Skip To Main Content

About
Our Location Makes Us Special

Nestled at the corner of the James River and Forest Hill Park, GSES capitalizes on learning in the community.

Where Inspiration Meets Community

Our curriculum maximizes the use of our community and inspires our students to serve our neighbors and learn typical subjects in compelling and thought-provoking new ways.
Admissions
Call for a Tour
The best way to learn if GSES is the right place for your family is to visit. Please call the school at 804-231-1452 to arrange a personal tour.

Visits
Throughout the school year, GSES will provide opportunities for prospective families to visit for group tours and information sessions. Our open houses and visit days are the perfect opportunities for prospective students to get a taste of life in a GSES classroom.
Academics
Small Classes Allow for Big Experiences

Our small size provides big opportunities for learning. With a student to teacher ratio of 8:1, students receive the personalized attention to grow at their own pace and learn about subjects that matter to them in addition to the core academic subjects.

Innovative Learning
Our supportive environment allows students to take risks in their learning. Building a catapult that doesn't work teaches far more than a catapult that does. Feeling safe to try new things, while being carefully guided through challenging subjects, encourages our students to thrive.
Programs
We LOVE the Outdoors
Our outdoor education program takes advantage of our location near the James River and Forest Hill Park. Lessons often take students on adventures such as searching for local quarry stone in the neighborhood, measuring the velocity of student-built boats as they float down the James River, or collecting native pawpaws to use in cooking.
Community
Community Cleanup
Our families show up for GSES. Each August, our students and their families help clean the school grounds in preparation for the new school year. This is just one of the many ways we work together to create a united and close community.
Support
Supporting GSES
As GSES approaches its 50th year, families, alumni, and friends loyally provide support for the school's academic programs, as well as capital improvements to school facilities. Over the past few years, funds from generous donors have provided for library and Parish Hall renovations, as well as classroom enhancements and special programming.

In This Section

Home

Latest News

View All News

students creating project for watershed education experience

Ms. Bradlee’s 5th-grade Students Embark on a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)

Continue Reading This Article about Ms. Bradlee’s 5th-grade Students Embark on a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE)

birdseed ornament

Winter Gifts for Wildlife

Join the GSES community in sharing winter gifts for wildlife.

Continue Reading This Article about Winter Gifts for Wildlife

Elizabeth Coleman reading to K in Forest Hill Park

The Gift of Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education Director Elizabeth Coleman describes the gifts of the outdoors.

Continue Reading This Article about The Gift of Outdoor Education

Upcoming Events

By The Numbers

10:1

Student to Teacher Ratio

10

Average Class Size

141

Total Students

25%

Students of Color

100%

Faculty with Bachelor's Degree

1971

Year Established