A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER

THERE IS MUCH TO CELEBRATE ABOUT GPS as a whole, and the Advancement Team is proud to support the work and community built by our families, faculty, staff, public and private partners, and friends. Here’s a glimpse into what we’ve been up to this spring!

ADMISSION |

The school enjoyed a 30 percent uptick in demonstrated interest and will be welcoming the largest sixth-grade class—resulting in an additional section—since 2017. The Class of 2030 is not the only year that expressed a growing interest, however, as we are excited to welcome more than 100 new GPS girls across all grades this fall. With the help of current student and parent ambassadors, Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid Alice Smith Harris ’03 and the Admission team worked with prospective families through tours, open houses, home meetings, parent conversations, and more to continue to build an incredible student body. I applaud their continued dedication and enthusiasm to the GPS mission.

Development And Alumnae Relations

| We continue to be blown away by the support of our alumnae, parents, grandparents, friends, and sponsors, and spring was a wonderful time of connection for us. Thank you to Director of Development Lisa Reynolds Shanahan ’83 and team for the countless ways they attract support for this special institution. In March, we had 200+ people visit campus for the Alumnae Egg Hunt, and in April, we welcomed almost 400 grandparents to our campus for Grandparents and Special Friends Day. Bruiser Bash, our signature event, served as the culmination of a wildly successful online auction that raised $296,000 for the annual Impact Fund.

Present at those events and countless others throughout the year, our volunteers remain (in our humble opinion!) the best in the world.

One group in particular—our Parent Council— continues to be the backbone of our campus community and is a model for other parent organizations across the country.

Work reached beyond the Chattanooga area as the Development Team hosted alumnae from coast-tocoast in anticipation of 15+ alumnae chapters opening in cities around the nation. Alumnae can still connect with their GPS sisters in person, even if they’ve left the Chattanooga area!

GPS has always been built on special relationships that span cities, states, and decades, and it shows. This year the school was fortunate to welcome new endowed funds, including the Susan Crownover and Meg O’Neill Cannon ’99 Scholarship Funds. Furthermore, the Black Alumnae Council Endowed Scholarship Fund reached the $100,000 milestone expeditiously and now helps offset a portion of student need.

To further highlight the way the GPS community lifts one another up, an anonymous donor approached the school with a year-end challenge: to raise an additional $100,000 before July 1. The reward? A matching $100,000 gift. Our community stepped up, yet again, helping us earn the match and pushing us over the $1.5 million goal. We celebrate the generosity of many first-time and existing donors!

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Ali Gant Chief Advancement Officer

| The publication you’re holding, Blueprint, is one of dozens of beautiful pieces the GPS MarComm Team creates each year. Everything and anything printed, posted, and produced for GPS is generated by this small and mighty team. The only independent school marketing team to achieve a Gold Award, they were recognized by the Counsel for Advancement and Support of Education for our prospective student viewbook, competing against higher education institutions from across the world. In addition, they received Bronze for the calendar sent to prospective fourth-graders.