
In Focus @ GWA
A news bulletin for the families of George Walton Academy

December 7, 2023
Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter
or visit us online.
Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800
Key Deadlines & Dates
- Downtown Monroe Parade: TONIGHT, 6:30 p.m. start, GWA Marching Band and Jr. Bulldog Band perform
- Christmas Band Concert: Dec. 12 at 7 p.m.
- Exams/Early Dismissal Days: see below for details
- Christmas Break: Dec.18 - Jan. 3
- Faculty Return: Jan. 3
- Students Return: Jan. 4
- Upper School Winter Term: Jan. 4 - 12
Law Enforcement Lowdown
This week, GWA's own SRO, Officer Hunt, addressed Mrs. Johnson's U.S. Government class, discussed various crime types and jurisdiction. Students had the chance to acquaint themselves with Officer Hunt and witness a real-life demonstration of the responsibilities and experiences associated with being a police officer. Thank you, Officer Hunt!
Dear Bulldog families,
When you support the Georgia GOAL program you support your child’s classmates, teammates, mentors and friends. The opportunities made possible by the GOAL program are a blessing to the families that benefit from your participation. We recently received a letter from one of our recipient families. They expressed their sincere gratitude for the program and shared the success their child has experienced as a GWA student.
“Our son is a 10th grader in his first year at George Walton. Prior to attending GWA he has always attended public school and enjoyed successes and some really fine teachers. However, the level of learning experiences was being diluted by other sources not aligned with our beliefs. A close family friend had a son joining GWA and encouraged us to look into the possibilities. After carefully researching the school and positive opportunities that were offered to us, we were excited to apply and hope for a chance for our son to attend. It has been an incredible year for him academically, emotionally, athletically, and socially. He has gained a new set of friends through his classmates while also experiencing a rigorous schedule. We often ask our son about his experiences because this was a big move for us, particularly financially, and he has consistently spoken about how much he enjoys his new school life. None of this would be possible without Georgia GOAL! We are so grateful for this blessing and how it has been such a great experience and growth module for our son.”
We hope to give more students the opportunity to join us and share in our collective and growing success as a school. Please consider making a difference by enrolling in GOAL today. Click HERE to APPLY NOW or use the QR code above and have your state tax dollars redirected to GWA. The process is simple – you can complete the forms in 60 seconds!
Thank you in advance for your participation in this program!
Regards,
Jenni Cole, Chief Financial Officer
Johnny Green, Chief Operations Officer
Making a Difference
“GWA has been our extended family since joining the school two years ago. We made a commitment then to support the school, students, and faculty in every way possible. The Annual Loyalty Fund is our preferred way to financially support the growing needs of GWA.”
-Jeff, Patti, and Lydia (’34) White
Join the White family and support the needs of our teachers and students with your gift to the Annual Loyalty Fund. Parent participation is crucial to meeting our goal and making the student educational experience at GWA the best it can be. To give online, please CLICK HERE or use Venmo (@GWAcademy) or Zelle (email: BusinessOffice@gwa.com), Google Pay or Cash App.
Every gift matters, no matter the size. Let's be ALL IN for GWA!
Giving Back
GWA sixth grader Javi Hatcher was a patient at CHOA and they saved his life. He knows how expensive and stressful it can be to pay for meals while in the hospital. Javi plans to pay for patients' and families’ meals on Christmas Eve and you can help by attending his party. There will be a DJ, pizza, drinks, prizes, glow sticks and more. Join us for a fun night for a great cause!
Meet Kacie Tarbutton
We want to welcome Kacie Tarbutton who will be joining GWA in January as our new lower school music teacher. She has been teaching music for 15 years and is coming from Harmony Elementary School in Monroe. "I have loved music my whole life. I love to sing, and I've played the flute since I was in the 3rd grade. I wanted to share that love of music with others," Kacie said when asked about why she chose her career path.
Kacie is excited to join our GWA family and has gotten to know GWA by seeing her friends post pictures of the school on social media. Kacie has lived in Monroe for most of her life. She has been singing at church and in school from a young age. She joined band in the 3rd grade, and continued to play flute throughout college. She was a music education major at Emmanuel College and earned her Masters in Music Education at William Carey University. She has been married to her husband, Mark, for 14 years and they have three girls. Kara is nine and in the 4th grade, Miriam is five and in kindergarten, and Rebekah just turned four. They hope to have them all enrolled at GWA by next year.
Host an Exchange Student
Exciting news! We are gearing up to welcome international exchange students from Saint Denis International School (Loches, France) and CUAM Mexico! We need GWA families to host these students and be a part of these amazing cultural exchange opportunities. Here are some details:
- GWA families are needed to host 10 (8th & 9th grade) basketball players from Saint Denis.
- Dates: Saturday, March 2nd to Tuesday, March 5th (3 nights)
- Basketball game vs. GWA on Monday, March 4
- GWA families are needed to host 10 (8th & 9th grade) students from CUAM Mexico Preparatory School
- Approx. dates: Saturday, April 27, to Sunday, May 5.
If your family is interested in hosting an exchange student, please contact Cecile Gervais at cgervais@gwa.com. These opportunities provide an enriching experience for both the international student and their host family.
Pawsome Pup Rally!
This week's Lower School Pup Rally was action-packed! It started off with our talented majorettes performing to some festive Christmas music. Two of the middle schoolers shared how our “3 Rs” (respectful, responsible, and ready) are important for them as student athletes. We also welcomed middle schooler Javi Hatcher. He will be hosting a fundraiser tomorrow evening for families whose children are at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Based on his own experience, he knows families need meals, and supplies while their children are in the hospital.
Students were excited as always to see which classes earned the trophies that celebrate the positive choices and behaviors of all students in their special area classes. And to wrap up this special Pup Rally, our GWA game day cheerleaders pumped up our school spirit with cheers and chants.
Today's In Focus is proudly sponsored by Atkinson Ferguson, LLC. (https://atkinsonferguson.com).