In Focus @ GWA

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Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800
Facebook: facebook.com/GeorgeWaltonAcademy/
Twitter: @georgewalton

• Summer Camps: through Aug. 5
  
• Dawgs 360 Gently Used Sale: Aug. 2
• Fall Sports/Band Picture Days: Aug. 2, 3, 9 (see details below)
• Meet & Greet with Mr. Hobbs: Aug. 15
• Open House: Aug. 16
• Senior Class BBQ: Aug. 17
• First Day of School for All Grades: Aug. 18
• MS Mega Relay: Aug. 18
• Ice Cream Social: Aug. 26
• Curriculum Night: Sept. 21 (see details below)

With our Open House date and times finalized - we are getting ready to welcome everyone for the 2021- 2022 school year! Please note the following regarding the upcoming Open House event:

• Open House is not a drop-in event, please choose one of the two sessions (sign up is not required) and arrive no later than the start time.
• Lower School sessions will start in students' homerooms, class lists will be posted outside the teachers' doors.
• Middle and Upper School students will start in their first period class, schedules will be released prior to Open House.

Please take time to familiarize yourself with the daily schedules for the upcoming school year linked below. The start and release times vary from last year and in middle and upper school - students will be dismissed at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesdays. Please see special schedules for the first week of school pictured below.

Please click the links below to view and print daily full week schedules for middle and upper school for the 2021- 2022 school year. These schedules may also be found in ParentsWeb under Resource Documents.

Middle School Daily Schedule

Upper School Daily Schedule

On Tuesday, September 21 we will be hosting curriculum night on campus for every grade level and division. 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 will be 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!

We are pleased to introduce our newest faculty and staff and ask you to join us in welcoming them to our GWA family!

Denise earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky in Elementary Education and holds a gifted teaching endorsement. She has 18 years of instructional experience, including teaching STEM.

"I was attracted to GWA because of our shared philosophy: that students should feel safe to discover and explore their interests and talents and that critical thinking, problem solving, imagination and creativity should be fostered. I am most excited to be teaching in a school that places an emphasis on Christian values and creating servant leaders. I firmly believe that this is the best environment for personal growth and learning to take place."

Jennifer is excited to be joining the GWA team and says, "I love the family feel of GWA and the dedication that this school has to providing the best education."

Jennifer comes to George Walton Academy from First Baptist Monroe where she served as the lead K3 teacher for eight years. "My family has been part of the GWA community since 2011. I have two children who attend GWA - Tyler is in the tenth grade and Kendall is a seventh grader. I am excited about getting to share my passion for teaching with some of our youngest Bulldogs!"

Amanda earned her bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science from Concordia University and is looking forward to her new role. "I love the community feel at GWA! There is a real sense of warmth, and positive student culture on campus that makes me want to be a part of it."

She believes in creating lasting experiences for students beyond the classroom by cultivating meaningful relationships with students and staff to strengthen the success of GWA. "I would love for the families to know that I am excited about being part of the community. As the assistant coach on the soccer team, and a parent of a GWA student, I already have a feel of the wonderful community. With that said, I have fallen in love with the school, staff, and students! I will continue to be a relationship-driven employee who works hard to create a fun and encouraging environment that fosters learning and participation on and off campus."

Fall sports/band photo days are August 2, 3 and 9. Please contact coaches about the date and time for your team/group. Coaches have the picture order forms and there are more available in the front office and the athletic office. We would appreciate the return of unused blank forms so we can use them throughout the year.

GWA front office administrative assistant Vickie Rollins is ready to “wear another hat” this fall as coach of the GWA clay target team. With 15 years of clay shooting experience, Mrs. Rollins is well-qualified to lead the team in its second year of competition. Students in grades 7-12 are invited to join, some experience in shooting is recommended. Team practice will begin Sept. 8 and GHSA league shoots start Sept. 22 - all will take place at the Clybel Shooting Range at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield. Please email vrollins@gwa.com by August 6 if you are interested in joining the team.

Our varsity volleyball team is enjoying a successful pre-season run with a recent 2-0 victory over Dawson and Gilmer counties as well as wins over Tallulah Falls and Hebron Christian. They look forward to their season opener on August 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Jefferson High School. Good luck, Lady Dawgs!

Get ready for back to school and beat the Open House rush by shopping the Dawg Shop and the Dawgs 360 gently used uniform sale for school apparel on Monday, Aug. 2, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the cafeteria. Be sure to sign up for a Dawgs 360 membership and save 10% on all regular-priced apparel in the Dawg Shop throughout the school year.

If you are interested in becoming a GWA substitute teacher this year, please contact Tina Jordan at tjordan@gwa.com and plan to attend a mandatory sub meeting on Wednesday, August 25 at 9 a.m.

Next week is the last week for GWA Summer Camps! The offerings include:

• Basketball Camp w/ Coach Grace and Coach P (boys & girls)
• Cooking with Gervais
• Miss May's Stay and Play
• Summer Craft Camp
• Tennis Session 2

Registration for these camps closes at midnight on Friday - click HERE to sign up.

Join Dawgs 360 this year and reap all of the benefits! Dawgs 360 is simply the best way to get involved at GWA! It is the clearinghouse for all volunteer opportunities on campus. It’s a 360 degree turn, a full circle of influence that promotes and celebrates Bulldog school pride.

We encourage parents to become involved in our GWA community. Attending events and volunteering are great ways to meet other parents, interact with students and collaborate with GWA faculty. There’s no limit to what we can accomplish when we work together.

Enjoy the perks and convenience of being a Dawgs 360 member including:

*Admission to all concerts, plays, and performances

*Admission to all home athletic competitions, except playoffs

*Field trips, for both the student and the member chaperone (overnight field trips require additional fee)

*Class parties

*10% discount on all regular-priced apparel at the Dawg Shop

An annual family membership is $250 and the deadline to join is Sept. 30. Click HERE for the membership form. Email Elizabeth McDonel, Director of Dawgs 360, at if you have any questions.

Dawgs 360 is thrilled to announce the return of a Bulldog favorite tradition - the Ice Cream Social! We look forward to welcoming our new GWA families and reconnecting with old friends. If you are interested in providing and serving ice cream - please contact Elizabeth McDonel at emcdonel@gwa.com or complete the sign up form and return it to school.

Our summer front office hours are Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.