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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

Chapel & Assembly

CHAPEL & SPirituality

We value each student's spiritual journey and embrace all people and cultures. We make time for prayer, reflection, creative worship, music, world cultures, social justice, and student leadership. We offer a variety of chapels for Grades K-3 and Grades 4-8. Our Episcopal identity guides us to embrace all faith traditions. Chapel speakers of all ages and walks of life share their experiences in relatable ways. Student-led chapel services for Grades 4-8 are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays (9:15-10) each month in the sanctuary. Parents and families are invited.

ASSEMBLY

Assemblies are held on the fourth Wednesday of the month replacing chapel services. During assembly, we highlight student achievements and birthdays. We also have themed programs that are relevant to civic issues, holidays, family, and community service. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Coleman at ecoleman@gses.org.

Halloween Assembly

On Wednesday, October 28, we held our annual Halloween Neighborhood Parade and Assembly. It included much fun, dancing, and contests!

Holiday Assembly

On Friday, December 18, we held our annual Holiday Assembly. Santa visited handing out treats, and students helped Santa load his sleigh with 510 pounds of food for Feed More.

National African American Read-In

On Wednesday, February 24, GSES participated in the National African American Read-In, which is an effort to encourage communities to read together, centered around African American books and authors. It was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month. The goal of an African American Read-In is to elevate and celebrate books written by Black authors that highlight Black experiences. Please watch as some of our students talk about Langston Hughes and read a few of his poems.