In Focus

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Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (678) 635-3800

• Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 25 - 29

• Happy Thanksgiving: Nov. 28

• Giving Tuesday: Dec. 3

• Monroe Christmas Parade: Thursday, Dec. 5

• Christmas Tree Presentation: Friday, Dec. 6

• Gingerbread Christmas: Sunday, Dec. 8 (see below)

• GWA Preview Day: Dec. 12

• Christmas Band Concert: Dec. 12 @ 7 p.m.

• Exams (8th-12th): Dec. 17-19 (see below)

• LS Winter Dance Performance: Wednesday, Dec. 18

• Exam Make-Up Day: Friday, Dec. 20

• Early Dismissal (all grades): Friday, Dec. 20

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GWA WEBSITE CALENDAR

We are incredibly thankful for our Bulldog family—our students, staff, parents, grandparents, alumni, and friends—who enrich our GWA community and make it a place for all students to flourish!

We are thrilled to announce that George Walton Academy has earned Gold recognition on the 2024 AP School Honor Roll! Academic Dean Kellie Watts commented, “I am exceedingly proud of our AP students and teachers as we continue to raise the bar with student enrollment and success in AP courses. The level of academic rigor and college preparation that these courses provide is unparalleled. To see our students reach high success at this level reinforces the quality of education that GWA provides.”

GWA Class of 2024 stats:

• Gold College Culture: 65% of students in the graduating class took an AP exam during high school.
• Platinum College Credit: 58% of students in the graduating class scored 3+ on any AP exam in high school.
• Platinum College Optimization: 28% of students in the graduating class took 5 or more AP exams in high school, where at least 1 exam was taken in 9th or 10th grade.

George Walton Academy seventh graders kicked off the holiday season with a trip to the Alliance Theatre to watch “A Christmas Carol.” Students are also reading the classic Charles Dickens Christmas tale in class.

Lower school students celebrated Thanksgiving with their classmates this week as a wonderful reminder of the importance of gratitude and togetherness during this holiday season.

Our second and third graders filled the length of their hallway for a heartwarming Thanksgiving celebration, complete with a traditional feast. During the gathering, students could be heard expressing thanks for many blessings, including family, friends, and the GWA community. K3, K4, and K5 students gathered in the lower school gym and shared a fingerplay, songs, and a feast of goodies during their “Friendsgiving Feast.”

Thank you to all the families who participated and provided for these festivities! We are blessed with a caring and generous school community.

The GWA Interact Club collected donations and filled boxes with necessities, toys, and school supplies for the 2024 Samaritan’s Purse annual Operation Christmas Child project. This effort delivers Christmas gifts and the message of God to children around the world. Thank you to the Rotary Club of Monroe for providing over two hundred boxes and to all who donated items for the project.

GWA Gavel Club members gathered for their monthly meeting to share speeches with fellow toastmasters, sponsors and faculty guests. This student-led club provides a valuable opportunity for students to develop public speaking and writing skills. Whether sharing something about themselves, offering an opinion on a topic, or telling a story – each speaker demonstrated confidence and individuality behind the podium. Congrats to Audrey Doppleheuer on winning best speech!

The Fourth/Fifth Grade Book Club held their first meeting and they discussed "Halfway to Harmony" by Barbara O'Connor! Book Club is open to all fourth and fifth graders and meets once a month in the library on Wednesdays from 3-4 p.m. The next meeting is December 18 and the group will be discussing "Nutcracked" by Susan Adrian. Bring a Christmas treat to share!

Mark your calendars for Giving Tuesday on December 3! This global Day of Giving is the perfect opportunity to support George Walton Academy’s Annual Loyalty Fund and make a lasting impact on our school. Donate on December 3 for a chance to win exciting prizes, gift cards and incentives—from YETI coolers to class parties, and more!

Every gift, big or small, helps enhance our programs and resources, benefiting all GWA students. Let’s come together to make this Giving Tuesday unforgettable!

Our annual Gingerbread Christmas Extravaganza is just around the corner! The event is FREE, open to the community, and it is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season!

Sunday, Dec. 8, from 4 – 6 p.m.

Activities Include:

Free activities for kids

Holiday Festival/Market

Campfires & S'mores

Food

Free photos with Santa

Music

Interested in getting involved? Use the links below to be part of the festivities.

Volunteer Opportunities

Gingerbread House Contest

We are looking forward to our upcoming Preview Day admissions event on Thursday, Dec. 12! If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please email us at admissions@gwa.com. Interested families can register for our events at gwa.com.

Congratulations to the 2023-24 Résumé Yearbook staff for their excellence recognition in the Georgia Scholastic Press Association's 2024 Yearbook competition. The 2024 yearbook, themed Redefining Red, received a Superior ranking in its critique, scoring 692 points out of a possible 695, earning perfect scores in concept & organization, coverage, photography and design.

Last week, our One Act team traveled to the state competition in Vidalia to compete against other GISA schools. Emerson Sheldon and Journey Allen received honorable mentions for acting, while the team as a whole placed 4th. Way to go, Bulldogs!

Our Bulldog basketball teams opened the season on Tuesday night at Prince Avenue. Our varsity girls brought home a 53-18 win and the JV girls won 31-17! All four teams will compete at home against Banks Co. on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Don't miss a chance to cheer on the Dawgs and enjoy Mr. David's honey hot wings from the concession stand!

The Bulldogs had some great swims last weekend at the Veterans Luau meet at Tallulah Falls School with swimmers qualifying for state in more than 20 events and many swimmers achieving best times. The middle school boys team placed 3rd overall. Good luck to our swimmers this Friday!

Top 5 finishers:

Jett Davis

Maci Gray

Liam Silvers

Baylor Thompson