Glenelg Country Day Viewbook

Independent Thought.

Shared Purpose.

OPEN MINDS AND A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE…

Glenelg Country School’s founders thought about schools a little differently than most of the conforming educators around them around at the time. Inspired by the Country Day movement, this small group of intrepid visionaries set out to create an independent day school with the high academic standards and quality of life typically found only in boarding schools. The same entrepreneurial spirit that launched an ambitious yet balanced educational experience in the early 1950s continues to guide the entire GCS learning community today.

Independent thought at Glenelg Country applies to the School itself and how it enlivens a thoughtful, well-rounded curriculum. It also applies to the teachers, who are empowered to recognize the unique needs of each student and differentiate instruction to support individual growth. And it applies to the students, who are learning to make their own way in a complex world.

These are the Glenelg Country School pillars that support both meaningful intellectual pursuits and a bighearted spirit.

An Independent Choice

Independent thought applies to you, too—when imagining an ideal school experience. As an independent school, GCS makes some assumptions about how to deliver an education for children age 2 through Grade 12. But the School’s intentionally designed program and learning environment use those assumptions as just a place to start. In this way, students thrive in unimagined and profound ways.

Small Classes – 7:1 student-teacher ratio

Important Relationships with Teachers – Teachers who know their students well are also role models, advisors, coaches, and friends.

A Tight-Knit Supportive Community –A community united in its commitment to acting with respect and compassion elevates every voice.

Differentiated Classroom Instruction –Teachers understand how their students learn and plan instruction based on different learning styles so each student can find success.

Innovative Teachers – Constantly finding new ways for students to invest in their own learning helps students build skills for an ever-changing world.

A Wide Range of Curricular and Co-Curricular Opportunities – Always something new to explore and a new way to learn more about yourself.

Academic Challenge – Rising to your own next level every day.

Social and Emotional Learning –Knowledge only has power if you have the social and emotional capacity to navigate new situations, and the strength to use it well.

Campus Safety – Prioritizing an environment where the entire community feels safe and secure.

90-Acre Campus – Plenty of outdoor spaces inspire exploration, play, and discovery.

Shared Values and Educational Philosophy – An unwavering focus on academic, social, and physical growth makes us stronger as individuals and as a community.

Community— Taking Care of Each Other “ ”

At Glenelg Country, community is about more than making great friends. We do make great friends here, and the value of those bonds is immeasurable. But community is also a culture that makes all of us partners in learning and in service. Parents, teachers, and students journey together—a diverse group of individuals on common ground. Like a large family, we all share the responsibility for making the family thrive and we always have each other’s back.

Our commitment to the welfare of others extends beyond our campus and is a school-wide priority. Community service is not simply a requirement; it is an ever-present mindset that leads to social awareness and a sense of responsibility. Whether a relationship with a public school that increases opportunities for all students; an environmental initiative that supports our sustainability goals; or a project in Thailand that helps us see ourselves as part of an interconnected world—it is by using our knowledge to affect positive change that we find meaning.

I learned about the importance of service in middle school and now

I am committed to making a difference.

–Devin, Upper School Student

THE ARDENT DESIRE OF OUR FOUNDERS TO BALANCE THE MOST ESSENTIAL NEEDS OF GROWING CHILDREN…

This is the lynchpin of the GCS program and community.

Independence at Glenelg Country is demonstrated through the expression of individual identities and perspectives, the strength to discover and uphold individual convictions, and the freedom to have agency over individual choices. Independence here is balanced with an abiding appreciation for the interdependence that makes a community thrive and the responsibility we all have to care for each other.

At the same time that students are putting their minds to work—building their understanding about the world, solving problems, and forming their own points of view—they are learning to value the opinions of those around them and proactively consider the needs of others. As they strive to meet their own educational goals, they are also giving voice to what it means to belong and the value of a shared sense of purpose.

LITTLE DRAGONS

Everything around us is our classroom and everything we do is part of our learning.

The Reggio Emilia program at GCS channels children’s natural curiosity and makes their first school experience a wondrous adventure. With teachers as a guide and resource, early learning is both intuitive and planful.

An emergent curriculum means that children’s interests and imagination spark instructional activities, creative uses of materials, and opportunities for family involvement. Learning is a constantly evolving process.

Long-term projects allow students to explore concepts and ideas over time—reinforcing daily lessons and helping to make meaningful connections.

(AGES 2–3)

Because all children relate to new ideas differently, lessons are presented in multiple forms (books, music, drama, art, etc.), allowing students to access concepts in various ways. As a result, understanding is tied to personal experience, and individual expression can take almost any form.

Collaboration at GCS helps children develop their sense of belonging as well as their sense of self. Through group activities that require interpersonal skills, everyone’s voice is heard, and every voice matters.

Little Dragons catapulted my daughter to the next level of understanding, sense of belonging, confidence, and friendships— that’s all priceless. –Susan, Little Dragons Parent

AT GCS...

Detailed documentation of children’s work helps teachers and families monitor progress. Photos, videos, dictations, and observations are a window into daily growth while helping teachers customize classroom content, process, and dynamics.

HIGHLIGHTS

Varied Environment and Spaces – Throughout the week, Little Dragons have opportunities to explore innovative learning spaces outside their classroom such as the Tinker Lab, the Library, Art Studio, Multi-Purpose Room, and outdoors with teachers who specialize in these areas.

Relationship Building – Among their same-age peers, children gain a sense of belonging, develop their communication skills, solve problems, and learn to build mutual trust.

Outlets for Self-Expression – Students have access to varied and abundant materials that open their minds and hearts though self-expression and creativity. Their natural curiosity drives the learning process.

Documentation of Learning - Through photographs, videos, transcripts of conversations with students, and examples of their work, we can visibly see the learning process unfolding.

Outside Time – Learning continues outside as well as inside, and there’s plenty of space on our campus to play, explore, discover, and grow.

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LOWER SCHOOL (PRE-K–GRADE 5)

GCS teachers appreciate that growing up and learning—while not always tidy—are nevertheless sequential. Kids learn differently, and we help students find their own ways— building foundational knowledge and skills along a purposeful continuum. There is always time for a do-over and always a path to success.

The Lower School at GCS is a project— literally. We know that when students can connect learning to their own experiences, new concepts capture their attention and start to make sense. Everything is connected, and new knowledge is built on earlier foundations, so students never wonder, “Why am I learning this?”

Project-based studies bring together language arts, science, music, art, technology, social studies, and math lessons. Every classroom subject has a role through yearlong cornerstone projects in each grade as students develop essential collaborative and research skills while giving their work context and purpose.

They find something in your child and nurture it and pull it out. They see a seed and help it grow.

–Angela, Lower School Parent

Milestone projects demonstrate mastery of both skills and subject matter, while building confidence from a sense of accomplishment.

HIGHLIGHTS

Global Awareness – It is important for young children to understand how their own lives connect to people throughout the world. By learning new languages, exploring different cultures in all areas of learning, and engaging in service projects, students begin to learn how they can make a difference in the lives of others.

Outlets for Creativity – Exposure to and experience with the arts and technology allows children to create, design, generate, and compose new ideas—further developing children’s natural creative spark. Students are inspired by teachers who specialize in music, art, and technology.

Character Education – Through positive reinforcement and role modeling, teachers and students build upon their understanding of citizenship, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and respect. These six pillars serve as the foundation of the Character Counts program.

Cornerstone Interdisciplinary Projects –Putting skills and subject knowledge together

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MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 6–8)

Fifth to sixth grade is a big jump. Developmentally, children are emerging into young adulthood before our very eyes— intellectually, emotionally, and physically. Their sense of self is starting to crystallize, and their sensitivity to others is heightened. Appropriately, classroom instruction is more departmentalized, and while lower school students had a lot of influence over their learning, middle school students have responsibility for it. The same planful sequence that guides GCS students from one concept to the next also applies to the transitions between grades and divisions. At every step, students are doing foundational work that prepares them for what lies ahead.

In the classroom, instructional activities keep students active and fully invested in their learning. As they work with their peers, they take their role as valuable team members seriously while finding their voice and choosing how to express it. Overriding principles of respect, responsibility, and judgment frame the complete middle school experience as these growth-spurting way-finders chart their course.

There is an intentional balance in middle school— between being independent and asking for help.

–Head of Middle School

AT GCS...

Middle school students are on continual paths of increased responsibility and independence— discovering their roles in expanding academic and social contexts.

HIGHLIGHTS

Advisory – Each student is paired with a faculty advisor who oversees their middle school experience by monitoring academic progress, identifying growth strategies, and encouraging leadership opportunities. Advisors work in partnership with parents to ensure student success.

Character Education – It takes more than a list of rules to instill good character. Through conversations, actions, and positive reinforcement, the Character Counts program focuses on six pillars of character development: citizenship, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and respect.

Electives Program – More responsibility means more choice. When students want to explore topics outside the traditional curriculum, we make it possible. Weekly classes like musical theater, visual storytelling, dollars and sense, and weather forecasting develop new skills and interests.

Public Speaking – Learning to speak to an audience with confidence and poise means students are ready to stand up and be heard. Every middle school student participates in our

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–Upper School

UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 9–12)

Glenelg Country teachers ask a lot of their upper school students. And every day, these ready-to-launch young adults prove they are up to the task. With hard work and humility, they pursue their academic goals, contribute on the athletic fields and stage, and support those around them with compassion and commitment. As college-bound paths unwind with direction and purpose, upper school students immerse themselves fully in their immediate surroundings. Embracing who they are now and valuing the efforts they make today are the keys to supporting who they will become.

Teacher

Academic expectations increase for students, and the opportunities for advanced intellectual pursuits often spark further study. Advanced Placement courses and specialized classes like Investing & Capital Markets, Software Development & Web Design, and Civil Engineering & Architecture transform the school from a place to accumulate credits and fulfill requirements to a destination for authentic inquiry and discovery.

As teachers, we do a lot of listening. It is only by truly hearing that we can know what students need.

With abundant opportunities to flex independence muscles and turn inspiration into action, upper school students pursue areas of interest in depth, graduate with distinction, and demonstrate their achievements in meaningful capstone projects.

HIGHLIGHTS

Integrated Humanities – Literature, language, history, art, and philosophy are all approaches to explaining the human condition. By integrating these disciplines, students are exposed to various ways of thinking, analyzing, and questioning. Students advance their research, writing, and seminar skills as they develop their ability to process increasingly abstract concepts.

Scholars Program – Students may apply to the Scholars Program, which provides the opportunity to pursue an interest and further develop skills in one of five key interdisciplinary themes: aesthetics and culture, convergent science, entrepreneurship, global leadership, and technology, engineering, and design. Through coursework and experiential discovery, students focus their studies and build a portfolio of work that they defend before the faculty.

Community Service – A school-wide culture of service enables students not only to help others, but to expand their worldview, develop empathy and leadership skills, and realize how their actions can have a positive impact. A minimum of 25 hours of service per year is required for

What Distinguishes the GCS Experience

–Marsha, Upper School Parent “ ”

There is no pressure to be the best, only to do your best.

A HEALTHY BALANCE

Glenelg Country School balances the essential needs of children in a program that promotes intellectual inquiry, proactive caring, a spirit of independence, and purposeful collaboration. Teachers model the qualities and habits of mind that they want to inspire in students, while focused instruction gives students ample space and time to explore and practice being who they want to become.

WE ARE ALL DRAGONS

At GCS, no matter who you are, you belong. From Little Dragons through Upper School seniors to parents and alumni, once a Dragon, always a Dragon.

Our shared commitment to being there for each other, celebrating success no matter what that looks like, and remaining true to who we are is what makes us all Dragons.

INTEGRATED LEARNING

In the younger years, true integration considers all areas of development—physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional—to ensure balance and a well-rounded learning experience. Projects in the lower and middle schools combine multiple disciplines—language arts, science, history, technology, and the arts—to build a comprehensive foundation. In the Upper School, the humanities program connects literature, language, art, history, and philosophy. Studying these subjects together, while overlapping content and connecting themes, deepens understanding and makes learning relevant.

Students advance their research, writing and seminar skills as they also develop their ability to process increasingly abstract concepts. The Senior Capstone Project allows students to research a topic of interest while drawing on the full range of knowledge and skills developed during their GCS experience.

A SUPPORTIVE LEARNING

ENVIRONMENT

A multi-layered system of support helps all students realize their highest potential. Small class sizes mean that everyone has the personal attention they need to thrive, and teachers are always available for extra help when needed. Lower school homeroom teachers and middle and upper school advisors oversee student progress and coordinate a team approach to support with parents.

A learning specialist in each division provides more specific academic support as needed and prescribes appropriate accommodations. Guidance counselors are available to support socio-emotional learning, while two full-time college counselors work to ensure that each student finds the “right fit” option beyond GCS.

A

CULTURE

OF SERVICE

In alignment with the School’s mission, students prepare to become responsible and contributing members of their global community. Students of all ages learn how they can make a positive impact while acquiring important life skills. School-wide efforts have supported organizations such Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology, Special Olympics, Rebuilding Together, Build Haiti Foundation, and the Marshall Legacy Institute. A large percentage of Upper school students volunteer well above the 25 hours per year minimum requirement, serving others both locally and abroad.

A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The GCS mission is a call to action that challenges us to embrace the diversity of “background, culture, and thought” and presents us with a unique opportunity to accept the responsibilities that come with that call. Our commitment to these values both galvanizes and unifies our community as we strive to ensure a voice for all and to strengthen the “Dragon Ethos” of respect, integrity, and inclusion.

We are always outside—performing, feeding chickens, building forts in the forest, geocaching, ‘sciencing,’ eating lunch…Our campus is a natural extension of our classrooms and community.

– Head of Lower School

OUTDOOR EXPLORING

Most schools send their students off-site to get a break from learning; at Glenelg Country, we head outside to learn more. The natural resources on our 90-acre campus mean we can take field trips without getting on a bus—to explore ecosystems, inspire our creativity, and understand our relationship to the environment and our responsibility for it. Students think about how their surroundings affect them personally when they study real examples of erosion and habitat formation or collect data from our micronet weather stations.

Aside from being a place of profound beauty, the GCS campus is a place for profound learning. We are a country school, and our community culture reflects our environment—inviting children of all ages to interact with nature, run around outside, wonder, and explore.

Athletics

“ ”

Everyone gets to play. Teams are competitive while including kids who have never played before.

Just like our mighty dragon mascot, our students are brave on and off the field. At all ages, they learn to stretch themselves to the next level, take the risk to try something new, and be mindful of their own health and wellness. Sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, selfdiscipline, and perseverance are key life skills that every student learns through team sports and physical education.

Beginning in middle school, a variety of interscholastic sports teams allow students to take up a new sport, improve skills in one they love, and help bring home a championship banner. Whatever a player’s starting point, coaches help identify personal goals and support each athlete’s efforts to achieve them.

Arts

Being in the fifth grade musical—the joy he found in that shared experience— it was transformative for our son. We never would have guessed he’d be on stage having so much fun. –Elizabeth and John, Lower and Middle School Parents

”

Expressing oneself at Glenelg

Country is an essential part of every day. Whether it’s sharing an opinion about a reading assignment or launching a volunteer initiative to support a personally meaningful cause, students are encouraged to develop their points of view and act on them. In the art studios, music rooms, and on the stage, students at every age are supported in their creative expression, as they explore how to give shape to their ideas.

From Little Dragons to the Upper School, students broaden their appreciation of art and their creative abilities. GCS teachers know that we are all artists (just like we are writers and scientists); we just need tools, guidance, and practice to discover the possibilities.

HIGHLIGHTS

LOWER SCHOOL

The Remida, a Reggio-inspired creative recycling center Art and music classes taught by trained specialists Band and Advanced Choir offered in grades 4 and 5 Choir included in the music curriculum Spring musical involves every fifth grade student Holiday and spring concerts Art show

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Spacious and well-equipped areas for art and music classes Art gallery

Three music class options: choir, band, and music appreciation Fall musical elective Concert performances throughout the year Choir and band spring performance at Hershey Park

UPPER

SCHOOL

One fine arts credit required Advanced art courses available Visual art class offerings include 2D and 3D art, photography, and video production Drama class offerings include theater, stagecraft, and costuming Fall play

Spring musical and arts showcase Concert performances throughout the year

ONCE A DRAGON, ALWAYS A DRAGON

No matter where a student’s journey starts or where it takes them, GCS graduates share an experience and community that continue to shape their path long after they leave our campus. Teachers who lit fires and instilled habits of never settling; personal discoveries of interests, values, capabilities, and purpose; friends who made growing up a good thing—these are the permanent fixtures in daily life that help GCS graduates put individual fingerprints on the world.

WARREN POWERS ’13

Manager, Pimerica

Outside the Box

I was recruited for basketball and was the all-time leading scorer at GCS, but that’s not what defined me there nor has it defined me since. I remember one day at school I stood up on a cafeteria table and did an impersonation of one of my teachers. Another teacher came up to me afterwards and said, “You should be in theater!” It was a whole new world that took me outside perceived boundaries and helped me develop the public speaking and presentation skills that I use every day in my business. I realized there are lots of ways to make a difference and the first thing isn’t the only thing.

In 10th grade, Ms. Green changed the way I looked at writing and how deeply I looked at subject matter. I brought those skills to college and won an unprecedented award at a national conference. Today, as I grow in my family’s financial services business, my GCS experience helps me tap into an essential entrepreneurial mindset. I problem-solve every day—exercising leadership skills I learned in high school and benefiting from academic versatility to manage new challenges.

CARMEN ZHENG ’15

Digital Product Owner, CVS Health

Transferable Skills

My GCS teachers recognized strengths I didn’t know I had, and they helped me make the most of them. They encouraged me to try new things and question assumptions. It wasn’t enough to express how I felt; I was challenged to understand why I felt the way I did.

Mr. Weeks helped me see what was possible and apply what I was good at in unexpected ways. Pairing me with an older student who was designing a self-development center, he suggested I create a scaled, 3D architectural model and think collaboratively about design solutions. He believed in my artistic talent and he believed in me. Guided with a framework of community advocacy, I started to see how my creativity might be channeled.

Because I had learned how to combine seemingly unrelated disciplines, I was able to connect my interest in healthcare with a desire to serve others while at Brown University. Creating a medical service trip to Haiti, designing a healthcare course curriculum, and mentoring first-generation college students allowed me to express myself through initiatives that were personally meaningful.

Today, as part of the CVS Health Digital Innovation Lab, I create digital products that help manage patients’ medical conditions. I don’t have a traditional tech background, but at GCS I learned to scope my intellectual skill set—test my limits, see how much I can learn, and figure out how to apply what I’m good at to what I love.

Regional

KIA SEALS ’04

FRANK FASSICA ’09

Manager, Nestlé

Community Relations

When I look back at my time at GCS, one word comes to mind, community. A community that nurtured lifelong friendships and helped build the foundation that shaped who I am today. I was surrounded by amazing teachers and students whose passion in and outside of the classroom fueled my curiosity and made me eager to explore the world around me.

It’s also the place where I recognized my interest in writing and truly discovered its power. I’ll never forget reading The Great Gatsby in AP English and the way Mr. Mattson’s energy and enthusiasm made the story come alive. He pushed us to really dig deep and think critically about every assignment and made it fun and exciting along the way.

Today, as communications manager at Nestlé, I still use many of the skills I learned in that AP English class and throughout my time at GCS. I’m so excited that my son is now a Dragon and that he will help carry on the traditions that meant so much to me as a child. I am grateful that he will join the same community that helped expand and frame my world.

Reaching New Heights

I didn’t expect to like GCS (my parents thought I needed smaller classes and more academic focus), but my preconceptions were shattered on the first day. I immediately felt like part of the community, my teachers cared about me, and the history classes more than satisfied.

Peer pressure wasn’t a thing there. Everyone had social capital, and Ms. Parker helped me see myself in a new way my sophomore year. She went out of her way to encourage me to go on a Habitat for Humanity trip. When I asked ‘why?’ she said, ‘Because you are a leader.’ Her words still resonate; they changed how I saw myself and they would prove invaluable when I joined the Marine Corps after college.

Before the start of my commission, with 10 months to spare, I hiked the Appalachian Trail. I wasn’t an experienced backpacker, but I knew I could do whatever I set my mind to. It was hard—27 straight days of rain and 515,000 feet of elevation gain—but I had learned that anything worth doing is difficult and the experience prepared me for the Corps in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

I knew I had another distance hike in me after two tours in the Marines, so I trekked the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail from California to Washington. Now I’m excited for my next adventure. As a student again—getting my MBA at UNC—I will be much dryer and more than ready for the academic challenge.

Communications

Former Marine, MBA Student, UNC Chapel Hill

Next Steps