Introducing the new Grandview Garden—a collaboration between school and community.

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336 Spanish River Blvd. NW Boca Raton, FL 33431

www.grandviewprep.net

Grandview Preparatory School

Renewal, rebirth, and growth are themes that we usually talk about in the spring—green life emerges from the barren landscape of winter, and being outside no longer requires mittens and a parka. In South Florida, we are reversed. By late autumn, we emerge from our air-conditioned spaces; the grass is greener, the flowers bloom brighter, and being outside for more than ten minutes is no longer suffocating.

Autumn for us is a time of new growth and change, and it certainly has been this fall at Grandview! We have introduced a dance program, Grandview Dance Academy, adding a new element to our Fine Arts program. We also launched the Grandview Education Fund and the Grandview Foundation—new ways you can help students at Grandview with tax-deductible donations.

In Boca, autumn is the perfect time to plant—and what better time to begin the Grandview Garden! Our newest endeavor at GPS (highlighted in this issue on page 18) exemplifies the qualities that we value as a school: collaboration, service, and growth. This fall, we have also “grown” a new school publication—The Grandview Compass. This digital magazine, published three times during the academic year, presents a sampling of the great things going on at GPS. It is best

Welcome to the new Grandview Compass!

viewed in full-screen mode on a computer, and can be shared digitally with friends and family. This publication is for you, so please send me your ideas and comments as we experiment with this new medium. We are growing in many ways at Grandview, but the most important growth is that of our students. Here, we highlight some of their many successes, and we hope to give you a small taste of life at GPS.

Haley Swartz is the Communications Coordinator at Grandview and the editor of the Grandview Compass

hswartz@grandviewprep.net

3 Contents

Halloween Celebration: Students pose in the pumpkin patch following a costume parade.

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14 18 22

Iowa Football, the Greatest Generation, and the Trouble with Y and Z Head of School Jackie Westerfield comments on our future.

Redefining “Preparatory” Academic Dean Tiffany Della Vedova highlights the necessity of adapting with technology.

College Counseling Corner Mary Ellen Piscatello, Director of College Counseling, gives tips and reminders for upper school students.

A Garden Grows At Grandview A groundbreaking initiative to collaborate across age levels and throughout the community.

New Ways to Help GPS Students Introducing the Grandview Education Fund and the Grandview Foundation.

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12 15 20 23

Academics

Fine Arts

Pride Athletics

Activities

GAP

Alumni

Departments

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IowaFootball,theGreatestGenerationandtheTroublewithYandZJackie Westerfield, Head of School

As a big Iowa football fan, last Saturday I listened to the voice of journalist Tom Brokaw during a commercial break in the game, speaking about the benefits of a University of Iowa education. His voice reminded me of more than

just my alma mater, but also of his role as the spokesperson for our nation's 'greatest generation'. His book by that name recounts the successes of the pre-baby boom generation of forward-thinkers who made sacrifices for the benefit of their children and their children's children. I personally belong to the cusp of a succeeding, less esteemed generation- the vaguely-defined, 'Generation X'. Even our name is generic, perhaps an implication that we aren't even special enough to have a stand-out characteristic. Moreover, my generation's children have the even less-unique label of 'Generation Y' who, in turn precede 'Generation Z'. 1 In my quest to understand this collective labeling during a two- minute time-out, I realized a very important fact. The greatest challenge of any society is to advance without forgetting what it already knows. Generations who fail to do this wind up with confused children and lousy generational labels.

As my Iowa game play resumed, I set out to champion new labels and new attitudes for the intended beneficiaries of the Greatest Generation's hard work. In the 1991 book Generations, historians Strauss and Howe, propose interesting theories on generational cycles and characteristics. These theories are not new, but are relevant to my hope to rename

our Y and Zs. The short version of these theories is that each generation is naturally shaped by the talents and omissions of the generation before. 1 Since the heroic Greatest Generation came of age in a time of shifting paradigms, it is known for its ability to create and shape institutions. It is no surprise that the succeeding generation (think 1960's counter-culture) wanted to tear these institutions down and make their own place in the sun. This behavior earned the blah label, 'X', instead of more positive adjectives like 'greatest' because reactive generations don't

actually have time to build things after they have knocked them down. This leads us to the most important question, how can Y and Z (and back again to A) avoid the trappings of a cyclic, pre-determined rise and fall, and earn a stand-out adjective for their generation? Some have hinted that Y and Z are actually 'Millennials' (a better

but still not marvelous descriptor), capable of the same heroism of the famed Greatest Generation. If so, what can history teach them about the nature of the game?

In the glorious moments following Iowa's post-Michigan State victory, I condensed my modern history lessons into seven primary things for our children to remember in an effort to save the planet and earn a distinguishing generational adjective:

Lesson number one from the 1950s:

Ideals are NOT a bad thing. It is ok to set high standards for our children and

encourage them to explore new frontiers.

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the Ys and Zs, I make you a promise. I promise to fashion a spectacular launch pad for whatever future you choose to build. I promise to help you clean up any accidental implosions and, most importantly, I promise to cherish the contributions of my parents and their parents as I pack them neatly into your travel gear. You will have the best of all of us in order to properly claim your generation's label. Oh, and, P.S… will you look out for Iowa football along the way?... please?

1 Generational Theory(Howe, 1991) 2 In keeping with my football theme for ease of comparison, the generational flow seems to fall into four primary categories: Prophet/Idealist (those born during a societal high, such as the Renaissance); Football fans, think of your favorite team's celebration after a touchdown to capture the feeling of this era. Next is Nomadic/Reactive (born during period of societal reflection/awakening such as the Reformation); Football fans, think of your favorite team spoiling the touch-down high with a long run by the opponent on the post touchdown kickoff return. This reactive period is followed by, Heroic/Civic (for those born during a period of societal unraveling such as Prohibition in America), Again, gridiron fans, think of your favorite team's defense failing to stop a 4th and 1 on the ten yard line. Finally, there is Artistic/Adaptive (born during a time of societal crisis such as war)- think conference championship game, winner take all. These four phases overlap but occur in the same order each cycle.

Lesson Number Two from the 1960s: Rigidly sticking to ideals in the face of new truths IS a

bad thing. All children, regardless of their background, can

make it to the moon.

Lesson Number Three from the 1970s: Individualism is NOT a bad thing

Not all children want to become astronauts; the world needs artists too.

Lesson Number Four from the 1980s:

Individualism at the expense of the greater good IS a bad thing

Wall Street, Main Street and Sesame Street co-exist for the benefit our children.

Lesson Number Five from the 1990s:

Technology is NOT a Bad Thing Imagination fuels innovation with 'Windows' to a

'googolplex' of opportunity.

Lesson Number Six from the Present: Technology at the expense of humanity IS a bad thing

Prime example: automated telephone attendants. Push or say 'one' to begin a painful series of

dehumanizing experiences….

The reason we fail to hold on to the good lessons of the past is usually because the omissions of an era become magnified and eclipse its accomplishments. Our predecessors prioritized institutions and we overcompensated by indulging the individual. Today's young people can stop the extreme pendulum shift and move forward. As parents, we need to learn from the good old -fashioned gumption of the past and stop attempting to spare our children the pain of even one failure. Our predecessors knew that it would take several failed launches before a successful lunar landing. The joy of each mistake became an idea to engineer into the new and improved rocket. In sharp contrast, somewhere along the line we decided that mistakes for our children were unacceptable. Each mistake meant one less college choice and a bleaker future. We stopped believing. This failure to suspend disbelief continues the cyclic rise and fall of generations. Our children do not learn from OUR mistakes, they learn only from their own. So, to you

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Ms. Krido’s 1st graders play math hopscotch (pictured above) and use a giant chalk number line to learn addition and subtraction (pictured right). Mr. Stob and his upper school math class show off their hanging origami (pictured far right).

Lower school students are learning math together in fun ways! Ms. Gershon’s 4th grade class has times table relays (pictured top), and Mrs. Michael’s kindergarten class learned estimation by including all of the lower school classes in a jellybean-guessing contest! (pictured bottom).

Fun With Math: Applying Concepts

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Together: Grandview Students Collaborate

Throughout Grandview, students are collaborating within their classes and across grade levels in their academic classes. Mr. Berey’s ancient and medieval history class organized an Ancient Civilizations Fair for 5th and 6th grade students (pictured below).

Mrs. Eames’ 7th grade science class made cells out of jell-o and candy. Yum! First, they made the jell-o, and then they decided which candy would best represent each part of the cell. Great work, guys! (pictured above, right, and bottom).

Academics

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Tiffany Della Vedova, Academic When we opened our doors a little over a decade ago, it was with a specific vision. Our founders, Gene and Carolyn Ehlers, sought to create a learning environment which would uniquely engage students on an

individual level by synthesizing the traditional with the innovative. They imagined that preparing a student for college did not have one set track. They also had the foresight to know that the preparation necessary for success in college and beyond would evolve quickly with the changing world. Even still, none of us knew in the year 1997 just how quickly the birth of new technologies would affect the future of our schools and the future and present lives of our children. We find ourselves today having to look at the world through the crystal ball of prediction, and speculate from trends and the consensus of experts exactly what our children will need to know in order to succeed at the highest level in college and beyond. To redefine readiness each year for our students, we revert back to the vision of our founders, marrying the conventional with the revolutionary. Further, when we speak of academic readiness, it is never mutually exclusive to character growth. The combination of these values and skills is evident in our school creed and in each lesson taught in the classroom. The value of connection is ubiquitous within our community. The beginning of our creed, “Together we build our future” takes on many meanings. In Advisory, our students learn the importance of having a mentor as they experience the process as a mentee. This helps them come to understand their own role as mentors to the younger students at Grandview, and in some cases to each other, as they engage in peer tutoring and take on leadership roles within the school. Together also means a

Redefining ‘Preparatory’ – Part 1: Together We Build Our Future

partnership between the teacher and the student, the home and the school. We seek to connect our students’ life experiences with their classroom ones, individualizing their learning paths by tapping into their viewpoints and interests. Likewise, we endeavor to engage parents in the learning process, often assigning “home learning” which involves family discussion or parental feedback. This year, we have also taken the concept of connection a step further, helping our students to see online networking and collaboration in an academic light rather than a purely social one. Through the implementation of Google Apps in our school, our middle and upper school students now receive and submit work electronically, develop their own online learning portfolios, and collaborate

in real time on live, shared documents. A Forbes magazine blog earlier this year highlighted the rising trend in online collaboration, citing a Gartner prediction that online meeting and collaboration will replace 2.1 million airline seats per year for business travel by 2012. The same article revealed the creative ways in which large companies such as Accenture and Proctor & Gamble are using online

technologies, ranging from video conferencing to simulated product launches. We strongly feel that adding online collaboration to our definition of preparation will only give Grandview graduates an advantage heading into the next stage of their lives with such practices on the rise. In May, when our graduates stand at the same doors we opened a little over a decade ago, and look outward into the world ahead of them, we hope that they will see it through uniquely Grandview eyes. This perspective would center them as an integral part of a collection of individuals and ideas, and the ability to envision their role as they move "ever upward to honor", building their future together.

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Upcoming Music Events Winter Concert: "Traveling the USA - a Musical Journey" on Thursday, December 9th at 7:00 p.m. in the University Theatre at FAU. Tickets will be on sale for $10 each at the front office starting November 15th.

Grandparent/Special Guest Day Performance: Friday, February 11th, 2011.

Fine Arts News: Music

Fine Arts Track students in Miami with Ms. Craik.

This September, our Glee Club performed at Back to School Night. The performance featured 7th grade student Giovanna Dandenau with a solo. On Friday, October 15th, the Grandview Fine Arts Track students participated in the 44th Annual University of Miami Honor Choir. The students performed in a concert including the University of Miami Frost Chorale, and the Sibelius Singers of Finland. Out of 5,189 elementary schools in the state of Florida, approximately one thousand 4th and 5th grade students audition for the Florida Elementary All-State Choir. Grandview students are consistently selected for this ensemble and this year is no exception. Gabe Harbaugh (pictured right), a 4th grade Grandview student, was selected as one of the best young singers in the state, and will be traveling to Tampa in January to perform with nationally recognized conductor, Dr. Ann Small, at the Music Educator's National Conference.

Fine Arts

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Fun things have been happening in art with Ms. Harris! In October, 6th grade boys participated in the Water is Life classroom mural contest given by the Wyland Foundation. The boys painted a mural of sea life (pictured above) on a 5’ x 10’ canvas, and each received a certificate of participation. 5th grade students have entered the Save the Gulf Sun-Sentinal Art Contest. Winners will be announced soon! 8th grade students are working on Pop Art paintings inspired by Peter Max, and their Black and White Line Designs are on display in the hallway. Students also have work on display through February at the Cornell Museum at Old School Square in Delray in the exhibit Cats Meow. Check it out!

Students in Mr. Williams’ upper school art classes have been working hard on their showcases and portfolios. The 11th and 12th grade art students recently visited the Boca Raton Museum of Art to study an exhibit on portraits. After viewing the exhibit, the students participated in a hands-on workshop at the museum focusing on portraits (pictured right).

Fine Arts News: Art Classes

Upper school art photos by Lanie Paterson.

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Grandview Dance Academy

The Grandview Dance Academy offers a wide variety of courses open to all members of the Grandview community from the pre-kindergarten students to the parents. The courses include Elementary Division Dance, Dance Club, Fusion, Broadway Bound, Grandview Community Dance, and the Grandview Dance Company. Students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade take dance class as part of their weekly specials schedule. Older students pursue dance as an elective. The Grandview Dance Company is a select group of dancers who will perform and compete around the Boca Raton community and beyond. Grandview Community Dance is a class open to all Grandview parents and members of the community. It is a class for all levels, and the theme of the class changes for each 6-week session. The Grandview Dance Academy also offers a private lesson program open to 5th through 12th grade students who are interested in furthering their dance training. The program is by audition only, and provides a unique opportunity for students to pursue their goals in dance. For more information on the Dance Academy, please visit www. grandviewprep.net.

Mark your calendars… The Grandview Dance Academy’s Dance Concert will take place on Thursday, March 10th at 7pm at FAU. All students taking a dance class will perform in the Dance Concert.

Fine Arts

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Varsity Volleyball The varsity volleyball team ended their season with a record of 7 wins and 4 losses, placing them in 3rd place in District 13-A. The team was lead by five-year member and senior captain Elise Lang, co-captain Katelyn Swanson, two-year member Hunter Scharf, and newcomers Geena Capitini and Kaitlyn Conrad. Though seniors Danielle Capitini, Allie Catapano, and Elise Lang will be sorely missed, the future is bright for the Lady Pride!

Middle School Volleyball

Varsity Golf The golf team recorded 5 wins and 11 losses this year. At the beginning of the season, the team competed in the Sebring High School Golf Tournament, finishing 4th against 15 teams. The team placed 5th in the district, and Kyle Kimmelman qualified for the regional tournament as an individual with a score of 76. Kyle had a tough day at the regional tournament, but he enjoyed the experience of competing against the region’s top players. Though the team will be losing seniors Kristopher Leech and Skye Chanon, the younger team members look forward to next season.

The middle school volleyball team had a successful season! The team earned 4 wins and 2 losses while learning the fundamentals of volleyball. Led by 8th grader Kami Oberg and 7th grader Summer Burgess, the team started their season 4-0 before falling to Boca Christian and St. Andrew’s in tough, 3-game match losses. Great work, girls!

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GPS Swimmers in State Competition!

Pride Athletics

The Grandview varsity swim team had a storied season! Team captains Jane Sallen and Gianpaolo Barelli led the team to a 5th place finish in Palm Beach County at the County Championships in October. The team was just as successful in their District meet; Sallen went to the finals in both of her individual events. Barelli, Gio Bagioli, Valerio Rasi, and Robert O'Gorman were all District finalists, and girls' team members Harley Rothfeld and Mikayla Posk won their district heats. All of the GPS relay teams also went on to the District Finals. As a result of their performance at the District meet, the boys' team went on to the Regional Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, ending up with six state-qualifying events. In order to raise money for their trip to the State Championships, the team hosted their first-ever Swim-A-Thon, with a special guest appearance by three-time Olympic champion Anna Poleska. Our state-qualifiers performed fabulously in competition, finishing as a team 11th out of 46 teams represented. Congratulations to all of the varsity swimmers on a stellar season!

Class 1A State Championship Results

200 Freestyle - Barelli, 1:43.85, 10th place 200 Individual Medley - Rasi, 1:57.58, 7th place 100 Freestyle - Barelli, 47.85, 11th place 200 Free Relay – O’Gorman, Daniel Neyra, Rasi, Barelli, 1:32.91, 13th place 100 Backstroke - Rasi, 52.75, 5th place

2010: A Record-Breaking Season Below are school records broken this season: 200 Medley Relay: Neyra, Rasi, Barelli, O'Gorman 200 Freestyle Relay: Neyra, Rasi, Barelli, O'Gorman 100 Backstroke: Rasi

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Senior Tips Mark the Date: Senior parents must attend the cap & gown ordering/financial aid meeting being held in the Library on Thursday, January 12, 2011 at 6:00 pm. And, there are two extremely important financial aid deadlines to remember: • December: All senior students are to apply for the

Florida Financial Aid application (regardless of whether you plan to apply to a Florida school). You may apply online at www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org (select State Grants, Scholarships and Applications, then select Apply Here). This application gives the Florida Department of Education permission to evaluate your high school transcript for eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship and other state scholarships and grants. You must apply during your senior year in high school or you will forfeit all future eligibility for a Bright Futures Scholarship.

• January: All senior students are to apply for Federal Financial Aid by submitting the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Filling out the FAFSA is the only way to be eligible for many types of grants, scholarships, and loans. Seniors may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov after January 1, 2011, but may apply for a PIN prior to that date. Parents, please plan on attending the workshop at school on January 12, 2010 where we will guide you through the FAFSA process as well as answer questions regarding college financial aid. We are here to help you and your child prepare for the transition to college.

Junior Tips Since state college applications must be sent out by August and September of 2011, you should be preparing for the spring SAT and/or ACT college entrance exams. Sign up now for at least two exams during the spring. Register for the March and May or June SAT at www.collegeboard.com. Sign up for the April and June ACT at www.actstudent.org. You should receive your PSAT scores in December, and after careful analysis, should have a clear picture of what to prepare for the SAT. Go to the following College Board site to learn more about the PSAT: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.

College Counseling Corner

The College Counseling Center has been busy with preparing transcripts, letters of recommendation and students for the college application process. We have welcomed many colleges to our school for admissions visits including Carnegie Mellon University, Florida State

University, Guilford College, Berry College, University of San Diego, School of the Arts, Eckerd College, Elon University, University of Connecticut, and many more. Our visiting list reflects our desire to introduce our students to many different types of colleges and universities. Our senior class is off to an amazing start. College applications have been prepared and sent. Many of our senior class students have already received acceptances! Congratulations to seniors who have been accepted to the University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, Lynn University, Savannah College of Art & Design, Full Sail University, and Gardner Webb University! If you are still filling out applications, check the application deadlines carefully. Many schools have a December, January, or February deadline for accepting a college application. Upper School Students: Remember to utilize your Naviance accounts. This is a web-based college counseling program that contains information to help you in the college application and search process. Please sign up today – it is free to you and will help to facilitate communications regarding college preparation.

Mary Ellen Piscatello, Director of College Counseling

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House Activities The Student Government had a busy fall with house activities, Halloween celebrations, and community service events. To kick-off the school year, students participated in “color wars”—a series of events where students competed as a house for the first time. Students played capture the flag, attempted a group push-up, and raced to put together puzzles of school administrators. The first house activity benefitted Boca Helping Hands; SGA coordinated a canned food drive, collecting over 1,000 pounds of food to be donated to those in need. During the house activity, younger students had a relay race with the food they collected, and older students built food towers, wrote and performed advertising jingles, and created print ads for the food. It was a day of fun and service combined!

In conjunction with a Veterans Day celebration in November, students designed holiday cards for soldiers stationed overseas. As part of the activity, students donated dollar bills to purchase phone cards for the soldiers as part of Operation Phone Home. Students raised more than $400 for the cause!

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Halloween Party!

Student Government planned a school-wide Halloween party at the end of October. Students in middle and upper school dressed in costume according to their house—yellow bumblebees, purple pirates, green wizards, and orange pumpkins escorted lower school classes through activity stations. Lower school children did the “monster mash”, wrapped each other up like mummies, painted pumpkins, decorated cookies, had scary story time, and planted seeds for the GPS garden. The fun culminated with a Halloween parade around the school, with pictures in the pumpkin patch.

Right: SGA Members pose after a successful event. Photo courtesy of Julia Cournoyer.

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Breast Cancer Awareness . October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as always, the Grandview community rose to the challenge of raising money and awareness for breast cancer. At the beginning of the month, Mrs. Kittredge organized Lee Denim Day. On this day, students and teachers wore pink to school and donated $5 to the cause. We raised over $700! Throughout the month, the SGA raised money for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer by selling t-shirts, selling Pink Ribbon Cards, and holding an event at California Pizza Kitchen. Because of their efforts and the generosity of the community, Grandview donated over $1,700 to the American Cancer Society!

A Veterans Day Celebration

Activities

In observance of Veterans Day, Grandview welcomed three-time Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam veteran Frederick A. Taylor, Jr. Mr. Taylor spoke in an assembly of fourth through twelfth grade students and then visited individual classes. Through his presentations and personal discussions with students, Mr. Taylor conveyed his experience in Vietnam and captured the students’ interest by relating the underlying themes of sacrifice and service to the lives of children today. Students continued exploring the themes of sacrifice and service as they raised money to purchase phone cards for deployed soldiers. The students also designed cards of thanks and encouragement to be sent to servicemen and women overseas. Grandview students and teachers valued the time spent with Mr. Taylor and the awareness for veterans’ causes that he brought to the community.

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Last week, students broke ground in the new Grandview Garden, preparing the bed and planting seeds and seedlings in the north field. The garden began as a seed of an idea for a way to unite classroom and community, and now has been brought to life by Kelly Delu-Dworkin and Donna Leech. The Grandview Garden is a joint effort between the third, fourth, and fifth grades and the upper school environmental science class. In October, Ali Frances from Kids Ecology Corps visited the classes, teaching students about gardening in general and the importance of having gardens in backyards and neighborhoods. Students learned about planting cycles in Florida and which plants

are planted as seeds and which as seedlings. Additionally, students learned how to plant a garden organically. They learned that they should alter plants in rows and use flowers like marigolds to help keep insects confused and away from the nicely growing plants. Most importantly, students learned to use a soaker hose in the garden to help conserve water and ensure that the plants receive all of the water they need. During the Halloween Party, all lower school students planted a broccoli, cabbage, or marigold seed so that the seedlings could be planted in the garden in November. Extra seedlings will be sold to the Grandview community and at the Boca Green Market in order to raise funds for the garden. On a warm morning in November, the students came together to break ground in the Grandview Garden. First, the garden bed was separated into one-foot squares. The students, along with Ms.

How does our garden grow? With care, concern for the environment, and focused learning and planning.

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Frances, planned the placement of the seeds and seedlings. One row was designated for the "Plant a Row for the Hungry" program-- a sampling of all of the vegetables being grown in the garden. The vegetables harvested from this row will be donated to Boca Helping Hands. Students will tend to the plants and watch their garden grow; when it comes time to harvest, students will sell the vegetables to the Grandview community and at the Green Market. Funds raised from the harvest will be used to purchase additional garden beds to expand the Grandview Garden. Grandview has allocated the entire north field for the garden project, and the goal is to cover the space with as many beds as possible. For information about how you can contribute to the Grandview Garden, please contact Kelly Delu-Dworkin at kdelu-dworkin@grandviewprep.net. Special thanks to Filemon and Jeremy for their help with the supplies and construction of the garden bed.

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Holiday Flower Sale: GAP will be selling white and red poinsettias and orchids during the month of December. Look for more information to come!

Holiday Teachers’ Gifts: Each year, GAP coordinates a holiday contribution for Grandview teachers and staff. More information about this collection will be coming soon!

Thanks to everyone in the GPS community for supporting GAP efforts so far this year! GAP meets on the first Tuesday of each month in the gym lobby at 1:30 PM, unless otherwise noted. Meetings begin with a chat with Head of School Jackie Westerfield. All parents are welcome to attend GAP meetings.

The Book Fair was a smashing success! We exceeded our school wide goal of $5000, and the students will be enjoying their Drop Everything and Read event, ice cream party, dress down day, and no homework pass in November. Thanks to all who supported this event!

Because of the funds raised from the Book Fair, GAP was able to contribute toward the school-wide Halloween Party in October. GAP provided the pumpkin patch, candy station, and many of the supplies that made the party a fun event for everyone!

This year, GAP has coordinated a school-wide water program. Water dispensers in the Great Room are available during the lunch hours, and there are water dispensers in each lower school classroom. Thanks to all families who have contributed $5 per student. If you haven't yet contributed, please consider helping out in this effort.

Upcoming GAP Events

GAP News Upcoming Grandview Activities

Celebration of Life: December 8th in the Great Room. Adopt-A-Family Collection: Through December 10th. Homecoming Week: January 10th – 14th Homecoming Game: January 14th at 7:30 PM vs. Lake Worth Christian. Homecoming Dance: January 15th at 8:00 PM. Grandparents’ Day: February 11th

GAP

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Students in 4th grade pair up with kindergarten students for “Reading Buddies” each month. Here, they pose with their reading glasses. Opposite, a reading buddy pair dives into a book.

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New Ways to Help Our Students

Masquerade at Morton’s A Benefit For

The Grandview Education Fund And The Grandview Foundation

On Friday, October 29th, parents, teachers and friends gathered at Morton’s Steakhouse in Boca Raton to kick-off the Grandview Education Fund, a new non-profit foundation for GPS. The night was filled with costumes, cocktails, and conversations—and even a costume contest! We would like to recognize GAP for announcing their $20,000 contribution during the event. Thanks to all who attended, and thank you for your contributions to the Grandview Education Fund!

Giving

We are pleased to introduce the Grandview Education Fund and the Grandview Foundation as non-profit foundations benefitting our future plans for GPS. Funds raised through the Grandview Education Fund and the Grandview Foundation go towards items on the school’s “wish list”: a new playground, a new floor for the dance room, SMART boards for classrooms, the Grandview garden, and many other initiatives that support our mission. Please consider making your tax-deductible donation to the Grandview Education Fund or the Grandview Foundation this year. For more information about how you can help, please contact Cindee Pritchard at cpritchard@grandviewprep.net.

Alumni Spotlight: Alex Upton, Class of 2004

Alex was an inaugural year student—she attended Grandview from 1997(she was in sixth grade) until she graduated in 2004. While at Grandview, Alex was a member of Beta Club, National Honor Society, and SADD. Alex served as the president of the Beta Club during her senior year. In athletics, Alex played volleyball, basketball, and soccer at the middle school and varsity levels. Alex even won the Most Improved Award for soccer in 2002, which she is very proud of! After graduating from GPS, Alex earned her bachelor degree in Elementary Education at University of Florida. Alex has since returned to Grandview (she is a second grade teacher for GPS!), and she is pursuing a master of psychology degree. Read on to find out more about Alex! What is your favorite Grandview tradition? I love the Adopt-A-Family program that Grandview participates in each year. We “adopt” families in need through the Caridad Center, and we provide them with their Christmas wishes. Not only is this a great program for the holiday season, but the generosity that our school shows each year reminds me of how unique our Grandview community is. Is there a teacher who made a big impact on your time at GPS?

Mrs. Kittredge! Mrs. K is a fun and structured teacher, and she really takes the time to get to know her students and all of the students at Grandview. She is a role model for me in the classroom, and the nurturing environment that

she fostered at GPS was the reason I wanted to pursue education as a career. What is your favorite Grandview memory? My favorite Grandview memory is the very first Celebration of Life-- a holiday party we host each year for children in the special needs program at J.C. Mitchell Elementary. That first year, I was paired with Jaimie, a girl with Down’s Syndrome. I still have a picture of us that we took on that day!

What have you been doing since graduating from GPS? After Grandview, I attended the University of Florida where I earned a bachelor degree in Elementary Education. While at UF, I worked as an after care team leader for a private school in Gainesville. I also spent a summer working for Habitat for Humanity—I worked on building fifteen houses in a neighborhood in northeast Gainesville. I returned to Boca Raton last year and was hired by Grandview as a long-term substitute teacher for middle school and lower school classes. This year, I am teaching second grade and loving every minute of it!

Alumni

Alumni Information

GPS Alumni – Let’s stay in touch! Visit http://www.grandviewprep.net/our_stories/alumni-info.cfm to fill out the alumni information form and stay current with events especially for you! First up, our Alumni Happy Hour at Boston’s On the Beach in Delray—November 24th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. See you there!

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Grandview Preparatory School 336 Spanish River Blvd. NW. Boca Raton, FL 33431

www.grandviewprep.net

Happy Thanksgiving! Children from the pre-kindergarten classes dress as pilgrims and Native Americans to celebrate the holiday.