Updates Archive

Currently, GDS is following 5-day quarantine following close contact and 5-day isolation period (only with two negative rapid tests) with the potential of up to 10 days, depending on the situation. The GDS nurse will provide guidance. Please refer to this document.

GDS highly encourages everyone in our community to get vaccinated, including our eligible High School students.

As a reminder we’re welcoming all of our seniors back to campus 4 days a week starting on Tuesday, while 9-11 graders will remain in A/B Cohorts until May. 

We intend for all students to be back on campus full days, five days a week, in September.

The High School spring athletics season will begin on April 5 and go until May 28. 

We are excited for full days to begin at the Lower School and to start feeding more of our youngest members of the community!

The Lower School will be moving to four full days of on-campus programming beginning Wednesday, February 24.

As we ready ourselves for a return to in-person instruction next week and a new semester, we’re excited for what lies ahead for the remainder of the school year.

On December 7, the DC mayor's office issued an order suspending all high school extra-curricular sports activities and competitions for both public and private schools.

As the scientific community learns more about this disease and our human experience with it grows, the guidance we receive from experts changes, as does the way we live our lives.

GDS is pleased to share that we have a new ongoing partnership with CIAN Diagnostics to conduct weekly COVID-19 testing of students and staff.

Last night we learned that a GDS employee tested positive for COVID-19. There is no evidence that the individual was infected at school or that there was transmission within our community.

This message includes important notes about High School students' return to school.

Last night, our Board of Trustees met and provided their full support for this plan. Today, we can share our hope to begin in-person instruction for High School students on Thursday, November 19.

I write today to share information about: upcoming school breaks, an update on High School programming, and an ask for your continued commitment to keeping all within our community safe.

We have begun our baseline COVID-19 testing program for Middle School students prior to their return to in-person learning. 

COVID-19 testing for 2nd–4th graders will take place on Monday, November 2.

Our goal is to bring back high school students for in-person instruction after winter break.

COVID-19 testing for PK–1st grade will take place on Monday, October 26.

Today I write to provide an update regarding a return to campus.

We have been assiduously preparing for what a safe, in-person experience will look like, and we have many details to share with you so that you can support your children in their preparation for on-campus learning in this extremely different environment. 

It is imperative for the health and safety of our entire community that families carefully read and follow all protocols named in the Community Commitments and the Logistics for On-Campus Outdoor HS Programming.

On-campus, outside gatherings will start on September 29.

During this time, GDS is offering On-Campus Supervised Distance Learning Support for GDS families who are unable to pick up or drop off their students during the on-campus meeting times.

GDS's conditioning and skill program will start on the first day of school, September 8.

GDS will not offer in-person standardized testing to students this fall while GDS is in the Virtual Campus space.​

For the 2020-21 school year, PK–3rd grade students will each receive an iPad to support GDS's Virtual Campus.

GDS will begin the school year engaging in GDS’s Virtual Campus (academic distance learning).