In Focus @ GWA
A news bulletin for the families of George Walton Academy
March 30, 2017
Email: info@gwa.com
Website: www.gwa.com
Phone: (770) 267-7578
Facebook: facebook.com/GeorgeWaltonAcademy/
Twitter: @georgewalton
Technology Director Jim McCarthy Reports on 1:1 Program Progress
Families,
Almost two years after our initial rollout, I’m happy to say the GWA 1:1 technology program is a significant success. Not only is our program seen as a model for 1:1 technology integration in the classroom, but it’s also the envy of public and private institutions in the surrounding area. Some may claim they were first, but you can be assured the GWA program is in the elite category.
Thanks to critical input from faculty and students, we chose a device that's on the upper end of the pricing scale but is also the perfect tool for the job. The Microsoft 365 Office Suite featuring OneNote was the right choice for replacing paper and three-ring binders, and these programs also help students with personal organization. Perhaps most exciting is how quickly and effortlessly students integrated the technology and tools into their normal routine. It’s now a natural extension of what they do, and by all indications, this system is making a significant contribution to GWA’s educational processes.
The iPad program for lower school (K4 through third grade) isn’t as visible but is every bit as successful. Teachers have integrated these devices into the flow of their daily routine by using them to reinforce reading, writing, and math in a fun and effective way. Aggressive work by teachers in the fourth and fifth grades led to preparing students for the transition to paperless assignments as well as early entry into the 1:1 program for sixth grade this year. Our sixth-grade teachers have done a tremendous job integrating the technology as well as training students on how to care for their devices. We were initially hesitant about the maturity level of sixth graders, but they have proven to be the model group, with fewer damage claims than any other grade level this year. Great job, teachers and students!
In the near future, we will issue new devices for rising sixth and 10th graders. With that turnover, some devices will need to be returned before the summer break, so please be on the lookout for communications from the technology department. Thank you for all of the support, and we look forward to continued growth in providing the tools to prepare our students for college and beyond.
Thanks,
Jim
Sophie Chapar Named Rotary Student of the Month for March
Senior Sophie Chapar has been selected as GWA’s Rotary Student of the Month for March.
Sophie is a member of National Honor Society and Beta Club. She has been involved in numerous service projects and serves as the president of the GWA Aim Club. Sophie has also been recognized as an AP Scholar with Honor. She will attend Georgia Tech in the fall to study industrial engineering.
Sophie selected Mrs. Jessie Croft as the March Teacher of the Month. Congratulations to Sophie and Mrs. Croft!
Your Move: Students Compete in GISA Chess Tournament
GWA juniors Evan Fennell and Andrew Mappes took part in the GISA High School Chess Tournament last Thursday, March 23. Both are members of the high school chess club and also volunteer their time to help with the elementary chess club.
At the tournament these students competed against players from six private schools in six rounds of chess. Both Even and Andrew tied for third place and also earned GWA fourth place in the team points — even though GWA didn’t have enough people at the tournament to make an official school team! Kudos to these talented players on their accolades and efforts.
Winners Named in Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest
Several GWA high school English students were recently named winners in the Georgia Laws of Life Essay Contest. This contest, the largest of its kind in North America, is sponsored by the Rotary Club and asks students to select their own Law of Life, then write about how it applies to their own lives. The contest defines a Law of Life as a "pithy saying or quotation that points to a core personal value or ideal."
GWA's grade-level winners and honorable mentions are as follows:
- Ninth grade: Melissa Gish
- 10th grade and also the school-wide winner: Jenni Anderson
- 11th grade: Michelle Miles
- 12th grade: Kaiya Samuel
- Honorable Mention: Patrick Morris, Spring Rawl, Caroline May, Macy Murray, Drew Tossie, Bailey Peeples, Chris Flessas, Noah White, Lynelle Koffi, Tyler Lazenby and Ashlynn Findley.
Jenni Anderson, the school-wide winner, wrote about a children’s minister who guided her on her Christian walk. This special person in her life recently died. She highlighted his influence on children and explored her personal feelings about his death.
Jenni will receive $100 for her win, and the grade-level winners will receive $50 while the honorable mentions will receive a certificate.
Picture above: (Back row, left to right) Bailey Peeples, Drew Tossie, Kaiya Samuel, Chris Flessas, Patrick Morris and Noah White. (Front row) Jenni Anderson, Caroline May, Macy Murray and Spring Rawl.
Help Us Name the GWA Bulldog!
Find and Post Community Events on GWA's Hootboard
Share Your Spring Break With GWA
Have big plans for this Spring Break? Whether you’re traveling near or far, we’d like to hear about your adventures. Send us your Spring Break photos next week, and they just might end up on the school’s social media feeds!
Please include GWA students in your photos, and send them as full-size attachments to GWA Communications. Let us know where you are and what you’re doing in the body of the email. Have fun and enjoy your break!
GWA Welcomes German Exchange Students: Meet Lea-Marie
GWA is currently hosting four visiting students from Germany. These students are staying with GWA families and will shadow our students throughout the next several weeks. It's time to get to know Lea-Marie!
Lea-Marie Thrun is a ninth grader at Alexej von Jawlensky Schule (pictured above on the right) in Wiesbaden, Germany, where all four of our exchange students attend school. This school serves students in fifth through 10th grade.
“In Germany it is not mandatory to go to school after you graduate in 10th grade,” said Lea-Marie. “If I want to attend university, I will have to enroll in another school that offers 11th and 12th grade, which are required for higher education.” An additional 13th grade is optional. German students wishing to purse a university degree must also study for and pass strenuous college entrance exams after they complete 12th grade; students typically study for these entrance exams for a full year.
Lea-Marie loves the food and the weather in the United States. She’s staying with the Sheehan family during her visit.
A Glimpse of All 50 States at the Lower School State Fair
Step right up! Third graders celebrated their annual state fair on Thursday, March 30. As part of their year-long study of the regions of the United States, students were assigned a state in December.
Throughout the project students thoroughly researched their states and then individually put their state board together in class. These third graders then shared their knowledge of the states in short presentations to fair visitors.
Visitors to the fair included a wide sampling of the school community — parents, students and teachers alike! — and the regional foods and drinks are always a highlight. Another highlight of this event was the annual singing of “Fifty Nifty United States,” where students sang all 50 states in alphabetical order.
Medieval Board Games Invade Sixth-Grade History Classes
Students in Matt Reynolds' sixth-grade history classes don't play around when it comes to their study of the Medieval period. As a culminating project of the unit, these students created board games with Medieval themes and questions. Through a collaboration between Mr. Reynolds and high school technology teacher Philip Peavy, students were also allowed to design and print game pieces using GWA's 3-D printers and CAD programs.
Students squared off with their completed games on Wednesday and Thursday of last week. "The students have really enjoyed learning about and using the school's technology to create their very own board games," said Mr. Reynolds.
Local Experts Make Their Case to GWA Government Classes
As part of their study of due process of law and local government, Karen Barrett’s Honors and AP Government classes have recently had the opportunity to learn from several experts in the field.
Sergeant Zach Barrett of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office visited the classes to explain how the Fourth Amendment applies to probable cause, arrests and searches in his role as investigator. Alan Cook, a professor at the University of Georgia School of Law and a former district attorney, presented information on the reliability of eye-witness testimony in trial. Students were given the opportunity to become “eye witnesses” themselves as part of his visit and understood the difficulty in making identifications.
These students were also given a tour of the Walton County Jail (pictured above) on Wednesday, March 29, to discover what happens when a suspect is detained and awaiting trial. Deputies gave students a demonstration on how Falco, the K-9 dog, is used to aid deputies both in detecting narcotics and tracking. GWA appreciates how our community comes together to make our students stronger!
SAT/ACT Prep Course Signups Now Available
This summer GWA will host several SAT/ACT combined prep courses for interested students. The 35-hour class will be offered twice, June 5-9 and July 17-21, for the convenience of our families. The cost for each student will be $1,000 (not including the course book), due on the first day of instruction.
Classes will be taught by Andrew Moore, lead instructor and owner of Top Score Test Prep in Atlanta. Andrew has worked with many GWA students on SAT/ACT test prep in the past and comes highly recommended.
Space is limited. Contact Chris Stancil to sign up!
Tennis Faces Athens Christian in Final Home Region Match
The varsity tennis team took on Athens Christian on Tuesday, March 28, in their last home region match of the season. The team's three senior players — Grayson Britt, Hinton Rogers and Perry Rogers — were recognized before the match began, and all had great individual matches.
The boys team won 4-1, which qualified them for the region tournament. The girls team lost 1-4, but only after several close matches that could have gone either way. Sophomore Rae Maddox had the only victory of the day for the girls at #2 singles. Eliza Malcolm and Ivy Turner both lost in close third-set tiebreakers. These players all gave a great effort in this very difficult match up!
Varsity players have their last region match tonight at Wesleyan, and the last home match of the season is coming up on April 10 against Social Circle. Come out and support the Bulldogs!
Track Takes on Strong Rock Christian at First Home Meet
The Bulldogs took to track and field last Thursday, March 23, as they squared off against Strong Rock Christian in their first home meet of the season. Both boys and girls teams came out on top in final team scoring! See the full list of event winners.
Golf Gears Up for Sectional Matches
The 2017 GWA golf team is made up of nine boys and three girls, with several players returning from last year.
Jackson Cornelius, Bo Roberts, Charlie Hester, Haynes Waldo, Adam Dombrowski and Dawson Rutledge are a good returning nucleus for the boys this season. New additions to the team are Jason Rockmore, Riley Shubert and Kenny Pugh. The region is stacked with talent this year and the top six slots have been very competitive, but coaches and players are excited to see how the team finishes the season.
This year’s girls team consists of players Lucy Walker, Ingrid Dolvin and Kendall Garrett. Both Ingrid and Kendall are new to this year’s team, while Lucy is returning for her third year. Lucy was an All-State finisher her freshman year and also had an awesome sophomore season. The team is already looking forward to this year’s sectional match.
Free Sports Physicals Through Athens Orthopedic Clinic
Spirit Wear Fridays Begin Tomorrow
Volunteers Needed: Lower School Book Fair
The lower school book fair will take place the week of April 17–21 in the lower school media center. Organizers are looking for volunteers. Come and help our kids develop a love for reading! Access the volunteer signup form to lend a hand.