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Parent and caregiver education

A strong partnership between the school and families

Gordon’s calendar is packed with events that keep the conversation between the school and parents lively and relevant. Some of these are focused on the individual experiences of the children in each family, others allow parents and caregivers to have their own learning experience at Gordon.

Connecting with faculty

Open Campus
Tuesday, September 5th
9-10am Orientation for students and parents entering Nursery, first grade and fifth grade
10-11:30am All parents are welcome to explore campus with their children, visit classrooms, and ask questions, meet program leaders and fill out forms in the field house
Details and RSVP at www.gordonschool.org/opencampus

Overview Nights 
Early Childhood: Tuesday, September 12th, 6:30pm
Lower School: Tuesday, September 19th, 6:30pm
Middle School: Tuesday, September 26th, 6:30pm

At Overview Nights, parents and caregivers meet their children’s teaching team, spend time in their children’s classrooms, and receive a detailed preview of the coming year’s curriculum. If you only make it to one back-to-school event, this should be the one!
Details and RSVP at www.gordonschool.org/overview

Parent-teacher conference days
Friday, October 27th
Friday, March 1st

There are no classes on Friday, October 27th or Friday, March 1st. Instead, teachers dedicate those days to meeting with parents. Child care is available all day. Accommodations can be made for parents who cannot make it on these days, but it is important that all parents connect directly with teachers.

Parents and caregiver education

Parent and caregiver education series
Thursday, October 19th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday, February 8th 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday, April 25th 6:30-8:00pm

All are welcome to these three evening events that each center a school-wide priority and ask adults to be learners! Gordon’s parent education evenings are dedicated to deep learning in order to increase transparency and build community across shared goals. On the Friday morning following each of these events, Alethea Dunham-Carson will host a Coffee in the Commons from 8:15-9:00am in order to continue the conversation for those interested and able to join.
 

Visiting author and artist talks

Karla Harry Visiting Author talk with Kyle Lukoff
late fall
The Karla Harry Visiting Author program provides Gordon students the experience of delving into the writer’s craft by working with nationally recognized authors and illustrators. While they are on campus, each year’s guests give parents and caregivers an evening talk or workshop. This year’s honoree is author Kyle Lukoff, a Lower School favorite who has visited Gordon in recent years. This program is supported by the Karla Harry Visiting Author Fund, which was established in 2006 in memory of Karla Harry, Gordon’s beloved librarian and adored community member.

Britt Nelson Visiting Artist talk
spring
This program brings professional artists into Gordon’s classrooms. Students work alongside these artists, who lead them through projects that mirror the process of the artist’s own work. As part of the residency, each visiting artist gives a presentation to all three divisions of the school and to parents and caregivers so that parents, alumni and the general public can share the Gordon students’ experience.

Parent and caregiver affinity groups

Gordon has several affinity groups for parents that meet in evenings throughout the year. They are run by parent volunteers in partnership with Gordon staff.

Parents of Students of Color is a space for Gordon parents to discuss the distinct issues, needs, and experiences of students of color in independent schools. More information on POSOC at www.gordonschool.org/posoc

Facing Whiteness: The Antiracism Working Group for White Caregivers is for white parents to examine their own racial identities and privilege, to uncover and challenge their own biases, and to develop antiracism parenting skills. Information on the group is at www.gordonschool.org/antiracism.

Parents of Students with Learning Differences is for parents of students with learning differences who want to connect with one another and members of the academic support team. More on this group at www.gordonschool.org/learningdifferences

The Rainbow Family Alliance is the informal network of Gordon families who are part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex communities. More on this group at www.gordonschool.org/rainbowfamily

Ages and Stages

8:15am, running throughout the year

The long-running Ages and Stages series will resume in September. At these friendly and informal meetings, the school counselor leads a discussion on the developmental stages that children experience at each grade level. The meeting allow parents to strengthen their connections with the student support team and with the families of their children’s peers.