Since joining the Pace Lower School, Dean has become a fixture in the Pace community. His teachers will tell you that he is a kind leader, a good friend and an expressive artist. He will tell you that his teachers are helpful, courteous and passionate, and that when he tackles challenging curriculum, they answer every question he has. “By the end of a year at Pace, students look back and realize how prepared they are, how much they’ve learned, and that their teachers were there, every step of the way,” he says. 

From Lower to Middle School, Dean has been a Knights of the Arts laureate, a student council representative, an actor and singer and a robotics programmer—and he’s only getting started. “I really like art—from visual art to music and acting—and Pace lets you explore your passions. In art class, it's not just painting and colored pencils. We get to learn about and experiment with every different type of art and medium.” In addition to his artistic endeavors, Dean is passionate about making things fair and making sure everyone’s heard.

To new Knights, Dean’s advice is this: “You might feel nervous at first, but never for long. Just jump into the community; teachers and students alike make sure that everyone here feels welcome and comfortable.”

A member of the Class of 2002, Genna wears many hats within the Pace community—two of which are alumna and parent. “The soul of the school is the same as when I was here as a student, but simultaneously, it has evolved into a more dynamic, modern and global community,” she reflects. “As an alumni-parent, I’m really impressed with how the school takes into account its past and its present, and focuses on its future.”

When considering schools for her children, some of the things Genna loved most about Pace as a student became what attracted her as a prospective parent. “What sets Pace apart is the authentic warmth here—we felt like we could bring our real selves to this community. The genuineness may be intangible, but it is very real, and not easily found anywhere else.” Watching the decision come to fruition in her children’s Pace journeys, Genna feels confident that Pace was the right choice. “We’ve seen [our daughter] become a more whole version of herself here,” she says. “The academic growth is the foundation, but socially and emotionally, too, the school goes above and beyond to support the whole student. She has gotten to explore so many things that light her up.”

“Pace was instrumental in my understanding of problem solving,” Genna reflects. “This environment taught me that there's no problem you can't solve, and with that hard work, grit and determination, you can overcome anything—and that’s inherent to the experience of being a Pace Knight. More than anywhere else, Pace gave me a sense of bravery. I learned to challenge myself and the status quo while I was here, and that helped me forge my own path personally and professionally.”

Now in her sixth year at Pace, Mrs. Grant helps set the tone for our first graders. “I want my students to develop a growth mindset, so we don’t say, ‘I can’t do that,’ we say, ‘I can’t do that yet.’ They need to be problem-solvers, because if you can solve problems, you can learn your way around the world.”

She fosters that growth mindset by ensuring that each of her students feels accepted, safe and special in her classroom. A sign on her door reads Everyone belongs. “I want everyone to feel accepted and safe here,” Mrs. Grant says. “I want my students to feel seen and heard and to know that they play important roles in building a community in which everyone feels welcome. That’s the most important thing. I want them to be good people.”

A member of the Class of 2002, Genna wears many hats within the Pace community—two of which are alumna and parent. “The soul of the school is the same as when I was here as a student, but simultaneously, it has evolved into a more dynamic, modern and global community,” she reflects. “As an alumni-parent, I’m really impressed with how the school takes into account its past and its present, and focuses on its future.”

When considering schools for her children, some of the things Genna loved most about Pace as a student became what attracted her as a prospective parent. “What sets Pace apart is the authentic warmth here—we felt like we could bring our real selves to this community. The genuineness may be intangible, but it is very real, and not easily found anywhere else.” Watching the decision come to fruition in her children’s Pace journeys, Genna feels confident that Pace was the right choice. “We’ve seen [our daughter] become a more whole version of herself here,” she says. “The academic growth is the foundation, but socially and emotionally, too, the school goes above and beyond to support the whole student. She has gotten to explore so many things that light her up.”

“Pace was instrumental in my understanding of problem solving,” Genna reflects. “This environment taught me that there's no problem you can't solve, and with that hard work, grit and determination, you can overcome anything—and that’s inherent to the experience of being a Pace Knight. More than anywhere else, Pace gave me a sense of bravery. I learned to challenge myself and the status quo while I was here and that helped me forge my own path personally and professionally.”

Since joining the Pace Lower School, Dean has become an immediate fixture in the Pace community. His teachers will tell you that he is a kind leader, a good friend and an expressive artist. He will tell you in response that his teachers are helpful, courteous and passionate, that despite daunting academics, Pace teachers answer every question you have. “By the end of a year at Pace, students look back and realize how prepared they are, how much they’ve learned, and that their teachers were there, every step of the way,” he says. 

From Lower to Middle School, Dean has been a Knights of the Arts laureate, a student council representative, an actor and singer and a robotics programmer—and he’s only just getting started. “I really like art—from visual art to music and acting—and Pace lets you explore your passions. In art class, it's not just painting and colored pencils. We get to learn about and experiment with every different type of art and medium.” In addition to his artistic endeavors, Dean is passionate about making things fair and making sure everyone’s heard.

To new Knights, Dean’s advice is this: “You might feel out of place at first, but never for long. Just jump into the community; teachers and students alike make sure that everyone here feels welcome and comfortable.”

Now in her sixth year at Pace, Mrs. Grant helps set the tone for our first graders. “I want my students to develop a growth mindset, so we don’t say, ‘I can’t do that,’ we say, ‘I can’t do that yet.’ They need to be problem-solvers, because if you can solve problems, you can learn your way around the world.”

She fosters that growth mindset by ensuring that each of her students feels accepted, safe and special in her classroom. A sign on her door reads Everyone belongs. “I want everyone to feel accepted and safe here,” Mrs. Grant says. “I want my students to feel seen and heard and to know that they play important roles in building a community in which everyone feels welcome. That’s the most important thing. I want them to be good people.”

Now in her sixth year at Pace, Mrs. Grant helps set the tone for our first graders. “I want my students to develop a growth mindset, so we don’t say, ‘I can’t do that,’ we say, ‘I can’t do that yet.’ They need to be problem-solvers, because if you can solve problems, you can learn your way around the world.”

She fosters that growth mindset by ensuring that each of her students feels accepted, safe and special in her classroom. A sign on her door reads Everyone belongs. “I want everyone to feel accepted and safe here,” Mrs. Grant says. “I want my students to feel seen and heard and to know that they play important roles in building a community in which everyone feels welcome. That’s the most important thing. I want them to be good people.”

Since joining the Pace Lower School, Dean has become an immediate fixture in the Pace community. His teachers will tell you that he is a kind leader, a good friend and an expressive artist. He will tell you in response that his teachers are helpful, courteous and passionate, that despite daunting academics, Pace teachers answer every question you have. “By the end of a year at Pace, students look back and realize how prepared they are, how much they’ve learned, and that their teachers were there, every step of the way,” he says. 

From Lower to Middle School, Dean has been a Knights of the Arts laureate, a student council representative, an actor and singer and a robotics programmer—and he’s only just getting started. “I really like art—from visual art to music and acting—and Pace lets you explore your passions. In art class, it's not just painting and colored pencils. We get to learn about and experiment with every different type of art and medium.” In addition to his artistic endeavors, Dean is passionate about making things fair and making sure everyone’s heard.

To new Knights, Dean’s advice is this: “You might feel out of place at first, but never for long. Just jump into the community; teachers and students alike make sure that everyone here feels welcome and comfortable.”

A member of the Class of 2002, Genna wears many hats within the Pace community—two of which are alumna and parent. “The soul of the school is the same as when I was here as a student, but simultaneously, it has evolved into a more dynamic, modern and global community,” she reflects. “As an alumni-parent, I’m really impressed with how the school takes into account its past and its present, and focuses on its future.”

When considering schools for her children, some of the things Genna loved most about Pace as a student became what attracted her as a prospective parent. “What sets Pace apart is the authentic warmth here—we felt like we could bring our real selves to this community. The genuineness may be intangible, but it is very real, and not easily found anywhere else.” Watching the decision come to fruition in her children’s Pace journeys, Genna feels confident that Pace was the right choice. “We’ve seen [our daughter] become a more whole version of herself here,” she says. “The academic growth is the foundation, but socially and emotionally, too, the school goes above and beyond to support the whole student. She has gotten to explore so many things that light her up.”

“Pace was instrumental in my understanding of problem solving,” Genna reflects. “This environment taught me that there's no problem you can't solve, and with that hard work, grit and determination, you can overcome anything—and that’s inherent to the experience of being a Pace Knight. More than anywhere else, Pace gave me a sense of bravery. I learned to challenge myself and the status quo while I was here and that helped me forge my own path personally and professionally.”