
ALL students must be on campus by Friday, September 6. The weekend orientation schedule will be sent in August's newsletter.
For back-to-school travel, itineraries must be sent by August 19 in order for us to arrange travel.
As you make your summer plans for your daughters, please remember our amazing summer enrichment programs! You can find out more by following this link: Microsoft Word - 23-24 Stdnt Enrichmnt Prog_Registration form (002).docx (myschoolapp.com)
or in the attachment below!
Please join us!
It's Almost Time!
September 4: Senior and student ambassador arrivals (10 a.m.-3 p.m.)
September 5: 9th, 10th, and 11th graders arrive (10 a.m.-3 p.m.)
September 6: 7th and 8th graders arrive (10 a.m.-3 p.m.)
September 4, 5, and 6: Parent Meeting at 3:30 p.m. in the Dance Building depending on your child's arrival day
By Kathryn Barr, Dean of Academics
AP/Honors Summer Work Reminder
Students who enrolled in AP or Honors courses, please make sure you complete any required summer work before the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Assignments have been posted to
MyGrier under the Summer Work tile. Please reach out to Ms. Barr if you do not have access to
MyGrier, and she will provide you with the links.
If you have any questions about your schedule for next year, please reach out to Ms. Barr over the summer.
Students Taking Online Coursework
A reminder to students who enrolled in online coursework through BYU or Keystone over the summer – you must finish your coursework by August 15th. You must submit an official transcript to Ms. Barr before the start of school in order to move to the appropriate next class.
Textbook Ordering
Grier encourages students to wait until the first week of school to order textbooks. Students may have schedule adjustments, and some classes have materials to provide to students at no cost.
Planners
In an effort to help our students stay well-organized, Grier will be providing each student with an academic planner this year. The planners are grade appropriate.
Timetables and Schedules for the Year
Grier will be operating with an eight-period day for the 2024 – 2025 school year. The new bell schedule is listed below.
College Counseling News from Mrs Lyke:
~ Please direct college related questions to: Mrs Suzanne Lyke, Director of College Counseling at slyke@grier.org.
For Seniors, Parents/Guardians:
- Save the Date: September 19, 2024 @ 7pm EST – Financial Aid Zoom Workshop with Paul Martin, College Money Method.
- Topic: Succeeding in the Financial Aid Process for International Students – CSS Profile.
- Target Audience: International Seniors, Parents/Guardians.
- Note: Mrs Lyke will email registration details directly to families.
- Save the Date: October 10, 2024 @ 7pm EST – Financial Aid Zoom Workshop with Paul Martin, College Money Method.
- Topic: Succeeding with the Financial Aid Process for Domestic Students – FAFSA & CSS Profile.
- Target Audience: Domestic Seniors, Parents/Guardians.
- Note: Mrs Lyke will email registration details directly to families.
Testing Announcements/Information
Questions? Please contact Grier School’s Test Coordinator, Olivia Hallahan (ohallahan@grier.org).
AP Exam Score Information
- June 20th, 2024 was the deadline to indicate or change the college, university or scholarship organization a student would like their one free score send to.
- AP Exams scores will be available in starting July 8th, 2024.
Testing Accommodations for the 2024-2025 School Year
Requests DUE August 1st, 2024
What to know?
STUDENT TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS
The Test Coordinator is available to support eligible students with their standardized testing needs with accommodations. It is the responsibility of the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) to provide Grier School with their child’s formative documentation. Necessary documentation includes, but is not limited to, current educational evaluations such as IEP or 504 Plan conducted at a previous school district and psychoeducational or neuropsychological assessment (s). Provided documentation must describe background history of initial diagnosis, learning disability, and suggested accommodations. The Test Coordinator will contact families to request signed consent authorizing the submission of accommodation request(s) on a student’s behalf so long as documentation is currently on file with the registrar.
Each testing company has its doctrine to follow: ACT requires cognitive testing documentation to be within the past three years, dependent upon diagnostic results. Whereas College Board (PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, AP Exams) requires cognitive testing records to be no more than five years old, College Board requires hearing and visual impairment documentation to be no more than two years old. Inclusive with both test companies, medical or psychiatric testing must be current and updated within the past year.
Once the Test Coordinator receives the notification of approval or denial, they will forward the letter(s) to the parent(s)/guardian(s) for their records and will initiate a reconsideration if applicable. Once an accommodation request is approved through both testing companies, the student can use support throughout high school.
WHAT IF NEW INFORMATION IS OBTAINED OR A REEVALUATION TAKES PLACE?
In that case, outcomes must be shared in written form with the school to determine if a resubmission of request is permitted given documentation to either remove approved supports or to request additional support(s). Documentation can be submitted by forwarding through email to the Test Coordinator. Moreover, new findings will be shared with the Head of School, Admissions Department, Registrar, and Learning Skills Department.
NEXT STEPS?
If your child is a rising, eligible 10th or 11th grader and will be taking the PSAT/NMSQT or a 12th grader taking the SAT School Day Fall 2024, and has not been approved yet, please contact the Testing Coordinator, Olivia Hallahan, by August 1, 2024.
On-Campus Testing Information
TOEFL iBT at Grier School’s Test Center
Details:
- Students register with the testing coordinator, Mrs. Hallahan.
- Registration is sent via BULK.
- Students do NOT register through their TOEFL account.
- Breakfast will be available for students at 7:30am each Saturday morning of testing, then students will report at 8am to North Cottage room 2 to begin.
TOEFL Dates/Deadlines Semester 1 2024-2025:
Registration for September 2024: CLICK HERE
Available Dates
· September 14, 2024 (sign-up deadline: Regular August 2nd ; Late August 26th)
· September 21, 2024 (sign-up deadline: Regular August 2nd ; Late August 26th)
· September 28, 2024 (sign-up deadline: Regular August 2nd ; Late August 26th)
· October 5, 2024
· October 12, 2024
· October 26, 2024
· November 9, 2024
· November 16, 2024
· November 23, 2024
SAT School Day/ACT District Testing 2024-2025
Details:
- Students register with the testing coordinator, Mrs. Hallahan.
- Registration is sent via BULK.
- Students do NOT register through their MySAT (College Board) or MyACT accounts.
- Each exam takes place during the school day hours.
- Students will be required to report by 7:40am to their testing location on campus the day of the exam.
SAT School Day Dates/Deadlines/Registration
- Semester 1: Friday, October 4th, 2024
- SSD (Accommodations Request) Deadline: Thursday, August 1st, 2024
- Deadline: Friday, August 30th, 2024
- Registration: CLICK HERE to access the form. Students with a Grier School email account can register.
- Semester 2: Friday, March 28th, 2025
- Deadlines: TBD
ACT District Testing Dates/Deadlines/Registration
- Semester 1: Tuesday, October 15th, 2024
- TAA (Accommodations Request) Deadline: Thursday, August 1st, 2024
- Deadline: Friday, August 30th, 2024
- Registration: CLICK HERE to access the form. Students with a Grier School email account can register.
Off-Campus Testing
Summer ACT and SAT Options
Details:
- Students should register for the available summer dates through their MyACT or MySAT (Collge Board) Accounts, and choose an exam location closest to their respective home.
August 2024
SAT Weekend Administration (Saturday, August 24th, 2024) [DIGITAL]
Test Center: Register for a test center local to your home.
· Deadline: August 9
· Late Deadline/Changes to Registration Deadline: August 13
Semester 1: ACT and SAT Options
Details:
- Depending on number of students signed up, breakfast will be available for students at 6:30am or students will get a “to-go” breakfast at dinner the night before.
- Students will depart campus at 7am for testing at Altoona Area High School.
- ALL off-campus weekend test registration MUST go through Altoona Area High School for both the ACT and SAT.
- This is the ONLY location Grier School will transport students.
September 2024
ACT Weekend Administration (Saturday, September 14, 2024) [PAPER or DIGITAL]
Test Center: Altoona Area High School
Test Center Code: 183670
· Deadline: Aug 9
· Late Deadline: Aug 25
· Students MUST notify Mrs. Hallahan to arrange transportation by: Aug 25
· Admission Ticket Due by Sept 9
October 2024
SAT Weekend Administration (Saturday, October 5th , 2024) [DIGITAL]
Test Center: Altoona Area High School
Test Center Code: 39116
· Deadline: Sept 20
· Late Deadline/Changes to Registration Deadline: Sept 24
· Students MUST notify Mrs. Hallahan to arrange transportation by: Sept 20
· Admission Ticket Due by Sept 30
ACT Weekend Administration (Saturday, October 26, 2024) [PAPER or DIGITAL]
Test Center: Altoona Area High School
Test Center Code: 183670
· Deadline: Sept 20
· Late Deadline: Oct 7
· Students MUST notify Mrs. Hallahan to arrange transportation by: Oct 7
· Admission Ticket Due by Oct 21
ALL students are required to read Be Kind by Teen Breathe in preparation for the theme for the 2024-2025 school year. Our theme will be KINDNESS.
For those students enrolled in an AP or Honors English course, please see the required steps for summer below:
Required Summer Reading for Honors English Courses
English 9 Honors: To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee; Secret Life of Bees, Kid
English 10 Honors: The Bean Trees, Kingsolver; The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger
English 11 Honors: Jane Eyre, Bronte; A Passage to India, Forster
English 12 Honors: The Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver; Like Water for Chocolate, Esquivel; The Housekeeper and the Professor, Ogawa, (translated by Stephen Snyder)
English 12 AP: How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster; The Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver; Educated, Westover; Like Water for Chocolate, Esquivel; The Housekeeper and the Professor, Ogawa, (translated by Stephen Snyder)
AP Summer Coursework
Any student who registered for an AP course next year needs to meet with the instructor to gather any required summer work. All summer work should be completed before the first day of school for the 2024-2025 academic year. Not all AP courses have summer assignments.
Summer Parent Book Club!
July's book was Raising Girls by Steve Biddulph. Please join Kara on August 14 at 7:00 p.m. for a Zoom discussion on the book. Follow this link to join!
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85113869977?pwd=FznGWyCS9yywXbHzoobvaQ1rArUHMM.1
Meeting ID: 851 1386 9977
Passcode: 0C9k0Z
August's book will be Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls by Dr. Lisa Damour.
By Anthony Lang, Dean of Faculty
Summer's last few weeks are upon us, as new teachers will be welcomed and all teachers will return to campus later this month to prepare for the coming school year. Faculty will reconnect and work on training and preparation along with welcoming enrichment camp students for the couple weeks before classes begin. The excitement of the 2024-2025 school year is beginning to build as August greets us.
by Erin Guydish Buchholz, Dean of Students & Belonging
Welcome Back!
We are so glad to be gearing back up and are looking forward to meeting students for the first time and again! As students arrive back to campus, we will be ready to welcome them with open arms and hearts inspired by our summer read and theme for the year, Be Kind. In the opening sections of Be Kind, kindness is described as contagious, even magical, in the ways that it produces ripple effects in one’s life and communities. During our school year kickoff and throughout the year, our community will strive to share kindness, watch it multiply, and reap the benefits individually and collectively of creating and engaging in kindness practices.
Arrival Dates & Time Reminders
· First-year international students for ISOP and week 1 enrichment students arrive August 21st between 10 am and 3 pm.
· SAT and College Application students as well as week 2 enrichment students arrive August 27th after 10 am but by 3pm.
· Seniors and Ambassadors will arrive Sept 4th between 10 am and 3 pm.
· Fresh(wo)men, Juniors, and Sophomores arrive September 5th after 10 am but before 3 pm.
· 7th and 8th grade students will complete our campus community by arriving September 6th between 10 am and 3 pm.
Enrichment Schedule
Enrichment weeks are quickly approaching! Check out the daily schedule as well as evening and weekend activities by looking at the PDF attached to this section.
New Team Member, Abigail
Our team has a new member joining us! Abigail Cerruto will be taking on the Activity Coordinator role planning weekend trips and exciting on campus activities! Her experience and energy are an asset to our team and community.
As part of connecting with our community, I asked Abigail if she could provide a brief introduction for you. She replied, “My name is Abigail Cerruto, and I will be joining the residential team here at Grier for the
2024-2025 school year. Originally, I am a native of Connecticut with a passion for working with
young adults and students which led me to Pennsylvania. My goal is for the students to have a
fun and engaging experience. Have a great summer and see you soon!”
We are certainly excited and looking forward to having her here!
Cashless Trips
As the Grier School works to reduce the cost of trips for students and parents, we ask that students have access to a form of digital payment. This can range from their own bank account to a credit card to prepaid/reloadable credit cards to Apple Pay. As more venues are moving to cashless options, it is becoming obsolete for Grier to provide students with cash as spending money. Having students come equipped with digital wallets, cashless payment options, and a small amount of cash will ensure that the Grier School no longer has to include the cost of spending money in trip charges.
Handbook
The Student-Parent Handbook will be updated with quite a few changes. Please take some time to read through it when it is rolled out later this month on the Mygrier app, visit it when it is linked in next month’s newsletter, and be sure to sign the acknowledgement form when it is sent in September. Students will be required to read it during the first week of classes.
Some key changes to note include:
· Absentee Request Procedures
· Local Boarder Arrival & Departure Requests & Procedures
· Absentee Rules
· Package Center & Mailing Changes
· Professional Dress Days
- Phone Policy Updates
Please see below for a few other important initiatives we will be working with this coming year to enhance our community engagement, students’ preparedness to enter their next journeys beyond Grier, and strengthen our students’ well-being.
Senior Symposium
The Senior Symposium, facilitated through Writers’ Workshops, is an online/in-person hybrid graduation requirement designed to help students improve their research, writing, and presentation skills by creating two fully formed research papers and presentations. Each paper will be presented to the school community in the form of two student symposiums. Both symposiums will feature students sharing their research alongside a panel of peers and teacher advisors.
Students will work through content and assignments through a Canvas with occasional presentations, workshops, meetings, and check ins in person with a variety of facilitators, speakers, and advisors.
Every week will feature a different assignment on Canvas. Each assignment must be completed before moving on to the next week’s assignment. Failure to complete an assignment will result in the inability to move forward with the course and will result in lost deportment points, assigned extra help sessions or supervised study halls to get students caught up, and can eventually impact a student’s ability to participate in off campus events and/or extracurricular activities.
Fuller details will be available through the Canvas course such as symposium dates, time restrictions for the presentation, as well as visual and written requirements. A larger description can be found in the handbook as well.
Community Service
Community service is a key component of how The Grier School encourages students to become positive, engaged, contributing global citizens. In consideration of time commitments during various years, the Grier School is implementing a tiered system based on grade level. Most colleges are impressed with 50 to 200 hours over a high school career to show commitment. 200 hours shows a vast amount of dedication to a cause or causes. At Grier, the lower range of this community service (50 hours) is required by the close of a student’s senior year, provided they have attended all four years. Students are more than welcome to push for more hours or find out what the specific educational institutions they are interested in are looking for.
· 7th and 8th grade: Total of 10 hours per year for a total of 20 hours.
· 9th- 12th =12.5 hours per year for a total of 50 hours.
· Students can complete half of their hours away from Grier, but half of their community service must be completed during the school year through school sponsored events.
· Students must complete the community service form in order to document any community service hours to be counted towards their yearly requirement. Students must submit this form for service performed on and off campus. It must be submitted to the Dean of Students and Belonging.
For more details on acceptable community service projects and other questions, see the Community Service Guidelines section in the handbook.
#winatsocial
We have begun a collaboration with The Social Institute to help students become empowered digital citizens. Learning ways to positively engage with technology and social media, find balance and regulation regarding tech time, and learn about the effects, positive and negative, that technology has in communities and on various peoples are foundational steps in raising well-adjusted global citizens.
Faculty and students will participate in The Social Institute’s program #winatsocial in their advisee group meetings as well as in 7th and 9th grade health classes.
Some target goals for this program include:
· Fostering a sense of community through rewards, engaging conversations
· Cultivating high-character decision-making; resilience, modern life skills, and school culture
· Assess student well-being and trends to give school leaders actionable insights
For more details on parent/guardian tools and some information on the program, please check out #winatsocial here.
by Cari Crago, Dean of Counseling, Wellness & Residential Life
Oh, my stars, we are so thrilled that August is upon us!
As our Enrichment campers will be arriving in three short weeks and everyone will be on campus in just five weeks, we are so excited for our bright new school year to get under way. I love this time of year at Grier as it signifies a new and fresh beginning along with the excitement of our delightful long-standing traditions. From the arrival of our enrichment campers getting a jump start on the school year to our newly elected Student Council officers ringing the Grier bell cast in 1853 on our first official day of classes, August kicks off all the wonderfulness to come for the 2024-2025 school year.
We have a few terrific new additions to our already amazing resident life team who will not only help to enhance our program but possess amazing strengths to join in our initiatives. We are so excited to welcome three new resident advisors along with our new activities coordinator who will be scheduling all weekend activities and spearheading increased on campus activities, dorm-fun events and friendly competitions.
Grier is rolling out some important and fun new initiatives, honoring our long-standing traditions, and continuing to keep up to date with the ever-changing needs of our teen’s health and happiness. A few of these important initiatives include:
· Reviving Grier’s long-standing tradition with our big sister program
· Introducing a school-based wellness curriculum partnering with the Social institute (#WinatSocial)
· Adding mandatory seventh & ninth grade Health classes and including a Science of Happiness course within the health curriculum.
· Support Groups covering many topics including stress management, healthy self-care, online & “in real life” social connections, internal resources & developing “soft” skills, life at school, peer support, anxiety and depression awareness, wellness activities, positive and meaningful change, and coping with the ups and down in life.
· Solidifying our Mindfulness groups and classes including Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, & Tai Chi
· Included in our Wellness initiative, we are ever strengthening our on-campus activities, Dorm Wars competitions and Green & Gold Events adding to our goal of increased connectedness.
Packing information:
All new & returning students, please make sure to click here to see Grier’s packing guideline. It details some important information along with a packing list. We are not suggesting that a student purchase everything on the list but let it serve as a guide. Please remember to keep personal items to a minimum since rooms are shared and space is limited which helps with organization as well as the safety and well-being of everyone. To lessen the amount of luggage or shipping costs, students may choose to purchase many of these items (including school supplies) after they arrive. Grier School will plan local trips with the students so they can purchase necessary items on their own. If parents plan to bring their student to campus, they may want to take them shopping before the initial drop off to campus. (First Target trip for enrichment camp Aug. 23 & for the school year Sept. 11.)
Please note that students are limited to FIVE packages arriving at Grier prior to September 5th.
With this in mind, Grier’s package center address has changed a few numbers.
Please use the following address for all packages:
Student Name
Grier School
4100 Juniata Street
Birmingham, PA 16686
Please use the following address for letters and mail items:
Student Name
Grier School
2522 Grier School Road
Tyrone, PA 16686
New Students: If you haven’t filled out our tried-and-true roommate questionnaire yet, please click here and send it to me (Cari Crago) at ccrago@grier.org by August 5th. Please be sure to take time in considering your answers so that we can help connect great roommate and suitemate matches for our upcoming schoolyear.
We are excited to share all of our back to school and fun Fall festivities with our students and to continue to grow our community into a pool of connectivity!
As a little added note, I would like to share one of my favorite quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson, “What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”
Wishing everyone a wonderful end of summer and sending much love & sunshine!!
Stay in Touch!
Want to be "in the know?"
Want to be connected DAILY to Grier School?
There are multiple ways to follow along with the daily happenings here at Grier! Follow these steps to stay connected to your daughter and our Grier School extended family!
- Stay up to date on current events and daily activities through the Grier School App! There are many important items linked here. Open the PDF below for a QR code to direct you to the App Store. (Available for Apple and Android devices)
- Follow us on Instagram @grier_school
- Follow us on Facebook @ Grier School | Tyrone PA | Facebook
- Log onto our website: www.grier.org
Let's GO Foxes!
Welcome letter from Cherie Gates, Athletic Director:
We are looking forward to the arrival of our new Athletes. Try- outs for Dance, Riding, Soccer, Tennis and Volleyball will be held Sunday Sept 8th. All students are welcome to try-out no matter your skill. Come out and meet our amazing coaches and your fellow class mates. We are so excited for you to be part of our Varsity Athletic Program!
Important Mail and Delivery Information!
WE HAVE CHANGED OUR SHIPPING ADDRESS. PLEASE SEE BELOW!
Shipping and Postal Mail Updated Address is NEW:
ALL packages from UPS, FEDEX, DHL, AMAZON, etc. should
be sent to:
Name
Grier School
4100 Juniata St
Tyrone PA 16686
ALL POSTAL MAIL (letters, cards, packages) should be sent to:
Name
Grier School
2522 Grier School Rd
PO Box 308
Tyrone, PA 16686
Please note: Students are not permitted to order from InstaCart, UberEats, or any food delivery services. This is a safety concern. They are allowed to order from Domino's only on Friday and Saturday evenings for a 6-10 p.m. delivery to 4100 Juniata Street. With our amazing new food service and the extended hours of 1853, there are many options here on campus!
Geoffrey Grier, Director
Kara Lawler, Head of School
~ klawler@grier.org, ext. 7006
Cari Crago, Dean of Counseling, Wellness, and Residential Life
~ ccrago@grier.org, ext. 7015
Katt Barr, Dean of Academics
~ kbarr@grier.org, ext. 7057
Erin Guydish-Bucholz, Dean of Students and Belonging
~ eguydish@grier.org, ext. 7056
Anthony Lang, Dean of Faculty
Suzanne Lyke, Director of College Counseling
~slyke@grier.org, ext. 7048
Gage Bassham, Travel Coordinator
Lindsey Good, Business Director
~ lgood@grier.org, ext. 7008
Angela McLaughlin, Facts Administrator
~ amclaughlin@grier.org , ext. 7019
