A Message from the Head of School

July 27, 2018

Dear GFS Parents,

I wanted to send a quick note of greeting as we head into the end of July. Farida and I (and our two dogs, Aurora and Koda) arrived on campus in late June, and we have been happily settling into the house, the school, and the area. Our two children, Jordan and Leah, are both in college and living away this summer, but they've also been able to visit and see our new home. We are so excited to be here and to begin to know and work with this community! We've had the opportunity to meet some parents already around campus and around town as we've been settling in, and we look forward to many opportunities to meet you all as the school year gets underway in a few weeks.

I'm not the only newcomer to campus, of course; our new Director of Residential Life Jennifer Hua and our new Director of Community Life and Inclusion Carolyn Lewis both began on July 1 and are already hard at work in their respective roles. Other new staff and faculty members have been on campus periodically as well. We have a great group of new faculty and staff members arriving this summer to join the fabulous crew who are already in place.

The school has remained a busy place in these summer months; we've been enjoying the constant buzz (and music!) of various camps and campers all summer. The administrative offices are open, and of course the maintenance and housekeeping staff and many others have been working hard to keep the school looking its best and to get ready for the new school year. The Upper School renovation project is making good progress as we work on relocating the main Upper School entrance to the McLennan Library, moving The James Center and Admission Office to the ground level of that building and renovating the Library Lecture Hall.

McLennan Library renovations in progress

Personally, I just spent a week in Atlanta at a conference for school heads, and I'm very happy to be back at the Forest again. One of my very top priorities is getting to know this wonderful community, so please don't hesitate to stop me and say hello when you're around. Once school starts, you'll have plenty of opportunities to see me: between official receptions, athletic contests, performances, and throughout the typical daily events at school, I'll be working to get to know you and your daughters as quickly as I can. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer, and I look forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks!

Chris Hughes

Head of School