In Focus @ GWA

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

• 6th Grade Retreat: Aug. 26
• 9th Grade Retreat: Aug. 29
• 7th Grade Parent Meeting for DC Trip: Aug. 30 @ 6 p.m. (auditorium)
• Dawgs 360 Pregame Tailgate: Friday, Sept. 2 (see below)
• School Holiday: Monday, Sept. 5
• LS Class Group Photos: Sept. 7
• Yearbook Picture Make-up Day: Oct. 17

On Tuesday, September 20 we will be hosting curriculum night on campus for every grade level and division. Lower School will start at 5 p.m. and will last for approximately 45 minutes. Middle and Upper School will start at 6 p.m., and students will follow their child's schedule to spend 10 minutes in each class. This will be an opportunity for parents to come and hear more from teachers about the curriculum for their child’s grade level or classes, and see how they can be involved in their student’s education throughout the school year. By this point in the year, the students will be in the swing of their classes, and this is a good opportunity for parents to see and understand what we do in the classroom and to hear more from the teachers about the academic expectations laid out for each student. We hope to see everyone there!

The history department will hold an informational meeting for any 10th - 12th grade students (and their parents) who are interested in traveling to Virginia with our history department during Winter Term in January. The meeting will take place on Monday, August 29th at 5:30 pm in the Commons, and will cover the itinerary and purpose of the trip as well as cost and other pertinent information. Even if your student is not sure if they want to go, this meeting will provide great information as they make that decision.

Fourth-grade math students have been focusing on rounding this week in Mrs. Grigg’s class. They are learning to visualize numbers and understand their relative values. Students decide which two benchmark numbers the target number is in between, find the halfway point, and then place their number. With continued practice students begin to do this mentally and quite rapidly. This process takes longer in the short term but provides them with a deeper understanding of numbers long term.

Lower school students in Mr. Gasaway’s technology class are learning to think computationally and practice their math skills too. They are beginning to take steps into programming by practicing the skills of understanding the problem and creating a solution. Students had to move their "sprite" across the number line by rolling the dice and moving their sprite. Each roll uses math skills and then requires the student to break down the problem into steps to win the game. Students loved learning these new skills in such an imaginative way!

Our Beyond the Bell classes offer afterschool activities for students interested in art, drama, Taekwondo, and dance. These classes are taught by talented instructors with the convenience of on campus learning just after the school day ends. Spots are available in all classes, please click HERE for details and sign up information.

Pink Out is scheduled for Friday, September 2. The Dawg Shop will have a limited number of youth and adult shirts and pink hair bows available for purchase starting Tuesday, August 30.

Get ready to saddle up, Bulldogs, for a rootin'-tootin' good time! Homecoming is scheduled for Friday, October 7. An online shop has been set up to take pre-orders for homecoming t-shirts (available in all sizes) beginning today. The deadline to purchase a t-shirt is September 9. All orders will be ready for pickup in the shop starting September 26. Click HERE for the link or visit the Dawg Shop page on our website.

Ladies Under Armour performance polos and hair accessories are back in stock! Stop by the shop during business hours: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Our Upper School Advisory groups worked together to complete six challenges that focused on school spirit, team building, and building relationships with their upper school support people. Top teams in each grade earned prizes and bragging rights!

We are excited to be hosting our New Student Lunch events on August 30 and September 1. This is a time for our newest bulldogs to mingle, get to know their support people on campus, and hopefully make some new friends. Being a new student can sometimes be hard so we want to try and make it a little easier with food, games, and conversation. It's a great time to check in and let us know how they are doing with their classes and making new friends on campus. Remind your student to stop by!

We are having a pink out tailgate September 2 with music, food, and entertainment in the pavilion from 6 to 7 p.m. We need parents to help host, prep and clean up. Email emcdonel@gwa.com to get involved!

GWA middle school and varsity cross country teams are off to a great start this season! The varsity girls earned second place last weekend at LCA and finished in the top spot on Wednesday at Morgan County. Other highlights from yesterday's meet include:

• 5th Grader Gage Wasileski finished 7th overall in the MS boys race
• All MS girls placed in the top 25
• Senior Jonathan Whyte finished 6th overall in the Varsity Boys race
• Five varsity girls runners placing in the top 10 with SK Bailey at first and Moneli Shekarbakht finishing second.

Congrats to our GWA runners!

Our varsity Bulldogs travel to Tennessee tomorrow to face the Warriors at Christian Academy of Knoxville. Click HERE for parking and ticket information. Go Bulldogs!

Today's In Focus is proudly sponsored by PureTalkUSA (www.puretalkusa.com). Interested in advertising through our Corporate Partnership program? Contact Mike Elmankabady melmankabady@gwa.com or call 678-635-3812.