The Heart of Garrison Forest
Vision and Mission
VISION STATEMENT:
Garrison Forest women live “To Be Rather Than To Seem,” leading with authenticity, integrity, and impact.
MISSION STATEMENT:
A Garrison Forest School education empowers every girl to achieve academic excellence, cultivate her authentic self, foster a community of care and respect, and lead with purpose.
Core Values
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 member of our community, adult and child, to be our best selves.
Statement of Respect
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, as well as 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.
How We Learn: Portrait of a Learner
Rooted in our mission, the Portrait of a Learner is a shared framework that shows how students progress through their journey as a Garrison Forest student. It works in tandem with our mission, vision, Core Values, and Statement of Respect to provide a cohesive, well-rounded approach to providing the best experience for each student.