Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year!

I am excited to be joining the GSA Community as your new Head of School. It has already become overwhelmingly clear to me this faculty and staff cares deeply about the work we do and the scholars we serve and that our scholars and families are eager to learn and highly engaged in the curriculum and programming.

This year GSA celebrates 10 years. We are proud of the incredible accomplishments GSA has made to date and grateful to all those involved in building a foundation where we can consistently execute our mission – and do so at an elite level. I also recognize these accomplishments have not always come easy – but it is the seasons of change, the extraordinary disruption that often propels us forward.

There is no doubt our team will face many challenges as we continue to navigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic going into the new school year. While we must kick off this year with a spirit of agility and fortitude, we are also going to kick off with hope, vision, and excitement.

With your support, I am learning more and more each day about what is working for our school and thinking about how I can leverage some of my unique experiences to help us accelerate growth. Our Core Values,  Protection, Affection, Correction and Connection, will guide all of our efforts. Our goals for our students will continue to be delivering a high-quality education that is broad and deep and expands scholar access to potentially life-changing experiences. Our curriculum will foster curiosity, connect the Common Core with real world experience, and prepare scholars to thrive in a dynamic global economy.  Our commitment to a whole-child approach remains – emphasizing wellness, cultivating soft skills such as leadership, character education and resilience-building behaviors.

We are ready to take things to the next level – we are going to think bigger and bolder about our charter, about our core values, about the academic success we want to see, and about our school culture.

I want to thank the GSA faculty and staff, scholars, families, Board of Directors, and all of our donors and community partners for your ongoing work and support of the GSA mission. I am looking forward to kicking off the new year and meeting and serving you in 2020 – 2021!

Together, we are better. Together, we are determined to SOAR!

Sincerely,

Dr. Pamela Baldwin

Fun Facts about Dr. Baldwin:

Hometown: Hampton, Virginia       

Undergraduate School: George Mason University           

Graduate School: East Carolina University and UNC-Wilmington          

Years of Experience: 21                              

Dreams/Career Goals: I’m living my dream.         

Family Life: Beautiful twin girls – my heart.          

Fun Fact: I was a gymnast and cheerleader.         

Teaching Philosophy: We should be ready to serve them not the other way around. Do what it takes to ensure success for all children. I wish all adults could see the great potential in EVERY child.     

Favorite Food: Seafood        

Favorite Color: Orange        

Favorite Song: Adore by Prince      

Favorite Book: Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates       

Favorite Subject: Science     

Favorite Vacation Spot: Anywhere warm with clear water!          

Favorite Quote: “My Life is My Message.”  – Mahatma Gandhi