In Focus @ GWA
A news bulletin for the families of George Walton Academy
May 16, 2024
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Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800
Key Deadlines & Dates
US Awards: May 16
Baccalaureate: May 17 @ 6 p.m at 1025 Church
Graduation: May 18 @ 9 a.m. in the Nicholson Center
Early Dismissal Next Week: May 20-22, grades 6-11 will dismiss at 12:15 p.m.
Exams (grades 8-11): May 20-23
K5 Graduation: May 22 @ 7 p.m.
Fifth-Grade Graduation: May 23
Last Day of School: May 23 (early dismissal for all) LS - 11-11:15 a.m., no buses, no aftercare. MS/US will dismiss at 10 a.m.
Summer Camps Registration: register at gwa.com
CLICK HERE for complete exam policies.
Seeing RED
It was a red letter day in the Nicholson Center this afternoon. Students, faculty, staff and families gathered to celebrate the debut of the 2024 Résumé Yearbook. The theme, Redefining Red takes the negative meanings associated with the color red and redefines them in a more positive way.
- The staff presented the first copy to Head of School Mr. Marshall.
- The 2024 book is dedicated by the seniors to Dean of Students and GWA alum Matt Reynolds.
- The third annual Brian Cole Award for Innovation in Education was presented to PARC Director Doretta Power.
The presentation culminated with the end of year video retrospective featuring some of the greatest moments of the year, a reveal of the yearbook and a sendoff for the class of 2024.
After book distribution, students signed each other’s yearbooks and signing pages and enjoyed looking through their beautiful new yearbooks.
The 2024 yearbook staff:
Editor-in-Chief Charlie Jesel
Senior Editor Anna Gray
Managing Editor Chloe Walker
Editor of Fun Sarah Kate Bailey
Seniors Payton Stone, Ellie Woodson, Alek Spoon
Juniors Lexi Bond and Jewell Miller
Sophomores Gracie Foster, Alexa Lo and Amber Fields
Freshman Drake Ferguson
Adviser Liz Jones
Doretta Power is the 2024 Brian Cole Award Recipient
By Julie Howard
Doretta Power began teaching first grade at GWA in 2000 and taught in the classroom for 14 years. During those years, Mrs. Power obtained a master's degree in early childhood education, a specialist's degree in Teaching and Learning, and she became the first teacher at George Walton to get trained in Orton-Gillingham.
In 2014 Paula Brown, who privately tutored Lower School students at GWA during the school day, retired. Mrs. Power, an exceptional teacher who excelled at making connections with students, was asked to fill Mrs. Brown's shoes and worked in this capacity for four years. During that time, Mrs. Power realized the need for a learning center at George Walton - a PLACE where students could receive ACADEMIC COACHING and get support, or REINFORCEMENT, with/for their learning. Once given the go-ahead to establish such a program, she began intensively researching and visiting other schools in 2018. READ MORE...
Love to Learn
Our third graders embarked on an exciting journey of discovery through our Genius Hour project, inspired by Google's innovative workplace practices. Each Friday, our students dedicated an hour to researching a topic of their own choosing, sparking curiosity, and fostering a love for learning.
Encouraging self-guided exploration is paramount in nurturing lifelong learners. By allowing students to take ownership of their learning journey, we empower them to delve into their passions, cultivating critical thinking skills and creativity along the way. Through Genius Hour, students not only acquire knowledge but also develop invaluable skills such as research, time management, and presentation techniques.
Last week, our budding geniuses showcased their projects to their peers and parents. This not only celebrates their achievements but also reinforces the importance of communication and sharing ideas with others.
We are immensely proud of our third graders for embracing the spirit of inquiry and demonstrating the power of self-directed learning!
Governing Griffinia
Our eighth-grade Social Studies classes have been doing mock legislatures to learn how a bill becomes a law in Georgia. Students were in the House or Senate of the Griffinia General Assembly and they wrote two bills to see if they can become a law. The students also served on committees and listened as the Governor, Chief Justice, and Lobbyist gave their opinions of the bills. Each class was blessed with different GWA faculty who served in these three roles. Bills were judged on being: beneficial, equitable, enforceable, constitutional, affordable, & well written. Students had 50% of the bills pass; this set a record for GWA eighth grade!
Lower Supply Lists - info. coming soon
ALF Grand Finale: Help Us Reach Our Goal!
Dear GWA Community,
We are thrilled to announce that we are more than 90% to our Annual Loyalty Fund goal! Your generosity and commitment to George Walton Academy have been truly inspiring. As we enter the final stretch of our campaign, we need your help to reach our goal. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference and helps support our students, teachers, and programs.
This week only, we are launching a special challenge for our classrooms. Any classroom that achieves 100% participation in the Annual Loyalty Fund will enter their teacher's name into a drawing for a day of pampering! This is our way of showing our appreciation for our amazing teachers and celebrating their hard work and dedication.
To help us reach our goal, please consider making a donation to the Annual Loyalty Fund. Your support is crucial in ensuring that we can continue to provide exceptional education and opportunities for our students. Click here to make your gift. Thank you for your continued support of George Walton Academy. Together, we can make a difference!
Go Bulldogs!
Britton Ryan
Director of Development
Soccer Season Wraps Up
We are proud to share our 2024 All-Region Girls Soccer selections: Allie Marler, Ashlyn Felton, Charlie Jesel, Katherine Smyrl, Laney Brewer and Sarah Kate Bailey. As region champions, GWA was allowed six selections to the All-Region team. The team finished the season with an overall record of 10-7 and remained unbeaten in their region for the second year in a row. Congrats to Coach Sara Smith and her players!
Clay Creations
Artists in Mrs. Good's K5 through fifth-grade classes were hard at work during March and April, learning all about clay -how it's made, where it comes from, and what they can do with it! Students worked tirelessly to mold and shape the clay into picture perfect presents for their favorite people. The clay pieces went on a journey being sculpted, left out to dry for a week, fired to over 2000 degrees in our kiln, and finally painted by the best artists in town! Kindergarten and first-grade's frames will glow under a black light, and second-fifth graders were color-mixing pros when it came time to paint their work. The cherries on top are the hand drawn self-portraits that students put their all into! This project required much effort for everyone involved, but these artists are hard workers, and these masterpieces prove that!
Today's In Focus is proudly sponsored by Profit Resources, Inc. (https://profitresources.com).