by Kara Lawler
Dear Grier families and friends,
The lights of the holiday season always remind me of the light we all carry within, and the obligation we have to others to help them find and shine their own light. Here at Grier, that’s what we do: we help your daughters find their own light—their very own gleam—and we celebrate the unique ways in which they shine.
In the past month, it’s been a gift to watch the girls share their light with others in the riding ring, on the athletic fields and courts, and on the stage. We’ve celebrated our school in various ways, but we’ve also made sure to share the light and the gleam beyond our own campus with our greater community. In the spirit of giving, the students made dog treats and blankets for the local SPCA and they packaged 36 boxes to share with children in need as part of Operation Christmas Child! Our girls truly seem to understand that in order to share the light, they must be the light. Our Christmas tree lighting, a Grier tradition, is this Friday, a symbol of the light we all carry.
I am excited for all the joys of the season and on behalf of the entire Grier School community, I extend our warmest wishes to you and yours for all things merry and bright. As always, thank you for sharing your greatest earthly blessings with us.
In celebration of the season,
Kara
All travel plans for December/January must be submitted to the following link by November 20th in order for your student to receive transportation to/from the airport:
https://forms.office.com/r/gpkQL4jktB
December/January Travel Guidelines:
· Students may depart campus starting December 11th once they complete their finals and if they are not in any music or dance performances.
· If your student is in the music or dance performances, they may depart campus on December 13th or 14th.
· All students must be off campus by December 14th by 12:00 p.m.
· Students may return from break on January 11th or 12th.
Airport Guide:
· Washington D.C. Airport (IAD) is roughly three hours away from Grier and is recommended for all international travel.
· Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) is two hours away from Grier and services all domestic major airlines as well as Mexico and Canada travel.
· State College Airport (SCE) is 30 minutes from Grier and services connection flights to many major airports.
For all travel questions, please email Gage Bassham at travel@grier.org
By Anthony Lang, Dean of Faculty
With the semester winding down and the end of another year approaching, things at Grier School remain busy with the preparation for midterms and finishing up classes. Many teachers used the second Lab Week of the semester to complete labs and projects, including some classes, who overlap content, working together to create a cross-disciplinary event.
Dr. Findley's Latin 1 classes, Mr. Packnick's World History classes, and Mr. Lang's 9 Honors English classes united in the realm of ancient Greece and the world of Odysseus, combining their projects into a hands-on battle and breakout box experience. All students in Latin 1 and World History created shields complete with meaningful crests which helped depict their personal culture and identities. Mr. Lang's students worked alongside the librarian, Mrs. Dunklebarger, to create breakout boxes, which are similar to escape rooms, based on Odysseus' adventure home from the Trojan War, and created narratives, riddles, and clues that other students would work through and figure out, hoping to open each lock, allowing them to return home to Ithaca. The students gathered outside and held a battle, after final instruction from Dr. Findley about forming the appropriate phalanx, using their shields in unison to collectively protect the group. Swinging pipe insulators as swords and spears, the opposing sides crashed into a cardboard and Styrofoam battle, the likes of which have probably not been seen throughout history. Not to be left out, many different faculty and administration members, dressed in Greek attire provided by Mrs. Piotti in the Art Department, arrived on the scene and used slings to hurl tennis balls into the fray, influencing the battle from above, just like the many gods and goddesses in the Greek myths often did; a modern version of Deus ex machina. After a successful battle, the students broke into different groups and worked on solving the different breakout boxes based on Circe, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the Underworld, etc. In total it was a great experience that brought the classroom outside into action, learning and knowledge into excitement and play, while also uniting students and teachers in a playful experience which had many students from other classes wishing to be a part of it and staying nearby to watch the fun in support and for entertainment.
These experiences that come seemingly often at Grier School, like raising and releasing trout, and the Marine Biology field trip, among others, are some of the great moments that the students will hopefully remember forever, where learning and play and real life intersect. The teachers at Grier continually attempt to cultivate these opportunities and offer them to their students, using the beautiful spaces and creativity available to them.
by Cari Crago, Dean of Counseling, Wellness & Residential Life
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We felt so very blessed to share our Thanksgiving with 65 of our students joining together for so many fun activities and a Thanksgiving Day Feast-ival. Everyone is looking ahead to our Holiday Break, even as our students are preparing for shows, events, community service activities, fun trips and of course mid-terms. Our students' excitement about the first snow flurries of the year at Grier has signaled that winter is upon us, and the holidays are right around the corner.
Upon walking to Grier at 7:10am the other morning, I came across a group of girls from Mexico in their pajamas looking up towards the sky. When I asked what was up, they responded that their phones said it was snowing right now, and they were waiting for the flakes to hit their lashes. I love the enthusiasm and excitement that brought them all together even though there was not a snowflake in sight. Fortunately for our eager group, the following day brought a few flurries;-)
With so many exciting events happening in the first two weeks of December it is important for our Grier students to not only take care of themselves physically, emotionally and socially, but also to focus on caring for their mental health. Working through additional stressors and fighting those holiday blues can be overwhelming. Making sure that our students are taking time to focus on their emotional well-being is paramount. We’ve sent out some helpful tips regarding building resiliency and managing emotions in healthy not harmful ways to our kiddos to make sure that they have the tools to navigate potential difficult struggles. Working together with students, teachers, administration and parents to focus on every aspect of our student’s health is always our goal and we are so grateful for everyone’s support!
Following along with some dorm updates, we have many wonderful contenders for our Holiday Dorm Decorating Event. Senior Hall (Davis and Trustees) and our librarian have really stepped up their game! We will be awarding the prizes following Holiday break, so stay tuned.
Again, along with our exhilarating Dorm activities & Dorm wars is the awarding of our coveted trophies to the Dorm/Hall that prevailed in our games, lost the least deportment points, showed consistent kindness and averaged the highest over-all final deportment score. These coveted trophies will be awarded at the end of each Marking Period. We are proud to announce this MP’s winners will be awarded just as we return from Holiday break, and it looks like four dorms/halls are in a super close race.
A little added note that I love to share every December: A Grier Sister. She is your mirror, shining back at you with a world of possibilities. She is your witness, who sees you at your worst and best, and loves you anyway. She is your partner in crime, your midnight companion, someone who knows when you are smiling, even in the dark.
by Erin Guydish Buchholz, Dean of Students & Belonging
As we open our arms to winter’s embrace and prepare for chilly departures, we round out the semester with a variety of celebrations.
We will work to move our homecoming bonfire to December 5th with Hot Cocoa and Flannel. The halls will enjoy traditions derived from the Feast of St. Nick. Students will have the opportunity to relax between exams at the Namaste event with a professional Sound Bath presentation. NHS will end with Hot Cocoa, Cookies, & Karaoke while making snow flakes and cards for retirement homes. Finally, before our semester farewells, students will share their hard work at the combined Musical Review, Musical Performance, & Dance Recital. It sure will be a full, happy few weeks!
*All listed events are free or dependent on student’s spending money
December 1st Feel Good Yoga Flow
December 2nd - 6th Book Fair Week
December 6th Feast of St. Nick & Tree Lighting, 6:45 p.m.
December 8th Namaste Between Exams, 3:00 p.m.
December 9th NHS Hot Cocoa, Cookies, & Karaoke, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
December 12th 6:00 p.m. Musical and Dance Performances
Please find Share Point links of photos taken by our talented photography teacher, Christine Fernandez!
Fall Play - Murder Mystery at the Murder Mystery:
Grier Dance Gala:
By Kathryn Barr, Dean of Academics
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Academic Updates
New Student Information System
As the first semester ends, please be advised that we will officially be moving to a new Student Information System for the spring semester. We will be utilizing AdminPlus through Rediker Software. Over the course of the next several months, we will be slowly sending invitations for students and families to join the program. You will receive an e-mail invitation from the program instructing you on how to set up an account. There is also an app you can download to your phone. You will still be able to access all of semester one grades and report cards on MyGrier.
Grades and Comments
Final semester one grades and full comments will be published for families on Friday, December 20th in the afternoon. This grade report will include marking period two, midterm exams, and semester one grades. Teachers will also be writing full comments for all students.
Midterm Exam Schedule
Friday, December 6th – Review Day
Saturday, December 7th - Period 1 8:30-10:00am, Period 2 10:30-12:00noon
Sunday, December 8th – Period 3 1:00 -2:30pm
Monday, December 9th – Period 4 8:30-10:00am, Period 5 10:30-12:00noon
Tuesday, December 10th – Period 6 8:30-10:00am, Period 7 10:30-12:00noon
Wednesday, December 11th- Period 8 8:30-10:00am
If you have any academic concerns for your student, please e-mail kbarr@grier.org. If you have trouble logging in to view your student's grades, please e-mail kbarr@grier.org.
AP and Honors Winter Work
Some AP and Honors courses require winter break work for the students. Teachers will be assigning this work in the coming week. Please check with your student to ensure they complete the required assignments prior to January 13th when classes resume.
Electives Scheduling for Spring
Electives scheduling for the spring semester will conclude the first week of December. Students will have the opportunity to change their electives the first week they return in January if they find they do not like what they chose.
We hope the students have a wonderful and restful winter break. We look forward to their return in January!
We are very excited to offer a senior class ring this year! The classic ring features a timeless design, very similar to the class rings our graduates had decades ago. Featuring a genuine jade center, the ring is set in antique gold. With "Grier School" around the bezel, the inside of the ring allows for custom engraving with your daughter's initials and class year. Our motto, Sana Mens in Corpore Sano, is also engraved inside. Please find the information attached with three options for the gold and your customization preferences. Josten's will handle the ordering and payment but reach out to Kara Lawler with any questions. Kara has sizers in her office if students would like to verify ring size.
By Dr. Nancy Burke, Director of STEM Education and Science Dept. Chair
In collaboration with Ms. Carol Dermer, Computer Science Dept. Chair
Hello Grier Community! In this month’s edition of STEM Center Stage, I would like to highlight our amazing computer science program. In the last twelve years, Grier School has gone from having no computer science classes to offering a full range of CS courses. Exposure to technology begins early in the academic career of Grier Students. Design, Create, and Program is a semester long course which is required for all 8th graders. From there, students have a variety of computing course options. If design is their focus, we offer introductory and advanced courses in 3D design and in Web design. For those students interested in computer science, we offer introductory and honors level computer science classes. These classes can then be followed by AP level courses, including AP Computer Science Principles, which focuses on the use of technology, and AP Computer Science A, which teaches students to write code in JAVA and to test code. We are proud to say that Grier school is one of only 68 schools to be recognized by receiving the AP Female Diversity Award in both of these AP level courses.
Grier School is extremely fortunate to have Ms. Carol Deremer heading our computer science department. She has 38 years of teaching experience and teaches mathematics as well as computer science. In 2021, Ms. Dermer received a Women of Distinction Award from Delta Kappa Gamma, an international society of outstanding women educators. Carol Dermer is living proof that, GIRLS BELONG IN STEM
“By learning to create technology, girls learn to speak up.”
~ Regina Agyare, founder of Ghana-based Soronko Solutions
Let's GO Foxes!
Merry Christmas from the Athletic Department!
We are looking forward to our ski season in January and the start of 2025 varsity fencing team. We have 21 students already picking up their swords and starting to practice.
New sport sign-ups will happen when we return from winter break. All students will be able to choose new sport classes for the second semester.
Go Foxes!
Be in the know of all Equestrian events!
The Grier School Equestrian team started this past November with a Triple-Show weekend showcasing all three of our disciplines! November 1st – 3rd, 16 riders and horses were taken to Swan Lake “A” Show. Jimena F., Audrina C., and Hazel P. all earned Reserve Champions in their divisions. On November 2nd, the dressage team traveled to Bedford, PA for an IEA Dressage show. There, the High School and Middle School team brought home a clean sweep and were named Champion Teams with Violet G. as High Score Middle School rider. Sarah Y. traveled to the Fall Spooktackular NRHA show that same weekend on Grier School’s “Rubix”. Sarah Y. earned 1st on Saturday and Sunday in the Youth Rookie!
The following weekend, November 7th – 10th, the hunt seat team traveled back to Swan Lake “A” Show while the dressage team traveled to Lexington, Kentucky for the USDF Finals!
Violet G. earned 7th in the Training Level Jr/ YR test in her USDF Championship class.
The Dressage team had a double-header IEA horse show on November 16th & 17th. Our girls were undefeated with High School and Middle School teams bringing home the Champion team title both days! On Saturday, Marian P. was High School Champion and Samantha W. was Middle School Champion with Violet G. as Reserve. On Sunday, Miriam K. was Reserve High School Champion and Samantha W. earned Middle School Champion!
November 23rd & 24th, our IEA Hunt Seat team had their first show! On Saturday, both High School and Middle School teams were crowned Champion and on Sunday the Middle School team was Reserve Champion! High Point riders on Saturday include, Olivia R. as Champion and Izzy M. as reserve for High School; Ava B. was High Point Champion for Middle School. On Sunday, Ava B. was High Point Champion rider for Middle School and Miriam K. won the Sportsmanship award!
This weekend, we are looking forward to another double show for our Grier School Equestrians! There will be an IEA Hunt Seat Show at Grier School and an IEA Western show at Saddlebrook Stables on both Saturday and Sunday. Good Luck girls!
Please follow the link below to stay up to date with all Grier School Equestrian updates!
Be in the know of all Dance events!
The Grier School dancers and faculty had a busy and exciting first semester. In addition to the regular dance classes and rehearsals, listed below are some highlights from the season so far:
* Guest Artist Melissa Rector of Koresh Dance Company taught a master class to all dancers. She also set “Negative Spaces” on the Pre-Professional dancers. This piece, choreographed by Roni Koresh and originally performed by Koresh Dance Company, was gifted to the Grier Dance Department.
* The pre-Professional dancers traveled to Pittsburgh to participate in the Fall for Dance Festival at the Pittsburgh Playhouse. Dancers performed their piece “Negative Spaces” and participated in master classes.
* The Pre-Professional Dancers presented two faculty works for the Grier Board of Trustees.
* All dancers performed in the Parent Weekend Show after only a few weeks of rehearsal.
* Guest Artist Jason McDole taught multiple master classes to all levels across two days.
* Guest Artist Darrell Grand Moultrie taught a master class for all dancers and set his piece “Destined” on the Pre-Professional dancers.
* The pre-Professional dancers traveled to Juniata Gap Elementary School to assist Joci and Danielle in teaching dance classes to 5th graders, share their love of dance with the members of the community, and spread the word about Grier’s amazing programs.
* The Grier School Gala! All dancers learned the opening number choreographed by Joshua Pelatsky, participated in master classes taught by guest professional companies, and got to see the Professional Gala with performances by Koresh Dance Company, Pittsburgh Ballet, Theatre, Philadanco, and Graham II. The Pre-Pros and Intermediate dancers performed in the student gala and multiple Grier students earned scholarships to various dance programs and acceptances to universities.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN DECEMBER?
All dancers are preparing to present their pieces in the Music & Dance Department’s Winter Show and will continue training in their regular scheduled classes.
* Important Tech/Dress rehearsals
- Wednesday, December 4th at 3:30 p.m.
- Thursday, December 5th at 3:30 p.m.,
- Wednesday, December 11th at 1:00 p.m.
* Winter Show- Thursday, December 12th at 6:00 p.m. (Music will be first, but dance will follow immediately after).
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025
Events are subject to change and exact dates are TBA
January
- Guest Artist, Elizabeth Auclair of the Martha Graham Dance Company, will teach a master class to all dancers and set a Graham piece, “Heretic”, on the pre-Professional dancers
February
- Guest Artist and Tony Award Winner, Ahmad Simmons, will be in to set work for the musical
- Motion Dance Competition (all dancers may participate- fee required)
- The National High School Dance Festival (Pre-Professional dancers)
March
- Spring Show (all dancers)
April
- The pre-Professional dancers will travel to NYC to perform with the Martha Graham Dance Company at the world-famous Joyce Theatre. They will also perform various pieces at the Peridance Showcase and take master classes throughout the week.
-The Grier School Musical (Pre-Professional & Dance Styles dancers)
May
- Grad Show (Graduating Seniors, Pre-Professional, & Intermediate dancers)
Welcome to the Social Institute & Invitation to the First Parent Session
Grier School is excited to begin working with The Social Institute to answer the call for social and wellness concerns amongst our students and in larger global contexts.
According to the CDC report on Youth Risk Behavior, nearly one in three teen girls has seriously considered attempting suicide—a 60% increase from 10 years ago. There are a variety of factors contributing to such a stark increase in these experiences of sadness and violence. However, the same study also found that, “School connectedness, defined in this report as feeling close to people at school, has a long-lasting, protective impact for adolescents well into adulthood.” As part of Grier School’s wellness initiatives, it is imperative that we begin to address the concerns and experiences the CDC is finding among our students.
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.
In order to be impactful in this process, we need your help. The CDC study concluded that, “Supporting schools in efforts to reverse these negative trends [of rising mental health struggles] and ensure that youth have the support they need to be healthy and thrive will require partnership.” While the school can create and implement new curricular and counseling components, guardian support and reinforcement will aid in elevating the usefulness of these program components.
The senior class is wrapping up fall college application submissions. Many students have finished submitting their applications and are now patiently waiting to hear their results.
For those students who still have January and February submissions, please be in touch with Ms. Barr over the winter break to ensure all application needs are met. Students should e-mail Ms. Barr when they hit submit so she can push their documents to the university in Naviance.
The junior class will be starting the college counseling curriculum in January. Over the course of the spring semester, they will be meeting weekly in small groups to explore their interests, colleges, and plan for their summers.
Over the course of the spring semester, juniors and sophomores will receive e-mails from the college counseling office regarding summer pre-college program opportunities. These programs often require letters of recommendation and an application. Students can reach out to Ms. Barr for help in completing these pieces.
Please reach out to Ms. Barr with any college counseling questions or concerns at kbarr@grier.org.
By Olivia Hallahan, Testing Coordinator
Community Service Opportunities Sponsored by Junior Class
- Purchase Items for Easter for Eli
- CLICK HERE to find an extensive list of items that can be purchased to donate.
- For those that donate items, their name will be entered into a raffle.
- Items due: Thursday, January 30th, 2025
- Thank you to all those able to donate!
- Easter for Eli Event
- What: Basket Build & Blanket Making Event
- When: January 31st, 2025
- Time: 2:30 – 4:30pm (ish)
- Community service hours will be given.
Testing Information
Does your child need help with any of their testing accounts?
- Kindly remind your child to fill out the required form so that Mrs. Hallahan is aware and can ensure her availability to help with any of their testing or account needs.
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.
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.
Off-Campus Testing
Semester 2: 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.
TOEFL Dates/Deadlines Semester 2 2024-2025:
February Registration: CLICK HERE
- February 8, 2025 (sign-up deadline: Regular Jan. 15th; Late Jan. 28th)
- February 22, 2025: Regular Jan. 31st; Late Feb. 11th)
SAT School Day Dates/Deadlines/Registration
- Semester 2: Friday, March 28th, 2025
- SSD (Accommodations Request) Deadline: Friday, January 24th, 2025
- Deadlines: Friday, January 31st, 2025
- Registration: CLICK HERE to access the form. Students with a Grier School email account can register.
ACT District Testing Dates/Deadlines/Registration
- Semester 2: Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
- TAA (Accommodations Request) Deadline: Friday, January 24th, 2025
- Deadline: Friday, February 21st, 2025
- Registration: CLICK HERE to access the form. Students with a Grier School email account can register.
February 2025
ACT Weekend Administration (Saturday, February 8, 2025) [PAPER or DIGITAL]
Test Center: Altoona Area High School
Test Center Code: 183670
· Deadline: Jan 3
· Late Deadline: Jan 20
Photo Upload & Standby Deadline: Jan 31
Deadline to Notify Mrs. Hallahan About Transportation to ALTOONA TEST CENTER: Jan 20 (Monday)
Deadline Admission Ticket Turned into Mrs. Hallahan: Feb 3 (Monday)
March 2025
SAT Weekend Administration (Saturday, March 8th, 2025) [DIGITAL]
Test Center: Location near your home.
· Deadline: Feb 21
· Late Deadline/Changes to Registration Deadline: Feb 25
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
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
Gage Bassham, Travel Coordinator
Lindsey Good, Business Director
~ lgood@grier.org, ext. 7008
Angela McLaughlin, Facts Administrator
~ amclaughlin@grier.org , ext. 7019
