The Gailer School
Encyclopedia
The Gailer School is a co-educational independent day school
for grades 7–12, located in Middlebury, Vermont.
During its first year, the Gailer School operated out of the living room of its founder. From 1990 to 1998, it rented an unused school in Middlebury, Vermont, from the Catholic diocese and drew its student body from both Addison and Chittenden counties and hosted a number of international students, primarily from Indonesia. During the 1997-1998 school year, the school had its highest enrollment, with over 80 students participating in Gailer's unique curriculum. That year, over 75% of the students were traveling from the Burlington area, which meant spending almost two hours in a car or bus each school day. The Board of Directors began looking for a school location that was more centrally located to the bulk of its student body.
During the summer of 1998, Gailer moved from Middlebury to Shelburne, Vermont
. From 1998 to 2006 the school was located in a rented space in Shelburne, and drew its student body from both Addison and Chittenden counties. In 2006, the Board of Trustees looked at student demographics, costs, and local competition from other progressive schools, and decided to move the school back to its original home in Middlebury.
In the spring of 2009, the school found a permanent home at 54 Creek Road in Middlebury and hired a new School Director, Lonny Edwards.
. The original curriculum was history-based, beginning with the origin of the universe and extending to contemporary times.
The "da Vinci" curriculum continues to stress interdisciplinary learning, encouraging students to see the interconnectedness of science, history, mathematics, language and the written word in their learning. Classes include seminar-based discussions, lectures, student presentations, field work and group projects. Each student also takes a weekly "master class", allowing the in-depth study of a chosen subject. Students also are required to perform community service to encourage and understand their connectedness to their community. Gailer was one of the first schools in Vermont to introduce community service into its curriculum.
The school aims to foster the development of skills necessary for students to succeed in college and the world:
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
for grades 7–12, located in Middlebury, Vermont.
History
Founded in 1989 by Harry Chaucer, a former high school science teacher, based on his experiences with running the Chaucer house at the Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg, Vermont. Dr. Chaucer followed the principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools as he designed the curriculum, placing a special emphasis on finding original sources, using those sources to develop a thesis, and then testing that thesis.During its first year, the Gailer School operated out of the living room of its founder. From 1990 to 1998, it rented an unused school in Middlebury, Vermont, from the Catholic diocese and drew its student body from both Addison and Chittenden counties and hosted a number of international students, primarily from Indonesia. During the 1997-1998 school year, the school had its highest enrollment, with over 80 students participating in Gailer's unique curriculum. That year, over 75% of the students were traveling from the Burlington area, which meant spending almost two hours in a car or bus each school day. The Board of Directors began looking for a school location that was more centrally located to the bulk of its student body.
During the summer of 1998, Gailer moved from Middlebury to Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne, Vermont
Shelburne is a town in southwestern Chittenden County, Vermont, United States, along the shores of Lake Champlain. The population was 7,144 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. From 1998 to 2006 the school was located in a rented space in Shelburne, and drew its student body from both Addison and Chittenden counties. In 2006, the Board of Trustees looked at student demographics, costs, and local competition from other progressive schools, and decided to move the school back to its original home in Middlebury.
In the spring of 2009, the school found a permanent home at 54 Creek Road in Middlebury and hired a new School Director, Lonny Edwards.
Curriculum
Harry Chaucer named the school's educational program for Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
. The original curriculum was history-based, beginning with the origin of the universe and extending to contemporary times.
The "da Vinci" curriculum continues to stress interdisciplinary learning, encouraging students to see the interconnectedness of science, history, mathematics, language and the written word in their learning. Classes include seminar-based discussions, lectures, student presentations, field work and group projects. Each student also takes a weekly "master class", allowing the in-depth study of a chosen subject. Students also are required to perform community service to encourage and understand their connectedness to their community. Gailer was one of the first schools in Vermont to introduce community service into its curriculum.
The school aims to foster the development of skills necessary for students to succeed in college and the world:
- Communication: written, artistic and oral communication skills essential for reasoning and expression of complex ideas.
- Mathematics: fundamental knowledge and skills; ability to imagine and solve complex problems; history of mathematics.
- Science: understanding the scientific process; history of science; scientific information, skills and theories.
- Technological Literacy: expertise in gathering and assessing information; proficiency in common computer operations.
- Cultural Fluency: understanding and appreciating a variety of cultural experiences, including geography, language, the arts, political and religious philosophies.
- Learning to Learn: ability to formulate questions, see connections among academic disciplines, solve problems and engage in lifelong learning.
- Ethics: sensitivity to ethical issues; understanding the importance of individual, institutional and corporate accountability; respect for self, others, the learning process and environment.
- Teamwork and Leadership: comfort with team situations, group problem-solving and decision-making in both supportive and leadership roles.
- Organization and Responsibility: effective organization of time and materials necessary for learning; habits of responsibility, punctuality and accountability for decisions and performance.