Letter from the Board President

TO THE GILMAN COMMUNITY,

I write to you as my four-year term as Board President has just come to an end.

Last spring, I visited the Lower School as part of my 50th reunion festivities. My former classmates and I had been paired up with third graders as pen pals, and, on this day, we got to meet each other in person. The boys asked the alumni what their greatest Gilman memories were. For me, the answer was easy. “My friends, my teachers, my coaches.”

I know I’m not alone in that sentiment. The boys who walk through the halls of Gilman and eventually across the stage at graduation often recall time spent with peers and mentors as their greatest memories at Gilman. That’s because it’s the people we meet on Roland Avenue who inspire us to “Be Gilman.”

We have learned a lot over these past four years about meeting and overcoming challenges together. The members of the Board and the Gilman community as a whole have recommitted to the values that define what it means to “Be Gilman.” I suggest we also commit to what I call The Gilman Compact, an extension of what Mr. Callard and Mr. Finney called a community school.

• We will not shy away from the important issues or tough topics of the day. We will embrace them, listen deeply, and address them responsibly. • We will utilize all of the Gilman Five in our work: Honor,

Integrity, Respect, Humility, and Excellence. • We will be inclusive and offer belonging to all who engage constructively. • We will do the work to understand the complexities of issues that are difficult to discuss. • We will encourage a process and language that unites. These are skills that get better over a lifetime of learning and, most importantly, are essential to a life well-lived. They certainly came into play during my tenure as Board President.

I believe that a leader is accountable for moving things forward at times when there are not perfect answers. During countless meetings on Zoom and in the Gilman Room over the last four years, I met many moments that didn’t have easy answers. The unique challenges we faced gave us the opportunity to have many hard but necessary discussions, to collaborate together to form creative solutions, and to focus on our goal of educating boys of promise who grow into men of character. I’m proud, to say the least, of the progress we made and the work we accomplished.

But we didn’t do it on our own. The achievements of the School and the opportunities we provide our boys to go forth and set and reach their own goals are only made possible because of your generosity.

Your collective efforts allowed Gilman to not just reach its annual fund goal but to surpass it, topping $2.9 million. These annual fund dollars contribute directly to the operating budget, which the School balanced this year. Total philanthropy for 2021-2022 exceeded $8.56 million.

As always, we are thankful for your unwavering support that upholds the integrity of our School, its pursuit of excellence, and the individuals who inspire us all to “Be Gilman.”

With appreciation,

Mark R. Fetting ’72, PP President, Board of Trustees, 2018-2022