Gwen Sirmans is the wife of alumnus Matt ('88) and mother of Knox ('21), Walker ('23) and Ivey. She is a former faculty member and taught public school for many years. A person with a passion for teaching and an advocate for children of all abilities and gifts, Gwen is the perfect person to share her story of why Darlington is an amazing place. Hope you enjoy it.
"We have deep aspirations to provide the best education available to our three children. As a Darlington alumnus, my husband, Matt (’88), has experienced firsthand the impact of a Darlington education. I am an educator who has taught in various academic settings and observed how the learning environment truly influences a student. Therefore, we chose Darlington for its proven high academic expectations and its excellent learning environment. However, our family has an added unique twist for choosing Darlington.
"Of our three children, only our two sons will have a Darlington education. Their little sister will never have the opportunity to officially attend Darlington as a student. Our daughter was born with severe disabilities – physical, mental and medical. So our choices in “best education” are obviously different between our sons and daughter. For our boys, a school needed not only a strong educational foundation, but also a foundation based on acceptance, respect and service for others. Darlington encompasses all of these qualities, and then some.
"The Darlington family has embraced our family in its entirety. Darlington has advocated for our daughter and her school, McHenry Primary, by voting during Pepsi Challenge for McHenry to receive a new handicap-accessible playground. (They got it, by the way!) And even though our daughter will not officially attend Darlington, she is still woven in the fabric of the school. There are numerous ways but my favorite is when first-grade teacher Beth Smith (’87) invites her to participate as an honorary Smith Smartie. Nevertheless, it is the people – the students – who make the largest impact on our family. They have made our daughter one of them; they include her. Her differences are respected by the students and they see her for all that she is, not her limitations.
"In the end, our sons are the ultimate beneficiaries of these interactions. Darlington’s environment encourages Knox and Walker to be proud of their sister’s differences and our family’s uniqueness. That truly puts life into Darlington’s commitment to be a true family environment.
"It is this environment that is fostered by all the donors who support Darlington, allowing it to go a step beyond the ordinary. This extended support allows for knowledge beyond academics and service beyond self. It promotes students to excel in character development that will impact them in all aspects of their lives now and in their future. We are grateful for this support. Your contributions foster more possibilities for students to learn life lessons from other families at Darlington, families like ours." - Gwen Sirmans
This is part of a blog series written to highlight what it means to be a donor in the Darlington Community and the various ways one can give back to the school. On Aug. 30, the school will host its first-ever Thank a Donor Day to recognize the individuals and businesses whose generous gifts make Darlington the special places that it is.
