What makes us special?      

• At Gibson Island Country School, we believe that happy children -- who are given respect as unique human beings and allowed to fulfill their needs to play, to investigate, and to be themselves -- are more open to learning than children whose learning experiences are overly controlled & regimented. Our goal is to provide a relaxed but stimulating atmosphere where each child finds and feels acceptance and encouragement to succeed through personal effort and the exercise of responsible choice.
   
• GICS provides a challenging academic experience and helps students to build the strong foundation of the skills and knowledge needed to flourish at higher educational levels. But we are also a school in which learning and growth is seen to extend far beyond fine scholarship.
   
• At GICS, we encourage young people to build other skills and outlooks important to happiness and success in life: the ability and willingness to work hard to achieve meaningful goals, self-confidence and self-reliance, creativity, sensitivity to the feelings and needs of others, a feeling of stewardship for the world in which we live, a sense of humor and perspective, sturdy personal values, and essential collaborative, critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
   
• Ours is a school where easy laughter and a friendly, partnering atmosphere provide the backdrop for purposeful growth and judicious risk taking. It is a place where Pre-K students carry their own lunchboxes and share news with the entire student body without self-consciousness, where 5th graders greet the younger students at the start of the day and take ownership for the school. It is a place where students learn how to solve their own problems and discover it is better to have extended yourself into something new and made a mistake than never to have pushed yourself at all.
   
• GICS is about hard work, joyful play, and feeling a part of a dynamic and ever-changing community of learners. It is a place where students are expected to abide by the ground rules yet find their personal needs respected and their individuality honored. It is about respecting yourself, partnering effectively, and acting responsibly.
   
• The role of parents in the GICS partnership is tremendously important. The teachers can help maximize a student's potential; but it is the parents who hold the key to establishing and reinforcing the qualities that allow each child to reach his or her fullest potential. At GICS, we encourage parents to turn off the television and talk with their child, encourage their child to tackle homework and personal issues on his or her own, and model a life-long openness to learning. That's why we always talk about GICS as a community -- we're all in it together!

And the result? The result is a young person who is responsible, curious, self-reliant and able -- a student who is ready and eager to take on the challenges of life.

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