Dear Gilbert Community,
As the 2024–25 school year comes to a close, we celebrate a year filled with growth, achievement, and memorable moments for our students, families, and faculty. This moment also marks the conclusion of my tenure as Head of School at The Gilbert School.
It has been both an honor and a privilege to lead such a dedicated team of educators and to serve a student body as inspiring and dynamic as ours. This role has been one of the most meaningful of my professional journey, and I am deeply grateful for the support and partnership of this exceptional community throughout my four years as superintendent.
When the 2025–26 school year begins on August 26th, new leadership will be in place. I have every confidence that the incoming administration will be equally committed to delivering an outstanding education and creating a supportive, enriching environment for all students. While change often brings challenges, I know the transition will be handled with care, dedication, and a steadfast focus on student success.
In closing, thank you for the opportunity to serve as Head of School. The Gilbert School is a truly special place, and I leave with confidence in its bright future and continued success for many years to come.
Sincerely,
Greg P. Shugrue, Head of School
By now, all seniors should have received the senior letter outlining the graduation ceremony and procedures for our 2025 TGS Commencement on Friday, 6/6 at 7:00 PM. Mrs. Hurley has scheduled a mandatory graduation rehearsals for Thursday, 6/5, and Friday, 6/6 at 9:30 AM in the auditorium. All graduating seniors must attend graduation practice in order to participate in the ceremony.
As you know, graduation is fast approaching on 6/6 at 7:00 PM in The Gilbert School Auditorium. For those family and friends that won’t be able to attend the ceremony in person, we are delighted to inform you that the ceremony will be streamed live online. Click on the button below to watch TGS Graduation 2025 via live stream, or as a recording after the event.
Seniors, on June 6th you will be graduating from The Gilbert School, which means that the time has come for you to settle all of your outstanding obligations.
Obligations include the completion of the Post-High School Plans/Outcome Form, the return of all TGS materials (or payment for missing items), and the settling of all outstanding balances by 6/4. This list includes:
- textbooks (see Mrs. Pfeffer to see what you owe)
- library books (see Mrs. Pfeffer to see what you owe)
- chromebooks ($300), both assigned devices and loaners
- chromebook chargers ($30)
- sports equipment & uniforms (cost varies, see Mr. Penn)
- band instruments & uniforms (cost varies, see Mr. Minnerly)
- cafeteria balances (see cafeteria cashier)
- class dues ($50 total for all 4 years - see Ms. Nardine to see if you owe)
- miscellaneous balances (ex. broken chromebook fees, etc.)
- cap & gown fee ($31.00 - see Mrs. Shaffer to pay)
Seniors with outstanding obligations will not receive their caps/gowns and graduation tickets until all obligations are settled.
Caps and gowns will be distributed at the end of graduation rehearsal on 6/5, provided that the $31.00 cost has been paid. Payments for caps and gowns can be in the form of cash or check (made out to The Gilbert School), and should be brought to Mrs. Shaffer in the Main Office any time between now and 6/4.
Graduation Tickets will be distributed at the end of graduation practice on 6/6, which begins at 9:30 am.
The 8th Grade Move Up Ceremony will be held June 9, 2025 at 9:00am in the school auditorium. Students must arrive at school that day no later than 8:00 am. On this day we will celebrate student accomplishments through middle school and wish them well on their journey to high school.
Please dress for an important event: dress shoes if you have them, dresses, skirts, dress pants, and collar shirts.
Ties are optional.
Do NOT wear hoodies, blue jeans, flip flops, torn or distressed clothing, or anything too short or revealing.
If you have any questions, please contact the AP Office at 860-379-8521.
On May 20th, 2025, we proudly celebrated some of our outstanding high school students at the Annual TGS Awards Ceremony! The morning kicked off with a special celebratory breakfast, where the excitement built as each student learned about the prestigious honor they were receiving.
The TGS Award—which stands for Tenacity, Grit, and Scholastic achievement—recognizes students who have gone above and beyond in specific courses. Each teacher selected one exceptional student from their course who truly exemplifies the best of what it means to be a Gilbert student. We are thrilled to announce that this year, 86 incredible students were recognized with a total of 135 awards!
To all our award recipients: We are so proud of you and your dedication, determination, and drive. Keep reaching for greatness—you are shining examples of what makes The Gilbert School such a special place!
Mrs. Grady's art students have been busy in the studio creating a collaborative state-wide school project tackling ideas relative to climate change. This huge undertaking is known as The Regeneration Project. Through the artistic process, TGS students chose to create a type of whale that cleans the ocean by filtering plastic through it's mouth. Their creation is made of paper mache and filled with actual rubbish - primarily plastic bottles and shredded paper.
The Regeneration Project is inspired the book “Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation”, by internationally known environmentalist and bestselling author, Paul Hawken. American Mural Project invited students from across Connecticut to explore environmental justice and regeneration. Students collaborated for six months at their own schools to create a permanent installation for American Mural Project’s Ramp Gallery.
Paul Hawken, inspired by the work of our Gilbert Artists, will be coming from San Francisco to meet in person with our Gilbert artists on May 31st at the American Mural Project Museum. Hawken's work includes founding ecological businesses, writing about impacts of commerce on living systems, and consulting with corporations and governments on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy. Hawken was the co-founder and executive director of Project Drawdown, a non-profit that describes how global warming can be reversed.
May was a busy month in the Music Department. We had four performances with one still to go!
On May 16th, the Middle School Junior Jacket Marching Band marched in the annual Rotary Club Pet Parade. We followed that with the High School Spring Concert on May 20th, featuring the Symphonic Band, the Concert Choir, and the Jazz Ensemble. At that concert we also celebrated the 15 students that received their Varsity Letter in Music! They are Ethan Cavajani, Freily Cruz, Lemon Dickens, Mackenzie Hale, Kate Hudak, Emma LaPlante, Alec Marvin, Caralyn, Parent, Victoria Parent, Aiden Picard, Lotus Robinson, Natalia Rodriguez, James Slauta, Grace Smith and Mackenzie Steeves.
On May 26th the Yellowjacket Marching band performed in the Memorial Day Parade and the ceremony in East End Park following the parade. The very next day was the Middle School Spring Concert featuring the Concert Band and Chorus!
The last event will take place on Friday, May 30th - TGS-Fest 2025! If you are unfamiliar with this concert, you should definitely check it out. This is the concert for the students in the Rock/Pop Ensemble class, and it is going to feature four student bands; Bleeding Hearts, Bloom, Paranoia, and Take Five! Also, the Gilbert Staff band Partial Kredit will be performing as well. The show starts at 7:00 pm in The Gilbert School Auditorium. Don't miss it!
Questions?
Contact Josh Penn, Gilbert Director of Athletics 7-12 at: pennj@gilbertschool.org or call 860 379-3721 with any questions regarding Athletics. If you have specific questions regarding practices and games please contact the coach directly.
- Litchfield County UConn 4-H (the youth development program of UConn Extension) is proud to announce their partnership with the Arethusa Farm Foundation to provide local youth ages 5 to 13 with various summer camp opportunities.
- Multiple weeks and camp programs available starting in June
- See the flyer for more information
EdAdvance Robotics Summer Camps
Give your students an exciting opportunity to dive into hands-on robotics at the Robot Rush Accelerator: Design, Build, and Compete! summer camp. This exploratory one-week summer camp, hosted by the College & Career Accelerator, an EdAdvance initiative, is designed to spark curiosity and ignite a passion for STEM.
Specifically developed for students entering grades 6-8 in the 2025/2026 school year, the Robot Rush Accelerator offers a dynamic and engaging learning experience.
Explore Engineering Camp for Rising High School Students
Two-week Explore Engineering camp (sleep away/residential) for students entering grades 9-11 designed to introduce rising high school students to various engineering majors through hands-on activities led by current undergraduate engineering students, and presentations led by UConn faculty.
July 13 – July 25
Deadline to Apply: April 20, 2025
As the school year winds down, many students are busy finishing up assignments, studying for finals, and getting ready for a much-needed summer reprieve from their academics. However, for juniors, the coming year will be a little bit different. As rising seniors, it's time for them to start getting ready for life after high school - and there're plenty of ways to get ahead of the curve.
For juniors, summer is great time to:
- use your Naviance Career Cluster surveys to identify careers you might be interested in
- research trades or explore career opportunities offered by the military
- research colleges, and/or plan a campus visit
- write a rough draft of your college essay
- decide on which teachers to ask for a letter of recommendation
- work on a resume to give to your recommending teachers
- create a Common App account, and begin completing the application starting on August 1
- Search and register for college scholarships at CollegeBoard, Raise.Me - or try ImagineAmerica and Mike Rowe Works for exclusively trade-based scholarships
Khan Academy, in conjunction with College Board, offers free customized SAT prep based on a student's performance on the PSAT/SAT. Generated SAT practice is tailored specifically to focus on those areas in which the student requires the most practice. Click on the button below to find out more information!
In March of 2025, all junior students participated in the Connecticut SAT School Day at The Gilbert School. However, any student (not just juniors!) can register online to take the SAT and/or to take the ACT throughout the year - as many times as you choose. Like anything else, the more you practice, the better you'll get!
*Please note that The Gilbert School is no longer a testing site and will not be hosting SAT testing on alternate dates.
All Grades 7 & 9 Students Are REQUIRED To Have A Physical By Their Physician
Students are required to have a physical exam for seventh grade, and also during ninth grade prior to the start of tenth grade. "Blue" physical forms were mailed out in your student's back-to-school packets in August. Forms can also be found in physician’s offices, the TGS main office, as well as the nurse's office. Physicals are also required every 13 months for students who are trying out for sports. If you have any questions regarding this State mandated requirement, please contact the nurse. If your child has already had a physical, please submit it to the Nurse's Office. If you would like to have your physician fax a copy, the confidential direct fax number is 860 738 9651.
A nationwide harm reduction agency, Next Distro, is offering a free Narcan-similar opioid overdose medication to be delivered to your home. Their website requires watching a training video, taking a short quiz and providing your enrollment info. Click HERE to find out more information about how to receive FREE Naxolone, sent directly to your home.
Connecticut experienced a heartbreaking rise in teen suicides this summer. The 988 National Contact Center services include rapid 24/7 access to trained staff who can help students (and adults) experiencing suicidal, substance use and other mental health crises, provide referrals to resources, and perform warm transfers to Mobile Crisis or emergency services as needed/desired. Additional information, resources, and materials for Connecticut residents can be found at the links below.
The Gilbert School is seeking Cafeteria staff for the Fall. The work schedule follows the school calendar, approximately 5 hours/day. No experience needed, will train. Application, resume, letter of intent and 2 letters of reference are requested. Interested individuals should click HERE to apply online.
