In Focus

Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and X

or visit us online.

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

• Veterans Day T-shirt Purchase Deadline: see below

• 2nd/3rd Grade Musical: Friday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.

• Tailgate: Friday, Oct. 25

• Fall Sports/Band Senior Night: Friday, Oct. 25
• PSAT Testing: Wednesday, Oct. 30
• Senior Stone Mountain Trip: Wednesday, Oct. 30

• Halloween Festivities: Thursday, Oct. 31 (details below)

• Hill Preview Day: Wednesday, Nov. 6

• Senior/First Grade Breakfast: Wednesday, Nov. 6

• Veterans Day Program: Monday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m.

• Winter Sports Photo Day: Tuesday, Nov. 12

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GWA WEBSITE CALENDAR

Come out to celebrate our senior athletes and band members as the Bulldogs battle the BCA Knights in Friday night's Region Championship game! Senior recognition begins around 6:45 p.m., followed by the crowning of Miss Bulldog.

We are pleased to share with our families that GWA, after a review of multiple options, has made the decision to adopt an alert badge security system for its faculty and staff. Produced by the firm Centegix, which provides the badges for Apalachee High School as well as other schools across the state, these badges will provide employees with a direct line of communication that immediately notifies school administrators and local law enforcement in the case of an emergency. The badge system possesses the ability to immediately trigger locking all points of entry across campus.

We will begin installation next month, and training of staff will take place during this fall and winter. We estimate the system will be operational on campus by early next spring.

To learn more about the Centegix approach to school safety, please click here to review the company brochure.

We will continue to keep you apprised of this and other safety initiatives.

Sincerely,

John D. Marshall

Head of School

Emerson Sheldon has been chosen as Rotary Student of the Month for September. She has selected Cécile Gervais as Teacher of the Month. Emerson has earned the GWA Best of the Best Award and has made the Head of School list throughout high school. She received the AP Scholar Award with Distinction, the College Board Rural and Small Towns Recognition Award, and the Georgia Certificate of Merit. Emerson participated in the prestigious Governor’s Honors Program and studied environmental science. She also completed independent research in water desalination and recently created her first water purification prototype.

Emerson is a member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Student Council (executive secretary), Interact Club, French Club (president) and the varsity soccer team. She serves the community through the Girls Scouts organization, both locally and globally.

Congratulations to Emerson and Mrs. Gervais!

Aidan Chatham has been chosen as Rotary Student of the Month for October. He has selected William Dunn as Teacher of the Month. Aidan has earned the GWA Best of the Best Award, has made the Head of School list and received the Georgia Certificate of Merit.

Aidan is a member of National Honor Society, Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta, Student Council (senior vice president) and Spanish Club. He serves as a GWA student ambassador and a peer tutor. Aidan is a member of the varsity football team (team captain, All-County and All-Region). He serves others through the First Baptist Monroe youth group and as a JH Outback volunteer.

Congratulations to Aidan and Mr. Dunn!

Each Latin 1 and II student created a personalized lararium - an altar to the household gods that resided in the main room of every Roman home. A proper lararium contained three statuettes: one depicting the pater familias, or head of the family, dressed in a toga, and two dancing Lares - one holding a cornucopia and the other a ceremonial rhyton (drinking cup). Lares were guardian deities believed to observe, protect, and influence all that happened within the boundaries of their home. The statues of the Lares were placed at the table during family meals; their presence and blessing was required at all important family events. Every student also included a serpent somewhere on their lararium, as snakes were considered to be bringers of abundance. Our GWA Latin students brought in pictures of their parents to create the toga-clad heads of household and dressed themselves up as Lares to have their pictures made to fill their tiny altars.

Lower school students in Mrs. Harrison's STEM/AG classes are continuing their Georgia Grown unit and are learning about another crop we grow in Georgia - pumpkins.

Pumpkins are considered a specialty crop in Georgia. Pumpkin growing season is from the end of May when seeds are planted through harvest in early fall. Students have enjoyed seeing different pumpkin varieties including Jack O' Lantern pumpkins, Ghost Pumpkins, Sugar Pumpkins and the Red Warty Thing Pumpkin. Students have learned that pumpkins are actually fruits and that they belong to the same family as squash. Pumpkins are 90% water and can have over 500 seeds inside.

Pumpkins aren't just for decoration, they're good to eat too! Pumpkins have many nutritional benefits as well including being rich in beta-carotene to help our bodies resist disease, helping regulate blood pressure, and giving us lots of fiber!

Students finished their lessons with the "Pumpkin Pie in a Bag" lab. They enjoyed helping make the sweet treat and, of course, eating it too!

Our Veterans Day t-shirt is available for purchase at gwa.com or click the link above. While students will wear professional dress (middle & high school) and regular dress code attire (lower school) on Monday, Nov. 11 - the day of our Veterans Day program, they may wear this shirt for GWA spirit wear days. Please contact Christie Johnson in the Dawg Shop at cjohnson@gwa.com with any questions.

The GWA Interact Club is kicking off their 2024 Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child project and will be placing marked donation boxes on campus (in grade-level hallways). Please send in your donations by Friday, Nov. 15 and help the Interact Club make a difference for children in need.

They are asking the following grade levels to participate by contributing the following items.

• Toys: The Hill, 4th, 8th

• School supplies: 1st, 5th, 9th

• Accessories: 2nd, 6th, 10th

• Toiletries: 3rd, 7th, 11th, 12th

Link to Gift Suggestions

https://samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/what-goes-in-my-shoebox-suggestions/

Operation Christmas Child Amazon Storefront link:

https://www.amazon.com/shop/operationchristmaschild

Ms. Sims and Mr. Jameson's art classes have been working hard for the last few weeks to complete the entry for Stripling's Annual Hay Bale Competition. The theme this year is Toy Story, and GWA Art chose to depict the character Zurg.

Voting is open now through Halloween. Each vote is $1 and all proceeds go to support Extra Special People (https://espyouandme.org/). Vote in person at Striplings Bogart, via Venmo @striplingsbogart or drop a dollar in the bucket at the front office at GWA.

Mark your calendars for Nov. 9 and join us at Southern Ox Axe Throwing for The Champions Club's inaugural Cornhole Tournament! This fun-filled event is open to everyone ages 12 and up, offering a fantastic opportunity for friendly competition, community connection, and support of George Walton Academy athletics.

• Team Registration: $50 per team
• Ages: 12 and up
• CLICK HERE to sign up

All proceeds will go toward supporting our student-athletes by funding essential resources and enhancing our athletic programs. Don’t miss out on being part of this exciting new tradition! Sign up today, grab your bags, and get ready to toss for a cause!

GWA celebrated Red Ribbon Week with visitors from the DEA who showed our students the equipment and vehicles they use and did a K-9 demonstration. Students were able to get into the Bear Cat and learned about how the DEA operate. We discussed with older kids how determination (our character trait for the month) starts with making healthy choices and focusing on your goals instead of drug use. We are so thankful for the care and attention these officers gave to our students.

I recently spent four days in Mexico City, exploring exchange possibilities with CEAM (Centro Educativo Anglo Mexicano) for GWA, and what an experience it was! Located in the southern part of the city, CEAM is a beautiful, gated campus with plenty of green spaces and well-equipped classrooms.

I was pleasantly surprised by the students’ high level of English proficiency. With six hours of English classes each week, beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school, their commitment to language learning truly shows. During my visit, I had the opportunity to engage with students and teachers across three schools: elementary, middle, and high school.

Exploring Mexico City was just as rewarding. I felt very safe while discovering the city’s vibrant culture and was greeted with warm hospitality everywhere I went. The entire experience has been truly eye-opening, and I would certainly consider CEAM as a future option for my son as a exchange student.

I am thankful for CEAM, for the warm welcome and for sharing the wonderful educational environment Mexico has to offer!

Cécile Gervais

Director of Global Studies

French Teacher

On Tuesday, Oct. 29 our one act competition class will be traveling to Winterville, GA to compete in the One Act Play Competition. Drama teacher Bekah Wesley and the cast and crew have worked hard on the show and are thankful to all who came to one of the recent performances!

Cast:

Aubrey Hicks

Emerson Sheldon

Hailey Wudtke

Kayden Owens

Chloe Wall

Michael Dimmlich

Journey Allen

Peyton Wilson

Jon Brooks

Madi Hill

Harper O'Lenick

Last weekend at the Georgia Art Education Association 2024 conference, GWA lower school art teacher Mrs. Rebecca Good received the Youth Art Month Teacher of the Year award. Youth Art Month is celebrated in March of every year, in an effort to bring visibility and awareness to the importance of art education in schools. Mrs. Good was recognized for her contributions to Youth Art Month including student participation in the Capitol Art Exhibition, and consistently working with students to develop skills through visual arts experiences including problem-solving, creativity, observation, and communication.