A K–5 independent school for students who learn through thoughtful projects and real-life experiences.
When students graduate from GMCS, they are equipped with the courage to put their best foot forward. They aspire to be little heroes in their everyday lives. That is our mission.
Courageous. Diligent. Full of hope.
We are a school for children, families, and educators who are committed to teaching children to be courageous, diligent, and full of hope.
We let kids be kids.
We strive to maintain the natural sequence and pace of childhood. Research shows that the core social and emotional skills children develop in early school years will more powerfully define their success in life than almost any other factors.
Character development is essential.
Beyond delivering knowledge and adhering to core standards, our teachers work hard at the hard work of instilling character traits. Building character and a grounded sense of self takes time. It needs to start early.
We make school feel like home.
Small and intimate, our school is a home-away-from-home. We take time to slow down, engage in meaningful conversations, and ensure that our faculty and staff are an extended family to our students.
In our rush to prepare our kids as early as possible for academic and future professional success, it’s easy to overlook the hazards ahead — for which emotional sturdiness and resilience are the best protection.
— Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdDProject Based Learning (PBL)
A curriculum is neither the subjects we study nor the textbooks we read. Rather, a curriculum is the whole childhood experience. At GMCS, we offer a variety of both time-honored and innovative teaching methods in a flexible and fluid manner, because every child learns differently. At the core, we anchor ourselves in Project Based Learning.
PBL brings meaning and helps children grow socially, emotionally, and cognitively.
The PBL approach honors the implicit and necessary intersection between academic learning and the development of a child’s character. PBL teaches students to apply academic standards and core skills — reading, writing, math, historical perspectives, and scientific questions — to the world around them.
Our teachers build projects around what matters to our students so that they become personally curious. Students engage with projects over 6–7 weeks, practicing diligence and learning how to be deliberate and thoughtful. Reflection and journaling are a consistent practice throughout.
Celebration of Learning
A Celebration of Learning is the culminating event of each project-based learning unit. Students showcase their understanding and achievement of learning goals through a wide range of authentic products, presentations, and performances. Depending on the project, students may host a festival, demonstrate a scientific experiment, perform a student-directed play, or facilitate a panel discussion.
Drawing on reflections gathered throughout the project, students explain their process, share challenges they overcame, and discuss how they applied academic knowledge and life skills in meaningful ways. By presenting to families and community members and responding to questions from their audience, students build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and take ownership of their learning. These celebrations provide a wonderful opportunity to recognize student growth, creativity, and collaboration while strengthening connections among the school, families, and the broader community.
Community is an essential part of our approach.
We are located in the small, rural town of Poultney, VT — a home to many artists, carpenters, musicians, environmental scientists, and entrepreneurs. They are a key component of our school community and a vast resource for our learning.
Our projects serve the local community, so that from a young age, our students become habitual contributors to the world around them.
“Education stops being something done to them and begins being something that they are leading.”
— Berger, 2018
English Language Arts and Math at GMCS
Project Based Learning is where learning comes alive — but the academic foundations that make it possible are built in our dedicated ELA and Math blocks.
In ELA, students develop as readers and writers through structured, sequential instruction. Younger students explore poetry, nonfiction narrative, and explicit comprehension skills — learning to read not just what a text says, but why and how. Older students write multi-paragraph research essays, build editing habits, and develop a growing toolkit of writing techniques they apply across every subject.
In Math, students move from concrete to abstract — using manipulatives, area models, and real-world problem-solving before moving to standard algorithms. Younger students practice number sense, skip counting, and operations through activities like running a lemonade stand. Older students work with fractions, long division, and data — and apply formulas like Revenue minus Expenses to projects they’re already invested in.
Academic standards aren’t separate from our projects – they provide the foundation and skills students need to complete them successfully.
Every child discovers their gifts here.
Every trimester, students explore 3–4 integrated arts disciplines alongside their project work. Exposing students to a variety of enriching experiences allows them to discover their gifts, draw out their strengths, and harness their potential.
Art
Music
Theater
Creative Movement
Woodworking
Martial Arts
Yoga & Meditation
Hike & Bike
Outdoor Experiential Learning
Ski & Skate
What does a day here look like?
In a small classroom, our teachers know exactly when to hold the lesson — and when to drop it. We keep the schedule until a writer finds their flow, the river starts calling, the woods have something better to teach, or the first snow of winter is too good to waste.
If our children know how to discern their gifts, hone them through self-discipline, and have the courage and confidence to apply them, they will be capable of living a life with maximum likelihood of both success and personal happiness — regardless of what life may throw at them.
Are you an artist, maker, scientist, or builder?
Our students learn from the community around them. We are located in Poultney, VT — a home to many artists, carpenters, musicians, environmental scientists, and entrepreneurs. If you’d like to share your skills, lead a session, or engage with one of our projects, we’d love to hear from you.
A K–5 independent school for motivated students in Poultney, Vermont.
Poultney, VT 05764