Families are welcome at Gordon. The building itself has an open-door policy for parents, grandparents and other caregivers. While they are expected to refrain from unannounced classroom visits, families can, and do, frequent the building before, after, and during the school day. The high level of volunteerism ensures that parents are frequently spotted in the hallways and public spaces of the school. The administration recognizes the importance of the informal, serendipitous connections that are made between parents, faculty and students over the course of the school day. The administration encourages these connections by supporting the Gordon Community Association and by creating a welcoming environment.
Gordon's school calendar is full of opportunities for parents to come to the school and hear about the school's curriculum, mission and strategies. Gordon hosts events as varied as visiting artist presentations, financial aid workshops, parent education speakers, the annual meeting, and an overview of school finances and budget setting. These events allow for conversation between parents and the school's leadership, encourage parents to share their questions, concerns and observations with the school, and provide a setting to hear about the decisions the school’s leadership has made.
In addition to these school wide efforts, the administration also encourages smaller, teacher-initiated events that showcase student presentations and allow students, teachers, and family members to come together around academic work. These range from classroom breakfasts where first graders read their original picture books to parents, to evening receptions where eighth graders read from journals and present their final projects on their service learning experiences.
see also: More on families at Gordon