GPS District Digest

Celebrating the autumn festive holidays might have looked different for everyone in 2020, but students and staff all over GPS kept it safe and fun! There were pumpkins, social distancing, costumes, and face masks abound! Scroll through the latest issue of the Digest to see some great celebrations!

Over 60 families created pumpkins to resemble a favorite book character for the International School of Dundee Annual Great Pumpkin Book Showcase. This event promoted creativity, built excitement around books, and encouraged family involvement.

You can take a look at all of the great entries!

The Greenwich Alliance for Education is celebrating their 10th Annual Turkey Trot. This year's Turkey Trot Fitness Challenge is a month-long celebration, culminating on November 28th. Registration is open now! Run/walk/bike anywhere during the month of November in support of the Greenwich Alliance for Education!

Read more about the Turkey Trot.

In honor of United Nations Day, the students of Julian Curtiss upheld a 30-year tradition with many culturally rich activities in a week-long celebration. The children were treated to “Autumn Stories from around the World,” performed virtually by an Arts for Learning storyteller, Monica Peterson. Classroom teachers discussed the World Food Program, which recently won a Nobel Peace Prize for their global work during the pandemic and ran a school-wide Food Drive to benefit our local food pantry, Neighbor to Neighbor. Some classes virtually welcomed parents to speak to the children about their heritage and their customs and fifth-grade students engaged in a virtual visit to the United Nations.

To help those less fortunate in our community, the GHS Roots & Shoots Club, GHS Neighbor to Neighbor Club, and GHS Assistant Deans, have set a goal to raise $10,000 to provide Thanksgiving meals to over 100 families in our Greenwich community. Through a continued partnership with the Greenwich Social Services Holiday Aide program, this year’s 10th annual Thanksgiving Food Drive will be a virtual event and will run from October 30th through November 15th. Monetary donations can be made online through MySchoolBucks.

Read more about the Thanksgiving Food Drive.

Friends of Greenwich Crew, in conjunction with Greenwich Crew, invite the GPS community to a virtual screening of the documentary, “A Most Beautiful Thing.” The screening link will be live from November 8th-11th and there will be a live Q&A session with author, rower, and activist Arshay Cooper on November 12th at 7:00 p.m. To register for this free event, you will need to fill out the registration form.

The film, narrated by Grammy and Oscar-winning artist Common and directed by award-winning filmmaker and Olympic rower, Mary Mazio, and executive produced by Grant Hill and Dwyane Wade, chronicles the first African American high school rowing team in this country made up of young men, many of whom were in rival gangs in Chicago, who came together to row in one boat. Parental guidance recommended for viewers under 16.

Students at Western Middle School recently decorated the main lobby with ribbons designed by students around the school as part of their Breast Cancer Awareness efforts. Donations can be made online at Susan G. Komen’s website to support our students’ fight against breast cancer.

About 550 GHS students and teachers attended a Zoom “We The People” debate, a collaboration between GHS and the Greenwich League of Women Voters. It included candidates for State Senate District 36, State Rep 149th district, 150th district and 151st district. The school’s “We The People” teacher, Aaron Hull, introduced GHS junior moderators Veda Swaminathan, Marina Zelenz, Winn Glaser and Eva Marder.

The Greenwich High School Soil Remediation Project recently completed the Phase I cleanup focused on the northernmost athletic fields and several small areas on the Greenwich High School property and allowed for renovation of Athletic Fields 6 and 7.

GHS Cardinal Stadium

Cardinal Stadium plans were approved through Planning and Zoning and the demolition of the old bleachers will take place after the GHS Fall sports season.

Western Middle School Fields

GPS consultant Langan is working with the voluntary remediation action plan and is continuing to conduct testing and prepare a plan for the removal of soil.

Feasibility Studies

Julian Curtiss School and Old Greenwich School Feasibility Studies will be on the Board of Education's agenda on November 18th.

Greenwich High School Entranceway

The GHS Security Entrance Project has building committee recommendations and the design work is expected to begin this school year.

Hamilton Avenue School Field

Hamilton Avenue School's field project is on schedule and, once completed, will provide a level playing field for the students.