Latest news with #UpperSchool
Associated Press
18-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
The Grayson School Marks 10 Years Empowering Gifted Learners
State Officials honor The Grayson School on its 10th Anniversary 'I am filled with immense gratitude for everyone who has believed in our mission and for being such an active part of our Grayson community over the past ten years.'— Melissa Bilash RADNOR, PA, UNITED STATES, April 18, 2025 / / -- The Grayson School, a leading independent school dedicated to serving gifted students in the Philadelphia region, is proud to announce its 10th anniversary. This significant milestone was acknowledged with a special visit from Pennsylvania State Senator Amanda Cappelletti and Pennsylvania State Representative Lisa Borowski, who toured the school and commended its commitment to providing exceptional educational opportunities for gifted learners. Senator Cappelletti and Representative Borowski spent time engaging with students and faculty, witnessing firsthand the unique and enriching environment fostered at Grayson. They lauded the school's innovative approach to education and recognized the profound impact Grayson has had on the lives of its students and the wider community. 'I'm thrilled to have centers of education in my district that serve the various learning needs of the students in our communities,' said Senator Cappelletti. 'As The Grayson School celebrates their 10th anniversary, I wish them congratulations and look forward to providing continued support of their good work to serve our region.' The visit also served as an opportunity to celebrate Melissa Bilash, the visionary Founder and Head of School, for her unwavering dedication and leadership over the past decade. Senator Cappelletti and Representative Borowski specifically acknowledged Ms. Bilash's commitment to creating a school where gifted students can thrive both academically and socially. 'We are deeply honored by the visit and recognition from Senator Cappelletti and Representative Borowski,' said Melissa Bilash. 'Their support and understanding of the unique needs of gifted learners are invaluable. I am filled with immense gratitude for everyone who has believed in our mission and for being such an active part of our Grayson community over the past ten years. This strong commitment – from our dedicated faculty and staff to our engaged families and supportive community members – is truly what makes Grayson such an extraordinary place. Together, we'll continue to grow and innovate over the next ten years and beyond!' During this visit from state officials, Upper School students held a roundtable to share their independent research projects; Democratic Discourse students provided insights into both the hurdles and the triumphs in creating a public policy proposal, gaining valuable feedback on their work; and third grade students shared their study on comparing and contrasting different Native American nations and how location played an important role in their indigenous ways of life. The Grayson School opened its doors ten years ago for 12 students with a mission to provide a differentiated and challenging curriculum tailored to the specific learning needs of gifted children. Over the past decade, the school has grown into a vibrant and dynamic learning community of over 180 students, known for its innovative programs, passionate educators, and nurturing environment. This anniversary marks not only a decade of success but also a renewed commitment to the future. The Grayson School looks forward to continuing its mission of empowering gifted students to reach their full potential for many years to come. ### The Grayson School is an independent day school in the Philadelphia region exclusively serving gifted students in grades PreK-12. Founded in 2015, Grayson provides a challenging, supportive, and differentiated learning environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, creativity, and leadership skills. Guided by best practices in the field of gifted education, high-ability learners discover a setting where they can learn at a pace consistent with their abilities, collaborate with like-minded peers and explore their unlimited potential. As the only 'all gifted, all day' school of its kind within a 100-mile radius, Grayson also offers summer and enrichment classes open to the community. Nancy De Bellis The Grayson School +1 610-217-4345 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook Instagram Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Rory McIlroy's former principal says school took 'risk' with absences
A confidential memo from Rory McIlroy's time at school shows how plans were in place in case his golf career did not work Upper School in Holywood, County Down, went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the golf-mad teenager kept now 35, completed the Grand Slam in golf on Sunday, winning the Masters in dramatic fashion in a play-off at years ago, McIlroy was often on a golf course somewhere in the world when he should have been in the classroom. 'Break a few rules' His then principal, John Stevenson, told BBC News NI "sometimes you've got to break a few rules".Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he also talked about what kind of student Rory McIlroy was driving and putting at times when he should have been there was an old joke in his home town when he was growing up - what have Sullivan Upper school and a bunker at Holywood golf club got in common?The answer was - Rory was never in either of in September 2004, a seven-point plan was agreed with his parents, Gerry and Rosie, as 15-year-old McIlroy prepared to take his was decided that he should reduce his number of subjects from nine to the memo sent to two Year 12 teachers, Mr Stevenson wrote: "I expect Rory will be away from school rather more than we think wise, but rather less than he would want."It was arranged that teaching staff and class-mates would help him catch up on work that he missed. Mr Stevenson said at the time they could "look forward in anticipation to his future sporting success and recognise that we will have played some part in that".He was proved McIlroy family home was only a five-minute walk from the school on the Belfast Road in Holywood. It had a small putting green on its front Golf Club was less than a mile away but by his mid-teens, McIlroy was playing at home and abroad. The school memo pointed out he had been selected to play for the European junior Ryder Cup team and had also been invited to take part in a special event in 1 September 2004, the memo stated: "Last year he (Rory) enjoyed reasonably successful, if modest, academic progress given the considerable time he was away from classes."Mr Stevenson, who was principal between 1998 and 2010, remembers a meeting he had with McIlroy's father, Gerry."It wasn't unusual for a parent to come to ask to come and see me. What was unusual was that Gerry was asking for Rory to be out of school more often than he was in it," he said. 'Taking a risk' Mr Stevenson suspected he was dealing with "pushy parents" but soon accepted he was wrong."Gerry convinced that it was not the case, because he said 'it's all him, it's all Rory, and we've just been, through his young life, doing every thing we can to help him with his ambition to be a professional golfer'."I took a decision that if his parents had made these sacrifices and had done all this work on his behalf, that his school needed to do that too."The retired principal said that when families, schools and peer groups work well together "dreams are possible"."We were taking a risk, it could have fallen apart," he for the young McIlroy, he remembers him as popular but quite was single-minded about golf, and it is clear that determination has served him well in the past 20 years. 'Lessons' Mr Stevenson said: "There's an opportunity to tell kids 'he is your role model'."Not because he is famous, not because he is successful, not because he is rich – he's all of those things – but he's honest, he has acknowledged the support that he got, and he has failed, fallen down and got back up time and time again."Those are the lessons that I want our young kids to learn."The Sullivan school motto is the Irish phrase Lámh Foisdineach An Uachtar, which means with the gentle hand foremost.
