When I first came here four years ago, I was immediately struck by the idyllic natural setting – a low rambling brick building nestled in the rolling pastures of the Virginia Piedmont.
Children at recess were chasing soccer balls on the green field in front of the school, others swung from the monkey bars, while yet others jumped rope and hula-hooped on the patio. The joy of childhood was palpable.
Stepping through the front door, I was quickly captivated by the vibrant art work stretching from one end of the hall to the other: Egyptian gods and symbols outside the fifth grade room where students were studying ancient history; pen and ink portraits outside the eighth grade room; cubist portraits in the style of Picasso outside the first grade room. The sound of the sixth grade band working its way through “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In” surged out of the music room. Third graders practiced their Spanish, and eighth graders acted out scenes from A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
As kindergartners headed for the library at one end of the hall, seventh graders on their way to gym at the other end of the hall gave high fives to the younger students. A group of parents were using the science room to organize handouts for the Wednesday folders, and chatted easily with the teachers who greeted them by name.
Grymes is an intimate community that is alive with energy, creativity, wonder, and the adventure of learning. Each morning as I greet the students with a handshake as they get off the bus or climb out of their car, I look forward to what the day will bring, and so do the children and the faculty. Our academic program is rigorous, yet nurturing. Our art, music and drama programs are rich. Our physical education program is daily and inclusive. And every child plays at recess every day twice a day as we believe that in order to learn, children also need the time to be children.
Part of what makes each year at Grymes so memorable are the many traditions that punctuate the school year. The entire school meets at weekly assemblies and is entertained by play performances by each class. Every student from kindergarten through seventh grade recites a poem from memory on declamation day, and eighth graders deliver thought provoking speeches at the end of the year. We celebrate May Day with a maypole dance and all our students participate in Field Day. We end the year by saying good bye to our eighth graders at a graduation dinner.
Grymes manages to hold on to what is good and old fashioned while embracing the present and the future. We love to seize the moment, whether the junior kindergarten releases their freshly hatched butterflies in the butterfly garden; or we celebrate Mardi Gras with a whole school parade complete with band, paper masks and jester hats, red wagon floats, king cupcakes, and mounds of beads; or the second grade shares with me their newly invented math game or teaches me how to make snowflakes on the computer; or the fourth grade takes their play practice outdoors on a sunny spring morning; tradition and spontaneity go hand in hand at Grymes.
I hope you enjoy browsing our website, and that it will entice you to visit us in person soon. Come experience Grymes for yourself and get a taste of our rich program, the sense of family, the bonds between students, and savor a little of the magic that makes this school such a joyful and vibrant place.
Dr. Elisabeth "Penny" Pendreigh Work
Head of School