As I shared with Gillispie’s Board of Trustees in my end-of-year report, it has been an extraordinary year for each and all of us. Reading the written comments from the 2021 Parent Survey, I recognize that parents missed being on campus to connect with each other and with their children’s teachers. Yet, in thoughtful and different ways, we built and maintained a community.

“It takes a village,” and Gillispie is a Village. Adults on campus had to constantly think on their feet to problem solve. With huge hearts and courage, teachers revised lesson plans for in-person and online learning while building class esprit de corps. Staff and administration consistently scanned the dynamic environment and made adjustments as conditions warranted. Very important to our success this year were the students! They put up with wearing masks, physically distancing themselves, giving up the use of play areas, and foregoing large-group celebration like International Day. Why? Because their desire to be on-site to nurture friendships, be social, and laugh made it worth the students’ while…read more.