In Focus

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

• Summer Camps: Register at https://bit.ly/GWACamps

• Volleyball Parent/Player Meeting: TONIGHT (see below)

• Spring Break: April 7 - 11

• Taco Cook-Off: April 15 (see below)

• IOWA Testing (1st-5th): April 14 - 16

• CoGAT Testing (2nd - 4th): April 17

• LS Spring Photos: April 17

• No School: April 18, Good Friday

• FREE Physicals: starting April 19 (see below)

• No School: April 21, Easter Monday

• IOWA Testing (6th/7th): April 22 - 25

• LS Group Photos: April 24

• Field Day: April 25

• Champion's Dinner: April 26 (see below)

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE GWA WEBSITE CALENDAR

We’re excited to announce the launching of our new campus safety platform, Centegix. This will allow us to act and respond quickly to all types of emergencies. Immediately after Spring Break, all staff will be issued a wearable badge that notifies first responders of the type of emergency and where it’s located. As we continue to focus on our campus safety initiatives, we wanted to notify families of this implementation and how it will improve our ability to provide a more secure environment for all students, staff, and faculty. Centegix gives us the confidence to communicate and respond to any emergencies across our campus very effectively.

The new platform also has a campus visitor management component. All campus visitors will be required to present a form of identification when stopping at the guard shack before receiving a visitor sticker to enter the campus. Thank you for your understanding and patience during this change in our process for visitor access.

"What factors affect the germination of pinto beans?" was a guiding question recently given to the ninth-grade students in Ms. Benfield's Honors Biology class. Working from their background knowledge about bean anatomy and the process of germination, students customized their research question by designing a procedure that could be investigated in the classroom before Spring Break. Students altered physical conditions ranging from hot or cold temperatures, varying the colors or light shining onto the beans, or adding water with a range of pH values. Then, they observed the process of germination, or sprouting, recording measurements of their beans each day. The project will culminate in a scientific research paper that graphs the findings and speculates on reasons the beans successfully transitioned from seed to plant.

Each year all the high school students select a memorable aphorism and write a 500-700 word essay connecting it to a specific life event. This year, 140 essays across 65 school partners are spotlighted as school-level winners. Every one of the 30,394 essays written statewide reflected on personal values, shared powerful stories, and inspired us all! It's our honor to say every student who writes an essay is a winner!

GWA is thrilled to announce the school-wide winner, the grade-level winners and the honorable mentions of the Georgia Rotary Clubs Laws of Life Essay Contest!

Winners:

• 12th grade and school-wide winner: Ashton Grossman.
• 11th grade winner: Anthony Pham
• 10th grade winner: Isabel Choe
• 9th grade winner: Ella Kitic

Honorable Mentions:

• Adam Denhardt, Leila Mathis, and Moneli Shekarbakht.
• Journey Allen, Lilah Johnson, Lucie Pulliam, and Maddie Garrett
• AJ Dillard, Jon Brooks, Kingston Guertin, and Morgan Inman
• Juliana Fulton, Mac Ferguson, and Olivia Page

Last week, our eighth graders got a crash course in adulthood through an eye-opening financial literacy experience. From purchasing insurance and budgeting for children to choosing between name-brand and generic groceries, students navigated the complexities of managing expenses.

Throughout the day, they were spotted returning pricey Teslas in favor of more budget-friendly cars, debating whether insurance was really necessary, and anxiously hoping for a lucky break in "The Game of Life"—where they could either win the lottery or face an unexpected speeding ticket.

This hands-on simulation provided a fun yet invaluable opportunity for students to practice real-world decision-making in a safe and engaging environment. Who knows? Maybe next time, they’ll think twice before splurging on that dream car!

Check out some of the comments we overheard during the event:

Cash- "Can I put my kid up for adoption?"

Colton- "I'm basically rich... I have no kids."

Nate- "I'm homeless!"

Jett- "All I did was buy a car!" (went in debt)

James- "When do I get paid?"

Asher- "My child doesn't have to eat. They can fast."

Fourth graders wrapped up their unit on fractions with the annual baking project. Students were challenged to bake enough cookies for each of their classmates to receive six cookies. They were given an original recipe and needed to adjust the measurements by doubling or tripling. Students combined their knowledge of multiplying mixed numbers and fractions to complete the challenge.

As a class, they followed the recipe, measuring, mixing, and baking in the classroom and school cafeteria. Mrs. Griggs hopes that applying fourth-grade math skills to real world situations will keep students interested and engaged with math after they leave her classroom.

Join us for an evening of fun, fellowship, fundraising and fabulous desserts! The Champion’s Dinner is an opportunity to support our GWA athletes by purchasing event sponsorships, individual tickets and participating in the silent auction and dessert auction. The festivities begin at 5 p.m. in the Lower Gym. Click the link below to be a part of this worthwhile event! Go Bulldogs!

https://gofan.co/event/3510195?schoolId=GA5020

The Taco Cook-Off is April 15 from 5-7 p.m., and it will be an evening you won’t want to miss! The best part? It’ll be happening alongside the lacrosse game, so you can enjoy delicious tacos and support our team all in one fun night!

There’s still time to sign up to bring your favorite taco or any dish to share. This event is open to the whole community, so feel free to bring a friend or family member! It’s an excellent opportunity to come together and celebrate a fantastic year as we head toward the finish line. CLICK HERE to participate.

Don’t miss out—let’s make it a night of great food, great fun, and great company!

Please let your family, friends and neighbors know about our upcoming prospective parent mixer events! We can't wait to meet new families and introduce them to GWA! They can attend any mixer event, regardless of where they live. Interested parents can register HERE or contact Lamonique Pierre at lpierre@gwa.com.

The GWA Theatre Company recently presented their production of Agatha Christie’s iconic Murder on the Orient Express (adapted by Ken Ludwig). Drama teacher and director Bekah Wesley described the production as “one of the most challenging plays of my career to direct.”

From recreating a train on a small stage to intricate special effects, lighting techniques, and period-accurate costumes, the production demanded meticulous attention to detail. The actors were pushed to new heights, mastering five different accents while emotionally immersing themselves in roles that required them to deal with some heavy subject matter.

Despite the challenges faced during rehearsals, the cast and crew came together to deliver an outstanding performance. Congratulations to Bekah Wesley, technical director Josh Jameson, and the talented cast and crew—including seniors Hailey Wudtke (stage manager, student director, hair/makeup, and costume designer), Aubrey Hicks (Mary Debenham), and Emerson Sheldon (supporting actor)—for their hard work and dedication.

The Young Person’s Concert is one of the most energetic performances of the year! The entire lower school and the parents of 5th and 6th band members, gather in the Nicholson Center for a concert highlighting our young musicians in the band program. The 5th Grade Bullpup Band showcased their basic understanding of how to play their instruments while the 6th Grade Jr. Bulldog Band showed us how much learning can happen in just one year! The difference between the two groups is a testament to how hard work and excellence, something the GWA Band Program prides itself on, can lead to spectacular sounds! We hope this is just the beginning of these young musicians' journeys.

Our varsity soccer teams earn back-to-back wins over LCA on the home field this week! Congrats, coaches and players! Ashton Grossman and Eli Rainford scored for the boys' win and Rosemary Ferguson, Laney Brewer, Landry Atkinson, and Annalise Digby each contributed a point for the girls' 4-0 victory. Both teams head to Lakeview Academy this evening. Go Bulldogs!

Fall 2025 football sign-ups are now open! The sign up links and information are provided below and on our website (https://www.gwa.com/athletics/youth-sports.cfm)

GWA offers flag football for students in K5 - 2nd. Practices and games will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6-7:30 p.m. The players will practice for 45 minutes, with the varsity players serving as coaches. They will then play a 45-minute game. If you would like to sign up your son for flag football, please fill out this form: Flag Football Registration.

10U Tackle is open to all GWA student, ages eight to 10. Youth teams will compete in the NGYFA, which plays on Saturdays. If you want your son to participate, please fill out this form: 10U Football Registration.

5th & 6th Tackle - If your son is interested in playing, please fill out this registration form: 5th & 6th Grade Football Registration

We are looking forward to a great season of youth football!

April 19 and 26 (HS ONLY, by appt. only) at Piedmont Physicians Primary Care

April 21 (Rising 6th-12th only) at AOC Breedlove office, 3 p.m,. first come, first serve basis.