New Student Onboarding in the Upper School

While Upper School is a new chapter for all students, girls who are new to GPS have more ground to cover when it comes to getting to know peers and teachers, training on new technologies, making their way around campus, and enmeshing themselves in the community. For that reason, Dean of the Freshman Class, Kate Kerekes, has helped design a comprehensive new student onboarding program designed to make them feel comfortable the moment they step on campus. Program components include:

Girl Guides

Each new student is paired with a Girl Guide before school starts. Her guide will help her get acclimated to the traditions and culture of GPS; help her find classes; introduce her to faculty, staff, and other students; and invite her to sit at the same lunch table for the first weeks of school. The pair meets regularly and is in the same advisory and at least three overlapping classes.

Monthly Meetings with Class Deans

Class Deans meet with new students monthly, alongside their Girl Guides, to check on their progress and follow up on any questions or concerns.

Class Representatives

New students are introduced to their Class Leadership Council, Honor Council, Student Council, and Partnerships in the Community representatives, who are encouraged to check in frequently, plug them into the class GroupMe, and help them get involved.

Yearly Events

The year kicks off with class retreats, where new students are introduced and begin forming connections through icebreaker activities. The class also bonds during a yearly grade-level events such as field days.

Advisory

Each new student is assigned the same advisory as her Girl Guide. Her advisor will get to know her throughout the year during their once-a-week meetings and will champion her throughout her journey as a new student.

The Learning Center

For the first month of school, at least once per week, new students spend a study hall in the Learning Center to better understand the resources available to them and to create an academic plan that will help them be successful.