Gaynor News Feed

As the holidays draw nearer and we look back on the first half of the 2017-2018 school year, it is clear that there’s a lot to be thankful for. In particular, being part of the Gaynor community.

In honor of World Kindness Day on November 13, students did a special project in art class to spread a little kindness and the reactions were priceless.

The Gaynor community came together on Wednesday, October 18, on what would have been Co-Founder Dr. Miriam (Mimi) Michael’s 101st birthday to celebrate her life and her life’s work. Honoring the school’s co-founder were Trustee Emeritus Jo Ann Gaynor, Head of School Dr. Scott Gaynor, and Yvette Siegel-Herzog.

Youth leaders from Seeding Sovereignty and the International Indigenous Youth Council visited Gaynor to share their experiences and message of activism, telling students that they have power to effect positive change using their voices.

Among several focus areas identified in the recently-launched Strategic Plan, one included Gaynor’s social and emotional learning approach. Gaynor’s psychology department canvassed other schools in Manhattan and conducted extensive research.  Ultimately, the department chose the RULER approach to Social and Emotional Learning, developed by Marc Brackett, David Caruso, and Robin Stern at Yale University.

Gators traveled to Demarest Farms in New Jersey for Gaynor’s annual apple picking trip.

The entire Gaynor community came together on September 15 for the first hurricane relief efforts of the year in what will be a year-long partnership with Briarmeadow Charter School, raising over $1,000 and hundreds of school supplies.

Glenn Singleton, founder and president of Pacific Educational Group, author of Courageous Conversations: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, and creator of Beyond Diversity™, visited Gaynor to share his curriculum with the community.

During the 2016-2017 academic year, approximately 40 members of the Gaynor community worked together to develop the school’s next five-year strategic plan. We invite you to explore the online version and learn about the initiatives and goals set forth in the plan.

In the latest installment of Clare’s Corner, Gaynor’s Director of Psychological Services shares advice and resources for parents to use when speaking to children about their learning differences.