August 12, 2021
Gray Stone is back to the books
By Staff Reports
Stanly News & Press
High school leader Jeff Walter meets with high school students as they change classes. From left: Alivia Arnez, Colby Vollo, Mr. Walter, Olivia Eldridge and Lannah Huneycutt.
Gray Stone Day School welcomed students on Wednesday for the first day of school.
Open House was held on Monday and Tuesday, with incoming sixth graders spending an afternoon following their schedule and meeting their teachers.
Students, staff and visitors are wearing masks at this time.
“With everyone wearing masks, we will be able to keep our students in school,” said Helen Nance, chief administrator at the school.
“Our goal is to be here in person every day.”
Student Alex Holt said, “It is like starting over again like when I started school in kindergarten.” Gabby Crawford thought that the day was “amazingly spectacular because we are all together again.”
Seventh grader Bobby Taylor was also glad to be back. “We have more variety in person than on Zoom.”
The middle and high school have new principals.
Kristen Gray will head the middle school.
She has been the curriculum support facilitator and instructional coach at Gray Stone for two years. She received her training from Bowling Green State University and UNC-Charlotte.
She served as a teacher and assistant principal before coming to Gray Stone.
The high school welcomes Jeff Walter, who began his teaching career at Gray Stone in 2005 and taught history and coached tennis for 10 years.
He continued teaching in Cabarrus County Schools and comes to Gray Stone after serving as the assistant principal at Northwest Cabarrus High School.
“Both of these leaders bring fresh ideas toward education while continuing to uphold the culture that makes Gray Stone a school of excellence,” said Nance.
Athletics is an important opportunity to help students learn to work as a team, Nance said, and the new athletic director is Scott Wolfe.
Wolfe has taught physical education and coached girls varsity soccer for the past four years at the school.
“Everyone is looking forward to a wonderful year,” Nance said.