School
Welcome
At GCDS, children are our sole focus. It is our daily goal to ensure that each child develops a love for learning that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. From mathematics to physical education and everything in between, the staff at GCDS educates our students according to their needs. Call us today to set up a tour and give us the opportunity to teach your child to love to learn.
Kelly P. Childers M.A., M.Ed.
Director
Our Mission
We are committed to accepting children as they are, with their own backgrounds, experiences, interests, natures, and abilities. Our teachers are dedicated to helping children learn, grow, and find success in coming to school.
School History
GCDS has been a longstanding part of the Gainesville community providing over 35 years of continuous quality childhood education.
Our
Philosophy
GCDS's curriculum emphasizes active rather than passive learning and activities are designed to encourage independence and creativity. Attention is given to utilizing basic skills and applying them in increasingly complex projects and activities. Our curriculum consists of integrated subject matter areas and flexible curricular experiences designed to meet the needs of children of different levels of ability and experience. Our low student-teacher ratio makes it possible to provide a varied and stimulating range of learning experiences for each child.
Campus
Locations
Tower Campus (Infants - Pre-K4)
2304 SW 75th Street
Gainesville, Florida 32607
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24th Avenue Campus
(Pre-K5, Elementary, Summer Camp)
6801 SW 24th Avenue
Gainesville, Florida 32607
Additional Details
Staff Qualifications
The faculty at both campuses are well qualified. Teachers have a variety of backgrounds, including bachelor's degrees, diverse teaching experience, or special skills, knowledge, and/or expertise in the areas in which they teach. Additional instructors are used for specialties such as art, physical education, French, music, technology, logic, and poetry to supplement the curriculum.​
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Financial Aid
We accept the following scholarships through Step Up for Students/FLDOE:​
Misconduct Procedures
The State of Florida requires that all faculty and staff report signs of abuse/neglect to the Department of Children and Families. The penalty of misconduct by faculty or staff is immediate dismissal.
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Brightwheel Parent Portal
GCDS utilizes the Brightwheel App software for communication with parents. The app allows us to send real-time messages, photos, and newsletters, notify you about upcoming events and keep billing all in one place.