In Focus

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

• Annual Loyalty Fund Kickoff: Sept. 28
• ALF Day of Giving: Oct. 6
• Fall Break: Oct. 8 - 12
• PSAT Testing (8th-11th): Oct. 16
• Senior Sr. Stone Mt. Trip: Oct. 16
• Meet & Mingle (prospective families): Oct. 16 @ 6 p.m.
• MS Dawg Talks: Oct. 23 (see below)

CLICK HERE for 26-27 Important Dates

Our Annual Loyalty Fund campaign has officially kicked off! Help us Unleash Excellence in all aspects of GWA for our students! Invest in the people and experiences that help make GWA so special! No gift is too small. Go Dawgs!

To make your gift - please click here.

Our seventh-grade Life Science students are discovering that an ecosystem can exist in a very small space! During our Ecosystem in a Bottle Lab, students planted rye grass seeds inside recycled two-liter bottles to create their own miniature, enclosed ecosystems. Students will observe how living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components interact as the grass seeds germinate and continue to grow. Students learned the difference between observation and inference and are using their observation skills (what they see, what they can measure, and what they directly notice) to write down scientific observations while monitoring changes in moisture, temperature, plant growth, and other environmental conditions.

This hands-on investigation gives students the opportunity to see ecosystem interactions, cycles, and the relationships between living and nonliving components happening right before their eyes!

Our second graders became scientists as they investigated how matter changes through hands-on exploration! Students observed physical changes as they sanded, folded, melted, and dissolved different materials. They also explored chemical changes by creating reactions that produced gases, mixing baking soda and vinegar, and observing changes that occurred..

Throughout the labs, students made predictions, recorded observations, and looked for evidence to determine whether each change was physical or chemical. It was a fun, hands-on way to bring our learning about matter to life!

Using inspiration from the story "The Three Little Pigs," first-grade STEM classes are building houses out of straws (coffee straws), wood (craft sticks) and bricks (LEGO). Students will build their houses in one class period and test to see if they can withstand the wolf's huff and puffs in the next class period. To tie-in literacy and prepare for our activity, the class read the classic story and designed their dream home to protect the pigs.

Mrs. Wilson’s K3 and K4 STEM students explored what it means to be an archaeologist, learning about dinosaur digs and discovering just how deep some fossils can be buried. They also explored the tools archaeologists use and were surprised to see that many of them are similar to tools they have at home!

Then it was time for a dig of their own! Students were challenged to remove the foil from a chocolate kiss using only two toothpicks - no hands allowed! Once their excavation was complete, they got the best reward of all: eating their discovery!

Our young archaeologists had a great time digging, problem-solving, and putting their STEM skills to work - and they were ready to do it all over again!

Fourth- and fifth-grade students are invited to join The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, a fun opportunity to read, learn, and compete as a team! Participants will read 10 selected books at home and meet one afternoon each week from 2:30–3 p.m. to prepare for a variety of questions about the books.

Join the fun, challenge yourself, and be part of the competition! Parents, please confirm your child’s commitment by emailing Mrs. Steele at csteele@gwa.com by October 16.

Welcome to another episode (our first with video!) of One Bulldog Drive! In this episode, senior Morgan Inman joins the show to look back at an unforgettable Homecoming week and preview our upcoming Annual Loyalty Fund Day of Giving.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Student Reflections: Senior Morgan Inman reflects on his high school journey at George Walton Academy, sharing what it means to transition into a campus leader and role model for his first graders. He discusses the impact of the GWA basketball program, the value of getting involved in school clubs, and his performance as Lee Corso in the "College Game Day" homecoming skit.

• Loyalty Fund Day of Giving Preview: Learn all about next Tuesday's Annual Loyalty Fund Day of Giving initiative:

• The Challenge: Our target is centered on participation over dollars - we are aiming for 150 gifts of any size.

• The Community Reward: If we hit our 150-gift goal, the entire school earns an early half-day release on Friday, November 20, right before Thanksgiving break (11 a.m. for Lower School; 11:30 a.m. for Middle & Upper School).

• The Purpose: Your participation directly bridges the gap between tuition revenue and operational costs to support enhanced experiences for every student.

Don't miss this celebration of GWA spirit, traditions, and community impact!

We are excited to invite all middle school parents to our upcoming Middle School Dawg Talks! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our administration team, ask questions, share your thoughts, and provide valuable feedback.

Event: MS Dawg Talks

Date: Friday, Oct. 23

Time: 8 - 8:45 a.m.

Location: The Learning Center

Please use the form linked below to RSVP and submit any questions you would like us to address during our time together.

DAWG TALKS RSVP

Please note - we will have a Dawg Talks session for all divisions:

Upper School Dawg Talks: Friday, Oct. 30, 8-8:45 a.m. in The Learning Center

Lower School Dawg Talks: Friday, Nov. 6, 8-8:45 a.m. in The Learning Center.

We look forward to connecting with you and hearing your input!

GWA families, help us spread the word! If you have friends, neighbors, or other families who may be interested in learning more about George Walton Academy, invite them to join us for Meet & Mingle on Friday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m.

This casual, on-campus gathering is a great opportunity for prospective parents to meet and chat with GWA administrators, faculty, and staff, get to know our community, and tour our campus. No formal presentations - just a chance to experience what makes GWA more than a school.

After Meet & Mingle, families are invited to stay for Friday Night Lights and cheer on the Bulldogs as they take on Bethlehem Christian at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are complimentary for our guests!

Prospective families should RSVP at gwa.com on the Visit GWA page (under Admissions).

Know someone who should be part of the GWA family? Share this invitation and encourage them to join us!

Check out the newest arrivals in the Dawg Shop - including youth pullover rain jackets, hoodies and new spirit wear designs! Shop Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

This October, we’re adding a little pink spirit wear to our Bulldog pride in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Come see the new adult mock necks, youth crew necks and pink bows available in the Dawg Shop! Wear the pink. Spread the love. Go Dawgs!

Our sixth-grade drama class is hard at work on Winnie the Pooh. Since the beginning of the semester these students have learned theatre terminology, how to move and speak on stage, and have even made character ears to serve as their costumes for their upcoming in-class performance of Winnie the Pooh. Next week they will be putting all they have learned about acting and theatre tech in one final graded performance. If you walk the fine arts hall during their lesson, you are sure to hear lots of fun being had!

Artists in first grade are moving on to the Middle Ages in our journey through art history! They are exploring the Medieval times and creating their own clay coat of arms! Using various texture tools and both slab and coil clay methods, artist added textures, cut out their shield shape, rolled a coil to construct their first initial and put it all together. Next, artists will add color to create emphasis and contrast on their clay pieces!

Dr. Joel Hazard, Head of Academic Collaboration and Culture at Fellowship Christian School in Roswell. With over two decades of experience in Christian education, Dr. Hazard has dedicated his career to encouraging academic excellence, strong character, and spiritual growth in young people.

He will be speaking directly to our students on the theme of Why Our Actions Matter Now and for Our Future and what it means to be an authentic leader. We are looking forward to the inspiring message he will bring to equip and challenge our students as they grow into thoughtful, purpose-driven leaders!

Good luck to our competition cheer teams as they head to Tattnall Square in Macon for their first competition of the season! The middle school team competes at 10:28 a.m. - followed by varsity at 11:49 a.m.

The varsity volleyball team travels to Brookstone School in Columbus this weekend to participate in the first round of the GIAA State Tournament. They take on Savannah Country Day School on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. If victorious, they will play the winner of Brookstone vs Lakeview at 4 p.m. the same day.

We wish the team the best of luck as they compete for the state title! Go Dawgs!

Our varsity softball team will face Piedmont Academy next Tuesday in their final home game of the season. Come out to cheer on the Lady Dawgs and the three-time Region Champion seniors as they play their final game on the home field!

Huge congratulations to our varsity shotgun team on an outstanding performance at Big Red Oak (GIAA competition) on Saturday! Shoutout to Emily Cowan, who took home the Ladies' High Overall title and placed 5th overall among all competitors. Carter Hicks, Walker Peden, and Bennett Baker also finished strong for the Bulldogs.

Saturday was also a great success as three Bulldogs from the GWA shotgun team visited Edgefield, SC to compete in the Scholastic Collegiate Meet at the Palmetto Shooting Complex!

Damian Villanueva led the charge with overall HOA, runner-up in skeet, and third in trap. Trevor Edwards kept the momentum going, earning a sharp second-place finish in sporting clays on a tough course. Wrapping up the charge, David Villanueva delivered a steady, all-around performance with 4th-place finishes in skeet, trap, sporting, and 4th overall HOA.

Our Bulldogs made GWA proud with their outstanding performance and exceptional representation.

Be sure to check out the upcoming games for middle school, JV and varsity sports by accessing the Bulldog Athletics calendar on gwa.com for the most up to date event information. Our fall athletes would greatly appreciate your support as they compete at home and on the road.