Empowering students to achieve their fullest potential and live lives of purpose has been the core of Garrison Forest School since 1910. What was an innovative educational mission for girls at the turn of the 20th century that remains so in the 21st century? Garrison Forest was founded in 1910 as an all-girls’ day and boarding school with a coeducational primary program (now preschool).
Our mission has been to prepare young women for a rewarding college experience and a purposeful life well beyond throughout our history. Guided by our motto, Esse Quam Videri—To Be Rather Than To Seem—Garrison Forest’s curricular and co-curricular program balances exceedingly high standards within a welcoming, spirited atmosphere. Here, students flourish intellectually and individually. Find their voice. Discover their passions. And embrace their potential.
Our Motto matters. Esse Quam Videri, “To Be Rather Than To Seem” has inspired our community since Garrison Forest School’s founding in 1910. Today, it inspires our Core Values:
- Be Authentic.
- Be Brave.
- Be Compassionate.
- Be Curious.
- Be Spirited.
These five Core Values, created by the GFS community in 2015, guide how we teach and learn, connect and collaborate, serve, and succeed. Underscoring our Mission and Statement of Respect, these five values are a road map for every community member, adult, and child, to be our best selves. At Garrison Forest School, we prepare our students in and out of the classroom to thrive in a complex, changing world by:
- Challenging them to strive for academic excellence and to grow into informed, independent, and creative thinkers
- Cultivating an authentic and resilient sense of self, grounded in respect and integrity
- Creating a diverse and inclusive community built on a spirit of caring
- Inspiring young women to lead and to serve with passion, purpose, and joy
The Garrison Forest School community is deeply committed to equity, honesty, kindness, and respect as part of the educational experience. To this end, we:
- Celebrate diversity both within our community and our curriculum
- Are concerned for the well-being of all people
- Seek to build the self-esteem of all people
- Aspire to promote the understanding of all people.
We recognize the dignity and worth of all individuals. To protect their rights, we confront bias, prejudice, and discrimination. Garrison Forest School does not condone any behavior which is inconsistent with these tenets. We believe that it is unacceptable for our spoken and written language and behavior to demean anyone’s physical characteristics and anyone’s ethnic, gender, personal, racial, religious, or sexual identities. We, as individuals, must take responsibility for our words and deeds and respect all people.
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