Dr. Walgamuth Letters

I’d like to welcome everyone back to another great year at Grace School and a special Grace Gators
welcome to our 77 new families who are joining us this year.

Guided by our new vision, mission and belief statements many improvements have taken place over the summer. These include fencing and gates for added security for our faculty and students, updated curriculum components, and an outdoor learning center which will provide new ways to learn through play. A renovated primary school, upgraded kitchen facilities which includes a new healthy menu!

Most of these improvements have been made possible by your generosity  and the fundraising efforts of the parents club. To check out more items provided by the parents club, click here.

In addition to these fundraising efforts, the Annual Fund is a critical source of revenue that provides necessary classroom materials for primary, lower and middle school. Our goal is $150,000, so please help us with the bigger picture by giving to Annual Fund this fall.

It couldn’t be a better time to be at Grace School as we begin this exciting new school year. May God
Bless you and welcome back!

Dr. Liz Walgamuth

Dear Grace School Families and Friends,
 

We're currently undergoing the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) re-accreditation process. Ignited by the research we've completed, I’d like to take an in-depth look at all the wonderful things we’ve accomplished here at Grace School. 

As some of you may remember, Grace School held “Build the Vision Night” in the fall of 2007. That night gave parents and faculty the opportunity to identify and communicate their priorities for the future of Grace. Based on your input, we made the following improvements:

1. Aligned curriculum for the entire school
2. Christian Studies program in Middle School
3. Increased security
4. Guided reading library
5. Developed an enrollment plan
6. New band program
7. Improved parent communications
8. New logo and graphic standards
9. Highly qualified faculty and staff members

I was amazed by the progress we made…but it didn’t stop there. Last school year, we launched the largest remodeling project in the school’s history. The remodel included new classrooms, bathrooms, hallways, furniture, new SMART Technology, and various updates to the gymnasium. This year, we chose new uniforms for the 2011-2012 school year! Although a lot has been accomplished, there is always more to do.
 

There's a wise saying that states: "In order to know where your headed; you have to know where you've been." I believe we’ve built a stronger community here at Grace School. As you’ll see in our annual report of donors, your prayers and generous gifts to the Annual Fund and Classroom Campaign were the driving force behind our success. These vital improvements couldn’t have happened without you. Our 2010-2011 Annual Fund goal is $150,000, with strong participation from our community. Your gift—whatever size—will help us continue the high standard of academic excellence for our students.

As you read the articles in the winter edition of Grace Today, I hope you will recognize our commitment to your children. It will always be our mission to provide a rigorous educational program that embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ in a safe and inclusive environment.  

God bless,

Dr. Liz Walgamuth
 

Dear Grace School Friends & Families,

I am amazed at how quickly time flies! As the holiday season approaches, I hope we can take the time to stop, reflect and appreciate how much we have to be thankful for.

In the education community, a new school year evokes reflection and change. It allows us to reevaluate programs, improve processes and realign institutional goals. That's exactly what we've done here at Grace School.

As you all know, the Classroom Campaign was undoubtedly one of the most impressive financial undertakings in school history. Today, our classrooms are more flexible, more colorful and more engaging. With moveable furniture, collapsible walls and SMART Technology, our students are working and growing in a relevant, yet nurturing learning environment.

In addition to the structural improvements, school leadership has crafted a new mission, vision and belief statements a created to adjust our focus and intrinsically tie our daily actions to the true mission of Grace School.

Mission: Our mission is to provide a rigorous educational program that embraces the teachings of Jesus Christ in a safe and inclusive environment.

Vision: To inspire compassionate, thoughtful students eager to engage in the world around them.

• We Believe….teaching and learning should be relevant, current and rigorous.
• We Believe….teachers should have a deep understanding of the developmental level of their students.
• We Believe….effective educators are committed, self-motivated, courageous and intentional.
• We Believe….it is paramount to foster the growth of the mind, body and spirit.
• We Believe….leadership is shared by all and collaboration is used to advocate, nurture and sustain an effective instructional program.
• We Believe….in school-initiated family and community relationships.
• We Believe….in developing the God-given gifts, talents and uniqueness of each individual.

This mission statement is the heart and soul of what we do at Grace School. It is our visible investment in your child, the reason behind our methods and the faith that propels us forward. We hope you will partner with us as we relentlessly pursue excellence.

 God Bless,

Dr. Liz Walgamuth

Here are just a handful of the additions and changes that have come to Grace School:

• Added director of curriculum and instruction to oversee this crucial area, which includes professional development for teachers
• Development and implementation of a new, aligned curriculum for PK-8 so that concepts taught in each grade level build upon each other in the four main subject areas
• Development and implementation of Christian Studies program in Middle School to help students live out their faith and better equip them to defend their faith
• Created a guided reading library to support a balanced literacy learning environment
• Created an academic PK4 environment where children are taught by certified teachers
• Restructured to provide for full-time positions of school counselor, development director and Middle School instructional technology specialist
• Added new SMART technology in all classrooms and to also include eco-friendly materials
• Increased communication with weekly Gator Mail, teacher websites, and Twitter
• Certification for all teachers
• Added band program for Middle School that now, in year two, is open to 5^th graders to help them transition to Middle School
• Opened sports program to 5^th graders to help them transition to Middle School

Dear Grace School Parents:

Grace is Going Places and we invite your child to continue to be a part of the educational and spiritual journey here at Grace School. We have made amazing Early Childhood, Lower and Middle School improvements; added a Lower School science lab, Early Childhood and Lower School Spanish classroom; implemented a Middle School NewsTeam, band program, a powerful devotional and leadership component to our Christian studies, as well as regularly scheduled Bible lessons in Early Childhood and Lower School. Revised schedules in Lower School and Middle School, as well as full-day PreK 4s, are providing sustained classroom learning.

Here’s what we are working on for 2009-10:
Greater Student Access to Technology - Technology Director, Jeff Thomas, is identifying ways to incorporate new technologies into the curriculum while supporting students and teachers in this process. Exposing our students to cutting-edge technologies in a safe school environment puts them at the forefront of learning. We are developing a Middle School elective that focuses on modern media technologies. The Middle School computer lab is being converted into a technology center where students can access and create information throughout the day with support from a technology specialist.

Class Sizes – We know this is a major consideration as parents choose their child’s school. That’s why the administrative team has developed a sound enrollment plan that targets how many and what kind of students will thrive in our Christ-centered environment. Our projected plan calls for Lower School class sizes of roughly 15 students each, for approximately 45 students and three teachers per grade! Based on current enrollment, we know some Lower School grades will start next year at, or above, this target number. These anticipated numbers will enable the Middle School to thrive with approximately 135 students – 45 each in grades 6, 7 and 8. We are actively pursuing quality students for grade levels that are very near their target numbers. As we continue to grow, we will add outstanding faculty and remodel for space optimization.

Continued Growth in Educational Excellence - The across-the-board tuition increase for 2008-09 helped us adjust our salary range and attract exceptional teachers! We assure you that we continue our commitment to hiring and retaining the best and the brightest faculty who exemplify excellence. For the 2009-10 school year the School Committee has approved a 3% tuition increase for Early Childhood, and a 4.5% increase for the Lower School and Middle School. Along with prudent spending and support for the Grace School Annual Fund and the generous gifts from the Parents’ Club, this modest increase will go a long way toward furthering educational excellence at Grace School. We will continue to cultivate in your children the Christian values and skills needed to succeed in our fast-changing world.

May God continue to bless Grace School!

Sincerely,

Liz Walgamuth, Ed.D.
Head of School