GSB Traditions
Convocation
The ceremonial beginning of the academic year brings together students, parents, faculty, and trustees to collectively envision the year ahead and the ways in which each can contribute to the life of the school. The ceremony pays special tribute to the members of the senior class and the school's newly-appointed trustees, recognizing the responsibility they have as leaders in community.
Homecoming / Family Day
The annual GSB Homecoming / Family Day offers a day filled with rides, games, and activities on campus geared to students of all ages and their families. A delicious picnic lunch is available, and the Knights have a full slate of athletic competitions throughout the day. All members of the GSB community are welcome!
Stone Soup
Held each October, Stone Soup ushers in the season of giving and marks the first among several service learning projects in the Lower School, highlighting the idea that sharing has the power to create abundance. Tradition holds that a stone is placed into a pot by the youngest student in the school and then each Lower School student contributes items for the soup.
Turkey Day
Each year the Gill community donates frozen turkeys during the school’s annual Turkey Day collection. Upper School students and faculty, many in festive turkey-themed attire, are stationed at morning drop-off for the three divisions and the bus-line to help collect the turkeys. Since 2003, the school has donated more than 6,000 turkeys to families in need.
The Nutcracker
All Early Childhood students appear in The Nutcracker each winter. Kindergarteners lead the project, writing and illustrating the story that will unfold on the stage and narrating the actual production. As part of their preparation, the students read and hear different versions of The Nutcracker in class, learn the music, and travel to see the ballet. After seeing different interpretations of the tale, students create a book of their own, which stands nearly two feet high and is used during the performance. A rite of passage, each year the kindergarten class brings its unique personality and flair to the time-honored tradition.
