The Gunston School

1911 - 1950s. In response to the effects of their daughter's polio, Sam and Mary Middleton founded The Gunston Farm School in 1911 on their family farm on the Corsica River. The school's original curriculum focused on reading, writing, geography, and arithmetic. Athletics were almost exclusively focused on horseback riding considering the rural location. When Samuel Middleton died in 1929, Mary Middleton assumed the role of headmistress of the school. Middleton served the school for 35 years and oversaw the school's expansion into a girl's only boarding school. [1]

1950s - 1995. Gunston became an all-girls school in the 1950s. When Middleton retired in 1964, the headship of the school briefly passed to Mrs. Okie before she was succeeded by long-serving Headmaster Paul Long. Under Long's almost two decades of leadership, Gunston experienced significant growth in terms of enrollment, physical plant, and academic reputation according to the school itself. It is also said that headmaster Long is also responsible for starting many of Gunston's longstanding traditions such as Green & White Day and Yearbook Day.[1] In the later 90s, the school experienced a decline in admissions, reportedly due to the decline in demand for gender-based boarding schools. Gunston administration then made the decision in 1995 to rebrand as a coeducational day school.

1995 - 2011. During Sturtevant's time at Gunston, the school began its Bay Studies program devoted to hands-on learning within the surrounding Chesapeake Bay area. The school was led by Jeffrey Wordworth in the early 2000s until his death in 2009. During his time as Headmaster Woodworth, he oversaw the addition of a crew team, the renovation of Middleton House, and the implementation of an international recruitment effort. His assistant headmaster, Christie Grabis, served as Interim Headmaster from 2009-2010. In July 2010, John Lewis IV was installed as The Gunston School's 8th Headmaster.[2]

2011 - present. As of August 16, 2011, Gunston Day School was formally reincorporated as The Gunston School.[1]

The Gunston School’s mission is to nurture college preparatory students through personalized education and rigorous intellectual development. The school is interested in cultivating creative experiences and regards the connection with the community, especially with the Chesapeake Bay community as an important issue. The school is also committed with environmental topics and the importance of the involvement of young students.[3]