Parent Plan-It

Announcements

Returning to School in January. The schedule for returning to school in January 2021 was modified to increase community safety. Please read the dates and information on this page carefully. All students, and all employees working directly with students, will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken not more than 72 hours prior to arrival on campus for the first time in January. View the academic calendar here.

Boarding Student Pick-Up. Pick-up for all boarding students will be this Friday, November 20. Parents are not allowed in the dorms. Student prefects and friends can help move packed items down to cars with the students. Once the items are safely out of the dorm and downstairs, the parent is welcome to help the student load the car. Please contact the Deans’ Office at deans@georgeschool.org if you have any questions.

Attendance Policy. Attention parents of all students: Classes will be virtual in December following the Thanksgiving break. If your child is ill, has a doctor’s appointment, or will miss a class or classes for any reason, you must email Attendance Supervisor Laurie Moyer at lmoyer@georgeschool.org to notify her of the excused absence. Failing to notify Laurie will generate a cut for the student’s missed class.

Missed the Parents Association Meeting? Watch a recording here of the PA meeting from Wednesday, November 18. Speakers included Head of School Sam Houser and Committee Clerks.

Sweatshirt Distribution for Students Continues. The Parents Association has organized a distribution on Saturday, November 21 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in the Summit Square Shopping Center, Langhorne, PA. They will be located in the parking areas by the Einstein Bagel Bros. store. Local students that did not get their sweatshirt at GS last week will receive an email, as will their parents, with more detailed pick-up instructions.

Shop at the George School Store. Get your holiday shopping done early and browse the school store online! Purchase from our “Cougar Pride!” Collection and receive a FREE Cougar Paw magnet with your order. Save on shipping with free pick-up from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Main Drive security gate. The school store is thankful for the support from GS families!

Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) Workshops. On Friday, January 15 and Saturday, January 16, FCD Workshops will be offered by Hazelden Betty Ford representatives online via Zoom for George School students. These workshops are required for all ninth graders, new tenth graders, and eleventh graders. Students will be sent a SignUp Genius link to their George School email in early December for registration. Please contact Susan Ross at sross@georgeschool.org for more information.

Even-Arrangement Block. The even-arrangement block began this week on Tuesday, November 17 and ends on Thursday, December 17. From Monday, December 14 through Thursday, December 17 some arrangements could be extended for culminating activities or assessments from teachers.

College Counseling

College Counseling Kick Off Meeting for Juniors. Juniors and their parents are invited to learn how college counseling will guide and support students throughout the college application process. This virtual event will be held on Thursday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m. Juniors are required to attend. Stay tuned for details on how to join the event.

The Week Ahead with College Counseling. Parents of seniors: Please refer to the Week Ahead To-Do list dated Sunday, November 15 located on the portal. Remind your senior student to follow the steps for completing the application process.

Students must complete the “College Application Submission Confirmation Form” after they submit every application. Your child’s file will remain incomplete at colleges if this form is not submitted. This is the only way College Counseling will know where to send application materials on the student’s behalf. Students should bookmark the form (the link is in the Week Ahead) for easy reference — they will use it a lot this year!

IB Activities Update

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, IB has adjusted curriculum and assessment components specific to individual subjects for the May 2021 session. IB teachers have been informed of these modifications and are aware of the guidance on IB teaching in the current circumstances.

IB exam registration has closed and accounts have been billed. Parents should review their child’s account on the portal. Questions about registration or billing should be directed to Val Fusco, Registrar.

Class of 2022 IBDP candidates:

Continue to work on the Extended Essay (EE) in preparation for submission of the Detailed Outline with Research Findings due on Tuesday, December 1. Students who submitted late work for the Prospectus and Reflection #1, or who have been contacted by Marion Wells (EE Coordinator), must be in communication with her to ensure that they are able to advance to the next stage of the process.
There is a required IBDP Meeting for the full cohort, “IB Internal Assessments (IAs) and EE: Focus on the Writing Process,” on Wednesday, December 2.

Class of 2021 IBDP candidates:

Students should be regularly completing, documenting, and confirming their Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) work. The next CAS check is on Wednesday, December 9. Students who do not submit these checks must immediately contact IB Coordinator Kim McGlynn to ensure that they are on track to complete this core requirement for the diploma.
There is a required IBDP Meeting for the full cohort, “Internal Assessments (IAs) and Upcoming Exams,” on Wednesday, December 9.

Parents Association Updates

Parent Book Club Kickoff. The first virtual meeting is on Thursday, December 10 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. EDT. Join other parents as they discuss “The Orphan Sisters” by Shirley Dickson. Interested in joining the Book Club or need more details? Please email Clerk Erica Crenshaw.

GS Student Clubs. The student-run clubs are an excellent way for all students to socialize, participate in fun extracurricular activities, and build new friendships. To register for a club, students should email one of the club leaders. Watch this Virtual Club Fair video to learn more. Student club leaders are listed in the video’s description box.

Interested in a PA Committee? Committee Clerk contacts are listed on the Parent Portal. Please email them directly to join or for more information.

Ideas or Questions? Please email Stephanie Connolly (PA President).

Support George School

With the season of giving and the end of the tax-year approaching we wanted to share with you the benefits of making a gift of appreciated securities to help in your philanthropic decision making.

The gift of stock is a tax-wise way to support nonprofit organizations such as George School especially when the market has experienced recent gains. By gifting stock, you do not incur capital gains, you receive a charitable deduction, and have the satisfaction of knowing that you made a meaningful gift to George School.

To learn more about giving appreciated securities to George School, please visit our website or contact Interim Director of Development Mike Perry.

Resources

Looking for something? Visit our Parent Resources page and the Parent FAQs page for more information.

The Parent Plan-It is designed to inform parents about campus events and deadlines. It is published weekly on Thursdays when school is in session. It is a must-read resource for parents about important dates and school procedures. Please contact editor Katharine Sipio with comments, suggestions, and news at 215.579.6576 or by email at ksipio@georgeschool.org.