GDS prides itself on mutual respect and personal connections, with students on a first-name basis with teachers, administrators and even the head of school. At GDS, students and faculty feel mutual respect—a dynamic the GDS website says “signal[s] that we have access to each other—regardless of our age, title or station.” However, the administration often feels like an exception to GDS’s culture of visibility, approachability and relationship-building.
Many administrative roles are not student-facing. As a result, those who make major decisions at GDS are largely detached from the everyday spaces in which students actually experience school life, causing certain administrators to be completely unknown to students. While many administrators are present in hallways, in classrooms and at student-led events, they don’t engage with students to the extent that other faculty members do, making it difficult to build the relationships with administrators that GDS values.
In an article in the school’s blog The Hopper Effect, Head of School Russell Shaw said it is important to GDS that teachers value students’ voices and develop relationships with students. Shaw described these relationships as part of the “magic” of GDS, where students feel seen, heard and valued. Although I feel that my voice is valued by my teachers, I feel detached from most administrators.
Shaw himself has set a strong example of building connections with students, and he regularly engages with the community and gets to know many students personally. This standard of connection, however, does not extend to most administrators, who we rarely see in the hallways or at student-centered events such as Monday Meetings and First Friday. By being more present in student life, administrators can build trust in the community and forge deeper connections with students.
For many students, administrators are not just disconnected—they are completely unknown. “I think that [administrators] are kind of distant from students as a whole,” sophomore Avery Cooper said. “I probably couldn’t recognize most of them.”
A lack of connection between students and administrators makes it difficult for students to voice their concerns or engage with the administration. “The really higher-ups should be more involved, so we know who we’re relying on to make decisions for us,” senior Samson Lowenstein said. The phone ban is an example of this lack of connection, and students were largely unable to voice their concerns about the policy change. Lowenstein added that being active in the community and building relationships “is really important for Russell’s replacement.”
When administrators stay removed from student life, the administration also misses an opportunity to better understand the needs of the community it is shaping. A more involved administration would not only make the community more connected, it would also better align the leadership’s goals with students’ needs. “They are the people controlling things, so they should talk to us,” sophomore Claire Poellnitz said.
Director of Operations and Innovation Tim Lyons said he tries to maintain a connection with the student body despite not having a student-facing role. “I make an effort,” he said. “I would say the nature of my gig now, I don’t always have as much opportunity as I would like to,” Lyons said. “I try to prioritize all community member feedback, especially that of students.”
Because many administrative roles are not student-facing, those administrators lack natural opportunities to engage with students. Lyons said the fact that his role is not connected to students is why he teaches a class each year to maintain a direct connection with students. Lyons teaches the Music Production & Audio Engineering class.
“I think it would be nice if we could develop better relationships with the administration,” senior Paolo Imbroscio said. Imbroscio said it is really helpful when the administration is involved in student life “because GDS is so based on relationships.” Talking to Shaw has helped me feel more welcomed at GDS, and these interactions I’ve had with him show how meaningful connections to administrators can be.
Freshman Cameron Toufanian said he becomes stressed when an administrator “pops into the classroom.” Toufanian said he “wants them locked in their offices all day,” a comment that, while exaggerated, reflects a broader issue: When administrators are not usually present in student life, Toufanian and others associate their presence with judgment rather than support. Their infrequent visits leave students wondering why they’re there, hindering the development of trust and communication.
Sophomore Brady Leblanc said because he “doesn’t see administrators often, it’s hard to not assume that their intentions are to punish us.” Sophomore Arjun Bhargava said he “feels like he’s being judged by administrators.”
If GDS wants to stay true to its culture, grounded in relationships, mutual respect and student voice, the administration cannot remain distant. Whether GDS lives up to its values depends on connections at every level—not just between students and teachers, but between students and the administration. Administrators do not need to be everywhere, but they do need to be known. Simply walking the halls, attending events or starting conversations with students could shift that dynamic.