Welcome to Gabriella Charter School!     As principal, I would like to share with you what I find special and unique about our elementary program.   Our committed staff: We are fortunate to have a team of accomplished, hardworking teachers and instructional aides who are passionate about what they do. Teachers arrive early, stay late and work relentlessly during the day. Under our Assistant Principal, Lisa Rooney’s guidance, they question, evaluate and revise their instructional approaches. Liza and I are grateful to this remarkable young group of professionals who model strong character and achievement and set similarly high standards for their students.     The family nature of our school: Visitors always comment on the affection, warmth and closeness displayed by Gabriella students. Wherever I go on campus, I see our children helping, encouraging and reaching out to each other. At our monthly “reading parties,” held to celebrate perfect 30−day reading logs, it’s gratifying to see our oldest students pair off with our youngest, helping them with their reading and reading stories to them.    The enthusiasm our children share for learning: Each time I visit a classroom, students are eager to show me their work and to tell me what they are learning. Students are attentive and energized to participate in the learning process. At a recent “Publishing Party,” I was impressed that second grade writers offered specific compliments to fourth grade writers as they shared their revised narratives: “I liked your strong beginning.” “I liked how you used details to make me feel I was there.” “I liked how you focused on one small moment.”    Our families as partners in the learning process: Many of our predominantly firstgeneration immigrant parents come from countries where the barriers to even a secondary education loomed large. Their gratitude for the education their children are receiving at Gabriella is heartwarming. At Gabriella, we ask a lot of our parents: perfect student attendance, no tardies, 100% participation in parent conferences, nightly homework supervision and a contribution of 15 service hours yearly by each GCS family. Even with long work hours and large family demands, our parents are making the time to support their children’s learning.    Arts Education: It’s undisputed that the inclusion of arts in school programs boosts academic performance. Gabriella students develop focus and discipline in daily ballet, jazz, modern dance, world dance, tap and creative movement classes. Additionally, academic and dance teachers collaborate to skills and content through movement. In visual arts, students are challenged both aesthetically and conceptually; for example they have drawn cubist self−portraits, painted Hockney inspired maps and crafted Native American artifacts. Our Math and Music class has sparked interest in mathematics and has boosted students’ aptitude for thinking outside of the box.    This arts−enriched academic program has produced happy and productive learners who are outperforming their peers in neighboring public schools. In our first three years, GCS test scores exceeded the State’s benchmark of 800. Seventy−one percent of last year’s 4th graders, primarily English−language learners, tested proficient or advanced in English−language arts and 67% tested proficient or advanced in mathematics.    Community and Parent Volunteers: We count on the community and on our parents to provide a range of services that State funding does not support. On any given day, volunteers are visible working across the campus. Ten professional women volunteer once a week, assisting in the classroom, counseling students and teaching visual arts. Additionally, an involved corps of parents serves breakfast and lunch to our students (91% of whom qualify for the federally−subsidized school meals program), sews costumes for our dance recital, provides support to classroom teachers and helps out in the school office. One star parent has logged almost 500 volunteer hours in each of the past three years, serving both breakfast and lunch daily to our student body.    We thank all of our donors and supporters for making our achievements possible. Their generosity helps provide the educational foundation, study skills and motivation that will enable our students to access higher education and careers of their choice.    Susan Gurman Principal, Gabriella Charter School