Classes for the 2009-10 academic year begin at George School on Monday, August 31, and the campus is bustling as staff prepare for the arrival of students.

A schedule of back-to-school events for Registration Weekend (Saturday, August 29; Sunday, August 30; and Monday, August 31) is now available online. It includes registration times for both new and returning students. In addition, a new back-to-school web page offers links to calendars, registration information, detailed registration schedules, parent FAQs, and various other resources that George School students and parents might find helpful as they prepare for the start of the new academic year.

Students participating in the Academic Summer Program from August 16 to 22 will be on campus prior to registration weekend, as will athletes involved in preseason camp (August 20 to 30) and students taking part in the International Student Orientation (August 24 to 28).

When classes begin, students will reap the benefits of recent facility upgrades. A major renovation of two science laboratories in Spruance-Alden Science Center offers state-of-the-art facilities for chemistry and general science classes. In addition, the newly constructed green learning commons and Mollie Dodd Anderson Library will provide a vibrant new academic hub. The first freestanding academic structure to be built on the campus since the 1970s, the facility includes a library, five classrooms, and a learning center, and will be the new home of the Religion Department and the International Baccalaureate Program.

With construction currently on schedule, the learning commons and Anderson Library is set to open at the start of the academic year. On track to receive gold-level LEED certification, the building includes a number of green features, including six rain gardens in the surrounding grounds, and a vegetative roof, which were completed in July. Within the building, carpeting, LCD projectors, and interactive whiteboards have been installed. Shelves and desks are currently under construction, and resources from McFeely Library are scheduled to be moved into the new building in early August.

About George School
Founded in 1893 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), George School, a rigorous coed boarding and day school for grades nine through twelve, educates students from twenty-one states, thirty-two foreign countries, and a variety of ethnic, racial, religious, and economic backgrounds. Through its commitment to diversity and the Quaker values of equality, integrity, and peacemaking, George School inspires students to be led by their own truths while respecting and appreciating opinions and beliefs different from their own. George School was one of the first schools in the United States to implement an International Baccalaureate diploma program. For information about admission, please call 215.579.6547 or visit http://www.georgeschool.org.