Independent School Exposure for HBCU Education Students

The Lower School welcomed four seniors from Morgan State University’s Education Department on Thursday, April 11 to observe and support teachers at Gilman. This represented our effort to expose Historically Black College and University education majors to independent schools as an option for their career pursuits. We hope that this effort will help us attract excellent candidates from HBCUs in the future. 

You Heard the CALL

We held our second Community Assembly for Listening Learning (CALL) on February 13 in Centennial Hall with more than 20 parents ready to learn about how the work of CIE intersects with the work of other departments at Gilman. Our special guest, Assistant Head of School for Advancement Heather Harlan Warnack, shared ideas of how students can benefit from Gilman’s alumni network. 

Cultural Spotlights

The concept of Cultural Spotlights  is the brainchild of Lower School CIE coordinators Trevlin Alexander and Erica Hudson. The first spotlight featured Assistant Head of School for CIE Mike Molina who shared his experience as a child growing up in New Orleans, including the joyful experience of Mardi Gras. Another featured second grade teacher Lisa Shapiro and Lower School Director of Academic Support Jen Schmerling who presented about Passover just ahead of the first Seder.

Lunch-and-Learns

Throughout the school year, Joe Valentine-White has led Lower and Middle School Lunch-and-Learn lessons with fourth through eighth graders. The conversations focused on how to apply the Gilman Five when interacting with peers. Starting with stories, students considered real-life, school-based situations between students and thought through how to best handle those situations. Ultimately, the boys were challenged to understand and live up to how we are expected to treat each with respect, despite our differences.

Week of Dialogue

The Upper School Week of Dialogue, led by Gilman’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance, was held the week of April 8. The group compiled and made available resources for teachers to integrate LGBTQ+ history and heritage into their respective content areas; they led an assembly panel interviewing D.C.-based entrepreneur Andre Clarke; and they organized an “LGBBQ” that brought the tri-school community together for food and fellowship.