NEWS AND INFORMATION

• GW JOINS FUNDRAISING WALK FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS RESEARCH
  More than 20 GW students joined thousands of others on a 5K walk on May 7 to raise money for a cure for cystic fibrosis. The Great Strides walk started at 7 p.m. in downtown Washington, DC . Students, teachers, and parents took the Metro together after school, did the walk, and stayed for a rooftop reception at the offices of a Great Strides sponsor. It was a happy event, and best of all, GW raised $1,505 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's research efforts.  (5/8/08)

• JUNIORS AND SENIORS GET R.E.A.L. WITH 4 TH QUARTER INTERNSHIPS Through GW Community School's innovative internship program, GW students are working at the Fairfax Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and the U.S. EPA. They're at the National Space Society, and in the emergency room at Fairfax Inova Hospital . They're doing event setup and food prep for a caterer, helping at the library, and turning dials at a recording studio, in addition to assisting at schools, non-profit agencies, and other businesses.

  Juniors and seniors join the workforce each Friday during the fourth quarter. For some students, the REAL term - Realtistic Education and Authentic Learning - lets them rub shoulders with experts in areas of interest; for others, it's an excellent opportunity to get work experience. “The kids are exited to see what real work is like,” says parent Theresa Ramsay-Clark, who was instrumental in securing placements for this year's students. Forty students are participating. (4/17/08)

• GWCS ROBOT TEAM TAKES FIRST PLACE IN THE ECPI ROBOTICS TOURNAMENT in Virginia Beach on Saturday, April 12th.  The Coyotes Team, with drivers Joseph Esposito and Brendan Towle, competing in their fifth tournament this school year, placed 4th out of 11 teams in the qualifying rounds.  The Killer Penguins team, with drivers Joe Ramsay-Clark and William McCarty, competing in only their second tournament, placed 5 th after qualifying, right behind the Coyotes.  The Killer Penguins were invited to join the 3 rd place team for the playoffs, and the Coyotes invited a team from Norfolk Technical Center to join them in the 4 th alliance for the playoffs.  The 3rd alliance, including the Killer Penguins, lost a close semi-final match to the 1st alliance.  The 4th alliance, lead by the Coyotes, beat the 2nd alliance in a close semi-final match, and then beat the 1 st alliance in a close final match for the championship.  In addition to a nice trophy for the school, Joseph Esposito and Brendan Towle each received a $100 Best Buy gift card, as well as a $1000 scholarship if they attend ECPI College of Technology.  Congratulations to both teams, including Coyotes teammates Dan Woolston and Ben Schaps, and Killer Penguins teammates Josh Butler, Aidan Doyle and Adam Lowenthal, who helped design, build and program the robots but were unable to attend this event.  Go Coyotes! (4/14/08)
  
  
• ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS CLASS VISITS THE NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY IN GREEN BANK, WV.  http://www.nrao.edu  
  Home of the largest fully steerable radio telescope in the world.  Students toured the observatory, helped detect radio frequency interference in the visitor's center, and observed radio emission from our Milky Way Galaxy, recording the data for use in class on their return to GWCS.   (4/10/08)
  
  
  
  
• ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE CLASS IS ELEMENTARY
  Mr. Hartman's second period Environmental Science class is imparting their knowledge to the future.  The class is working with Merritt Academy third, fourth and fifth graders everyday after school the week of March 31st to teach the elementary students about environmental science.  Each ES student chose a topic which they researched and designed a lesson plan around and they are presenting those lessons plans to the elementary classes.  Each day two ES students present a half hour lesson on topics ranging from water conservation to global climate change.  This is the first for many of the ES students and they have risen to the challenge admirably! (4/2/08)
  
  

• MR. GOLDIE GATHERS GW GROUP TO ATTEND POLITICAL SATIRE
  Billing itself as the area's only political satire musical comedy, the Hexagon yearly show has won fans among GW students and parents year after year. Proceeds from this year's show--Stars & Gripes Forever--will benefit the Duke Ellington School of Fine Arts. Mr. Goldie invited the GW community to join him for dinner and a performance on March 13.

  Hexagon has been performing for over fifty years. They write, orchestrate, choreograph, act, dance, sing, play, conduct, set-build, etc. strictly on a volunteer basis. Many local professionals give their time and expertise to make the show an annual success. The high calibre entertainment never belays the amateur status of the entire company. Of course, it is hard to consider them amateurs when so many of them have been giving to the production for so many years. It is also hard to call them amateurs after watching the amazing kick-line that concludes the opening set every year!

  If you like poking-fun at politicians (this year offered a heavy dose of George HW, his father, Bill, Hillary, and Barak) as well as other local institutions (the metro, the Nationals, the Redskins, the joy of shopping at Target…) then Hexagon is for you!

  This year's songs and skits were excellent. In addition to the usual suspects, they included jests about water-boarding, phone polls, kids moving in with their parents after graduating from college, and Oprah Winfrey. The spoof on women falling in love with the man in their GPS systems was especially funny. There was also a song about cutting-down on emissions (featuring cows dancing in the background) that featured singers asking people to try not to “fa, la, la, la, la!”

  This year GWCS made another strong showing with a group of twenty-four. Mr. Muntu, Mr. Andrews, Ms. Hein, Ms. Bowen, and Mr. Goldie lead nineteen GW students from the school, to Hard Times Café for dinner, and over to Georgetown to see the show. Many students were going for their second or third annual trips. (3/25/08)
  
  

• GW BASKETBALL BANQUET ON MARCH 27
  Practicing at 6:15 in the morning. Impromptu breakfasts before school. Carpooling to games with teachers and parents. Finally winning a steak dinner for the entire team from Coach Goldie after every player scored in the game against the British School . Dedicated fans. That's basketball at GW and the players love it. This year's banquet is on March 27 at Hard Times Café to honor our players and thank our coaches. (3/25/08)
  

• CHANNEL 9 NEWS FILMS GW STUDENTS WORKING AT PARK
  GW students go to battle against invading species in our parks just about every week. On March 11, they had observers when Channel 9 News interviewed and filmed them working at Kings Park Park for a segment on Fairfax County 's management of non-native plants. The weed pulling and restoration of native plans is a community service project that GW began three years ago. In addition to its service at Kings Park Park , in cooperation with the Fairfax County Park Authority, GW also works with Earth Sangha at Wilburdale Park .   View Video Clip of newscast on Channel 9.  (3/25/08)
  

• GW ROBOTICS TEAM HAS SUCCESS IN DC!
  The GWCS FTC (Vex) Robotics team and its robot, “while (e) {coyote}”, put on a strong showing at the tournament held at the National Building Museum Family Engineering Day on Saturday, February 16th.  We were on the winning side (of two randomly paired teams) for 6 of our 8 qualifying matches!  Unfortunately, the ranking system rewards you based on the points scored by the losing side, and we usually dominated our matches.  We placed 4th overall, and when paired with the #2 team against the #s 1 & 3 in a play-off, our side won!

  Thanks to Joseph, Brendan, Ben Schaps, and Danny for their great work.  Thanks also to their families, as well as Dr. Cox and Tyler Wallace and their families who came to watch and cheer us on.  We will be practicing hard this week at school for the Maryland Championship this weekend in La Plata .  On the line is a shot at the National Tournament in Atlanta in April.  Go Coyotes!  (2-19-2008)
  

• GWCS COLLEGE SEARCH BLOG IS A NEW AND VALUABLE RESOURCE!
  Kimm Barry has set up a “College Blog” for GW parents, students, staff and alumni to share their college visit experiences and tips.    The use of this blog is sure to expand, but the idea is to:
      · Share your college search experiences and tips. 
      · Arrange group visits to colleges with other GW families.
      · Alumni share college experiences.
      · Ask questions.
  
  You can comment on current blogs directly from the site by clicking on the small “comment” link at the bottom of a blog.  Or, if you would like to submit something to be added, email it to Mrs. Sinichko.  (2-11-2008)
  
  
• WOW! STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WORK OUT AT WAKEFIELD!
  GW has a new after-school workout program that takes place at the Audrey Moore Recreation Center in nearby Wakefield Park . After an informal kickoff in January, the activity is gathering participants and has turned into an everyday workout for both teachers and students. Students can participate every once in a while or every day. Just bring your gym clothes and let Ms. Warden know you're going. Rec center admission is $5.25.  (2-11-2008)
  
  
• HELP GW FIND INTERNSHIPS FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS:
  GW is building on the success of last year's internship program for juniors and seniors. We're looking for positions for the Spring quarter. Parents and friends of GW, please call or email Cassie if you have a contact at an organization or business that might be able to take a GW student each Friday for 10 weeks. We'll take it from there. (2-11-2008)
  
  
• NEED A LAUGH?  COME SEE THE NERD.
  Casting is completed for GW's spring play, The Nerd, scheduled for June 6 and June 7. If you know a nerd or suspect you are a nerd, you'll find a lot to laugh about in this play, which critics call “uproarious.” Willum Cubbert's life was saved in Viet Nam by Rick Steadman, so years later Cubbert is understandably delighted when Steadman visits. Alas, the hero turns out to be a nerd, with a capital “N.” Too bad for Cubbert and his friends, but side-splittingly funny for the audience of this play. Playwright Larry Shue also wrote The Foreigner , a comedy that the GW theatre group performed two years ago. Performances of The Nerd are scheduled for June 6 and 7. (2-8-2008)
  
  
• GW STUDENTS CAUGHT ACTING OUT AT THE COMEDY SPOT:
  A sell-out crowd caught GW acting students and would-be comics on-stage at Ballston Commons Mall's Comedy Spot on January 16. Goldie's Gladiators battled Warden's Warriors in improv contests in which the audience-o-meter determined funny, funnier, and funniest. Matt Hartman, GW's acting teacher, was the evening's emcee, and everyone had a winning evening full of friends and lots of laughter. (2-11-2008)
  
  
• GW STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAIN REACTION CONTRAPTION COMPETITION AT THE CARNEGIE SCIENCE CENTER IN PITTSBURGH, PA
  Friday, Dec. 7, 2007 Mr. Lindner, Joe Ramsay-Clark, Aidan Doyle, William McCarty and Josh Butler participated in the annual Chain Reaction Contraption (formerly Rube Goldberg Contraption) Competition at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh , PA.   This year's task was to build a machine, using mostly recycled parts, that would draw an X and erase it in 20 steps or more, taking between 30 seconds and 2 minutes to run.  This is a big contest for high schools in western Pennsylvania , and there were many amazing machines along with costumed students.  Though we did not win any awards, we got a lot of good ideas and are anxious to start early, even this spring, on next year's machine.  In all we had a good trip, a fun time working together, and we saw a lot of cool contraptions and other interesting stuff at the Carnegie Science Center.
  

• GW PARTICIPATES IN THE VIRGINIA FTC CHAMPIONSHIPS.
  The GWCS Coyotes FTC team of Ben Schaps, Danny Woolston, Joseph Esposito and Brendan Towle competed in the Virginia FTC Championships November 30th and December 1st in Charlottesville , VA.   After competing with randomly assigned partner robots in 5 qualifying matches, our team was ranked 12 out of 46 teams going into the championship tournament.  We ended up leading the 8th Alliance in the tournament, and Brendan recruited two other strong teams to partner with us.  Unfortunately, as 8th seed, we faced the 1 st seed alliance in the quarter finals.  Despite two close matches, we failed to advance beyond the quarterfinals.  We all worked hard, had a great time, and are looking forward to modifying our robot and competing in more competitions this school year.  Thanks especially to Brendan's family and Andy Feeney and his parents who came to cheer us on! (12-3-2007)

• HOMECOMING '07: A WINNING BASKETBALL GAME AND A DAZZLING!
  On Friday, November 16 th , students, staff, parents, and alumni helped make Homecoming '07 a great success. The afternoon started with the basketball team's 50-24 win over NORA school. The fans packed the stands, and, as you can see from the score, our Coyotes gave them a great show.  (11-19-07)
  
  That evening, GW held its second annual Homecoming Dance. Parents and the SGA helped set up. The school looked incredible, the food was delicious, and there was a great turn out. GW's resident DJ, Mr. Muntu kept the dance floor crowded, and Mr. Hartman's blackjack table was hot all night. (11-19-07)
  
  For the first time ever, GW welcomed back alumni. The longest distance-traveler was Herby Hunter ('03, Rensselaer Polytechnic '07), who came in from Albany , NY . The best represented class was the class of '07, with six members in attendance. After this year, next year's Homecoming promise to be an even bigger party! (11-19-07)
  
  
• GW GROUP RETURNS FROM FIVE FANTASTIC DAYS AT DISNEY WORLD!
  GW Communi-Magic!  17 students and three teachers returned from sunny floriday after spending five fun-filled days in Disney World.  They braved a 140-foot water slide, spied giraffes and lions on sfari, wrangled front row seats at an improv comedy club, and participated in a youth education series, Team Up for Wildlife. The students represented GW with vigor and vim, spreading their coyote pride wherever they went.     (11-8-07)
  
  
• NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH - November 1 - 30, 2007
  (A.K.A. NaNoWriMo) National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your pants approach to novel writing.  Participants begin writing November 1st and the goal is to write a 175-page (50,000 word) novel by midnight, November 30th.  GW has a diligent group of staff and students who get together a few times a week to work on their novels.  Stay tuned for an update at the end of the month! (11-8-07)
  
  
• HELP-THE-HOMELESS WALK WAS A QUICK WALK WITH A BIG IMPACT!
  35 GW students, staff and parents walked from GW to Kings Park Park and back after school on October 3, 2007.  Many who couldn't walk still donated to Help-the-Homeless bringing total donations to $1,944.00!  100% of the proceeds go to Wesley Housing.
  
  
• MR. LINDNER INTERVIED FOR ARTICLE ON TECHNOLOGY IN SCHOOLS
  Mr. Gary Lindner, math teacher and system administrator at GW, was interviewed for the August 2007 issue of Northern Virginia Magzine and quoted in an article titled Technology In Private High Schools -- read the article -- Click Here!
  
  
• MS. WARDEN NOMINATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD
  Our principal, Alexa Warden, has been nominated for the 2007 Fairfax County Environmental Excellence Award in recognition of her work coordinating invasive plant removals this year. GW students and staff participated in over a dozen different removals at King Park and Wilburdale Park in cooperation with Earth Sangha, a nonprofit Buddhist environmental group. In the course of this year, GW's Invasive Plant Removal program was also featured in Parktakes, the magazine of the Fairfax County park system. (6-18-07)
  
  
• GW PARTICIPATES IN GREAT STRIDES CYSTIC FIBROSIS WALK
  Congratulations to the GW Community for raising $1,841.00 for Great Strides! Of the total that we raised, $1,656.90 will go directly to the research to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. This means so much to the thousands of kids and young adults who live with CF every day. Special thanks to everyone who came out and walked! (6-18-07)
  
  
• SENIORS TAKE ANNUAL BEACH TRIP TO COROLLA, NC.
  On Thursday, May 24th, 14 tired but happy seniors returned from the annual Senior class beach trip to the Outer Banks. Highlights of the five-day trip to Corolla, NC involved a Murder Mystery party that called upon participants' improv acting skills and keen powers of detection. The unlucky muder victim was played by Dan Bonuccelli, and the cold-blooded murderer was ably acted by Betsey Horton. Other standouts included Patrick Ryan as punk-turned-security-guard B.A. Barricade, Sam Lindner as intrepid newshound Randy Reporter, and of course, Theater Teacher Matthew Hartman as presidential candidate Nick Nixon. Other activities included standard fun in the sun fare such as building sand-castles, stargazing, and card games.  (6-18-07)

LAKE ACCOTINK CARDBOARD BOAT REGATTA
Once again, for the third time in six years of competition, the GW Community School Honors Physics class was victorious in the School and Civic Groups category of the Lake Accotink Cardboard Boat Regatta on June 3, 2007! CLICK HERE to see photos!  (6-4-07)

• THE SECOND ANNUAL EDITION OF COYOTE SOUP
  GW's magazine of literature and the arts, Coyote Soup, is on sale now. The magazine was put together by the newspaper classes and features contributions from fourteen GW students ranging from short stories to photographs, collages, and comics. Coyote Soup is on sale now for $2.50. Contact TheHowler@GWCommunityschool.com for more information.  (5-15-07)
  
  
• SLEEP THROUGH CIVICS?   LOVE PLAYS?  JUST BORED?  COME SEE THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERCIA ABRIDGED
  GW's spring play. If you came to last year's The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) , you know how hilarious abridgement can be! Performances are scheduled for Friday, June 8 th and Saturday June 9 th . Admission is free, but donations are strongly encouraged.  (5-15-07)
  
  
• 2006-2007 GWCS YEARBOOKS FOR SALE
  Yearbooks are on sale for $20, and early reports say that it's the greatest yearbook GW has ever put together. The product of a year of labor for the yearbook class, headed by Mr. Michael Andrews, The Chronicle is jam packed with 64 pages of full-color goodness. (5-15-07)
  
  
• THE ANNUUAL GW PLANT SALE
  Held over Mother's Day weekend, the plant sale brought in the most money ever for a GW fundraiser. Over $2000 raised in two days, thanks to parent, student, and staff volunteers, some of whom even stayed overnight to protect the plants from any erstwhile thieves. The plants were provided by Wincopia Farms of Maryland.  (5-15-07)
  
  
• INNOVATIVE FRIDAY PROGRAMS TO ADVANCE GW STUDENTS ACADEMIC, LIFE SKILLS
  In its continuing effort to advance student academic and life skills, each Friday through the end of the current school year the GW Community School will be engaging its students in a range of activities from conflict resolution and SAT preparation to internships throughout the broader metropolitan area.

Beginning April 13, graduate students from George Mason University 's Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution will be working Friday afternoons with GW freshmen and sophomores in an interactive program on Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  GMU professor David Michael, executive director of the Northern Virginia Mediation Services, will oversee the program designed specifically for GW students. Friday mornings GW sophomores will be taking a SAT preparation course led by Angela Conerly, executive director of Mindworks Tutoring and Education Services – voted best tutoring company by Washington Families Magazine .

Meanwhile, GW juniors and seniors will get a taste of the real world as they span out across the community for 13-week, day-long internships ranging from working with disadvantaged kids and lobbying for environmental reforms to helping design graphics at an ad agency.  (4-17-07)

• GW BASKETBALL PROGRAM DEVELOPS SCHOOL LEADERS
  Seven years after the first GW Community School students first stepped
  onto a basketball court, more than 100 people turned out March 20 to
  express their appreciation for a program that has turned student
  athletes into school leaders. School director Alexa Warden and
  basketball coach Richard Goldie praised the players for their
  contributions to the school, their dedication and team spirit that led
  to another winning season. Goldie noted the exceptional performance by
  Fairfax County leading scorer Jonathan Jordan. The players, in turn,
  hailed their coach and assistant coaches Amanda Hein and Roger Muntu for
  their support and encouragement that produced a season which will yield
  lasting memories for both students and their parents. (3-21-2007)
  
  
• STUDENTS PREPARE FOR SPRING INTERNSHIPS
  Beginning April 13, GW juniors and seniors will head off each Friday for
  day-long internships ranging from working with children with special
  needs and helping out at an environmental lobbying firm to providing
  services at a dinner theatre and helping design graphics at an ad
  agency. The ten-week program will be preceded by three training
  sessions that address basic work skills from proper dress and language
  to word processing technology and communication skills. (3-21-2007)
  
  
• TWO PARKS TARGET OF NEW GW INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL INITIATIVE
  Each Wednesday through the end of the school year, GW student volunteers
  will alternate between Wilburdale and King's Park to remove invasive
  Japanese Wisteria that is crowding out native species. The project is
  part of an ongoing, long-term cooperative effort led by the
  environmental group Earth Sangha. (3-21-2007)
  
  
• GW INITIATES MEDITATION CLASS ON MONDAYS
  In another cooperative arrangement led by Earth Sangha's Lisa Bright, GW
  Community School will be offering meditation classes each Monday during
  the spring quarter. The 45-minute classes will be divided into 25
  minutes of discussion and 20 minutes of meditation practice. "These
  students are perfectly suited for meditation practice ... they reject a
  conventional wisdom and yet they are open-minded to new ideas," Bright
  said after a first session. (3-21-2007)
  
  
• Coyote Leads County in Points Per Game
  In his second season as a member of the GW Community School Varsity Basketball team, team-player and prolific scorer, senior guard Jonathan Jordan can be found on the Washington Post's web site under local sports, leader reports, as the highest scoring player on any team from Fairfax County .  With a weighty average over twenty-five points per game, Jordan Remains humble, “I know we don't play against the powerhouse schools in the area, but I still try to play the best game that I can every chance I get.”  Aside from his modesty, Jordan reminds us, “Scoring is great, but I never cared about scoring as much as I care about winning.”  In his two seasons, Jordan has lead the Coyotes to their first two winning seasons.  “I know they'll miss my contributions next year, but we're building a strong program.  Max ( Kendall ), Eric (Asker), Thomas (Hickman) and Kyle (Peterson) are all going to be great scorers for this team next year. (3-6-07)
  
  
• Relive the Kingsbury Basket ball Tournment as recalled by Coach Goldie in an article titled Five Hours To Glory.  (3-6-07)
  
  
• Climate Change Debate Focus of AP Environmental Science Class
  There is little doubt that global climate is changing but why and what to do about it are the focus of discussions in Mr. Hartman's AP Environmental Science class.  As part of class curriculum, GW students visited the National Academy of Sciences' Koshland Science Museum where they participated in an experiential exhibit entitled" "Global Warming Fact and Our Future." Web access to the exhibit is at: http://www.koshland-science-museum.org/exhibitgcc/index.jsp
  
  
• Colleges -- More Visits, More Waiting 
  Workload, the social scene, number of students, and climate will be just a few of the issues discussed by GW juniors who will be heading in all directions February 5-6 for GW's annual College Visit Days break.  Meanwhile, seniors wait not so patiently for the April 1 date when college and universities send out their decisions for the class of 2011.  A few seniors have already received acceptances and scholarships from Radford,  Ohio Wesleyan, Guilford ........
  
  
• GW Students to Attend Lecture by Pulitzer Prize-Winning Civilization Historian
  Faculty, students and parents will be traveling to the Richmond Forum April 14 to see Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel, who explains why ecological factors are the primary drivers in the development of civilizations and technology.  GW students will be getting a cut-rate price after Forum managers discovered that the students were reading the book for class.
  
  
• Coyotes Show Serious Dance Skills at First Homecoming
  Against a backdrop of 250 white and black balloons and the sounds of the Sugar Hill Gang's "Apache," GW students shook the school at the first-ever Homecoming Dance. A celebration of the school's opening season basketball win, students rocked to the incredible DJ moves of French teacher Roger Muntu while satiating themselves on strawberry and apple chocolate fondue.
  Many thanks to the staff and parents who donated their time to make the dance a tremendous success.  (11-14-06)
  
  
• Teamwork Yields Opening Victory for GW Basketball
  The GW Coyotes demonstrated what makes the school exceptional-an extraordinary performance of teamwork to beat Kingsbury School's very tough team. Despite the loss of several top players from last year, the Coyotes' determined play yielded a 41-31 victory. In the first of a 20-plus game season, new players joined returning players in a hard-fought win. The next game, led by head coach Rick Goldie and assistant coaches Roger Muntu and Amanda Paul, will be November 17. (11-14-06)
  
  
• Homeless Walkathon Next on School's Civic Calendar
  GW staff, students, parents, and alumni will join thousands of others at the November 18 Fannie Mae Foundation's annual Help the Homeless Walkathon.  Fannie Mae is donating $50 for each GW participant. As an additional contribution, GW students and families are also raising funds for New Hope Housing, an emergency shelter in Alexandria. Participants can register beginning at 7 a.m. the day of the walk. Please contact the school about how to register. (11-14-06)
  
  
• GW Acting Class to Perform at Ballston Common's ComedySportz Improv Show
  Acting teacher and improv e xtraordinaire Matt Hartman will be directing a "game-style" improv show at the ComedySportz theatre at Ballston Commons Mall on October 17.  The show, featuring GW's acting class, will be along the lines of Whose Line is it Anyway , an ABC television show from 1998-2004 that was based on a British show which ran from 1988-98.  Discount tickets will be available beginning October 10th through Mr. Hartman -- $2 for students and staff and $5 for all others. (10-3-06)
  
  
• Ropes Course and Midnight Hike on Agenda for Fall Sophomore Trip
  GW sophomores will be testing their orienteering and outdoor skills at a 2-day overnight outings October 12-13.  The trip to the Northern Virginia 4-H Education Center will have an environmental theme, featuring water ecology, hiking, canoeing, archery, and a challenging ropes course.  Students will be sleeping dorm style and eating together in a dining hall. (10-3-06)
  
  
• Seniors to be Kidnapped for Three Days of  College Essay Writing October 20th-22nd
  English teachers Daniel Pereira and Michael Andrews, and GWCS Director Alexa Warden, in an act of bravery or lunacy, will sequester GW seniors for three days of college essay writing in Lake Anna lakefront cabins. The trio also aims to help students reduce the stress that often comes at this time of year as they and their parents struggle to narrow down the choices for college applications. Large group discussions, hikes and other community building activities are planned. (10-3-06)

• US History Classes to Visit Gettysburg  Battlefields, Reenact Drama
  On October 20th, the U.S. History and AP U.S. History classes, led by Amanda Paul and Matt Hartman, will tour the Gettysburg battlefield.  After the tour, students will return to school where they will spend the night creating and performing a reenactment. (10-3-06)

• History, Culture High on Agenda for Big Apple Trip
  Eighteen students and three teachers will be spending five days absorbing the sights and sounds in one of the most dynamic cities in the world. GW's Fall trip to NYC in early November will hit all the major sites -- from America 's foreign roots at Ellis Island, Chinatown, and Little Italy to the United States ' security and financial links to the rest of the world at the United Nations and Wall Street. Other highlights include: visits to Ground Zero, site of the World Trade Center attack; the observatory at the Empire State Building ; the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Central Park;and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

• Asian Wisteria and Oriental Bittersweet Targeted for GW Invasive Species Removal Project
  As part of its ongoing cooperative program with Earth Sangha, on September 28 GW students will remove Asian wisteria and oriental bittersweet vines from a one-half acre lot in Wilburdale Park and replace them with new planting of native species.  Earth Sangha, a Buddhist environmental nonprofit group, is committed to restoring a 7-acre forest along Backlick Run.

• Calling All Towels: Project to Help the Homeless
  GW students and their families are nearly halfway to their goal of collecting at least 100 towels to benefit the residents of the Eleanor U. Kennedy Shelter.  The shelter for single adults, currently has space for up to 38 men and 12 women.  Towel donations will be accepted through September 29.

• Mechanical Engineer Volunteer Sought for GW Entry in Carnegie Science Contest
  Gary Lindner, math whiz and current teacher of GW Community School's newest class, Applied Mechanics, seeks a volunteer mentor to help provide technical leadership and assistance in the class's bid to enter the Rube Goldberg Contest at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh .  Reuben Goldberg, now deceased cofounder and president of the American National Cartoonist Society, was famous for his "Rube Goldberg machines" -- complex devices that perform simple tasks in very convoluted ways.

• GW Students Save Kings Park Trees From English Ivy Invasion
  Twenty five GW students and teachers, joined by several park neighbors, cleared English ivy from trees in a major portion of Annandale's Kings Park.  The ivy climbs trees in search of increased light, engulfs and kills branches by blocking the light from reaching the host tree's leaves, eventually killing the complete tree.  Students plan to go back soon to remove the invasive plant from the ground area surrounding the trees.

• Students to Focus on Human Rights Issues
  Students, faculty, and parents have set up a GW Chapter of Amnesty International (AI), a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI currently has about 1.8 million members in 150 countries.  The first meeting, held September 14, focused on future actions - letter writing campaigns, a film festival, demonstrations, and possible fundraisers.

• Drummers Wanted for Musical, Spiritual Experience
  The GW School is hosting drum instructor Chad McCauley for weekly Drum Circle instruction beginning September 21 from 5-7 p.m.  The drum circle is more than just a musical gathering.  It is a building of community where the drums and drumming are the vehicles that take the group to its final destination, and where the creative spirit is shared by everyone in the circle.  The cost per 2-hour session is $10.  If you are not sure about joining, come try a session free.
  

• Back to School BBQ - Wednesday, August 30, 2006
  All GW students, parents, siblings and staff are invited to a Back to School BBQ at Lake Accotink Park beginning at 6:00 p.m.
  
  
• New Works by GWCS Playwrights Featured at June 8 Spring Production
  Five plays, including four new works by GW students, will be the centerpiece of the school's spring Short Attention Span Theatre production. Under the guidance of theatre teacher Matt Hartman, the 7:30 performances on June 8th will highlight comedy and creativity, including one play fully produced on stage. Ticket prices are $2 for GW students and staff and $5 for all others.
  


• GWCS Students, Staff, and Parents Raise $1,530 for Cystic Fibrosis Cure
  On May 20, GWCS students, staff, and parents joined together to do what they do best -- work to better their community and their world. As part of the Great Strides Walk to Cure Cystic Fibrosis, GWCS raised $1,530 to find a cure for this chronic, frequently fatal, disease that affects the respiratory and digestive systems in children and young adults. "You guys are awesome," parent CFF coordinator Charlene Peterson wrote to the school. "You helped the lives of all the kids who struggle with CF every day." A special thanks goes to English teacher Mr. Andrews for organizing GWCS' participation in the walk.
  


• Sand, Sun, Music and Fun: the 2006 Seniors Trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina
  A five-star beach house with views of the ocean and sound, a private pool and hot tub, sunbathing on a rooftop deck, volleyball games, fishing, and an impromptu jam session were just a few of the highlights of a five-day May trip hosted by staff members for graduating GWCS seniors.
  


• Coffehouse Night Set for Friday, May 26
  Poetry for the soul and music from the heart will be offered by GWCS students at Spring Coffeehouse Night, at 6:30 p.m. on May 26. Tickets are $2 for individuals and $5 for families.
  


• Next Stop: Monkeys, Rainforests, and Volcanoes
  Following up on their 2005 trip to London theatre and Big Ben, 19 GW students and staff will head off for Central America in late June to experience the culture and beauty of Costa Rica. Among their adventures will be tours through areas populated with howler monkeys, rides on zip lines through the cloud-covered rain forests, and views of spouting lava from the Arenal Volcano.
  


• Coyote Day Events Set for May 5
  Good food, fun, and free spirits will be in play May 5 as GW students and faculty drop their academics and meet in Kings Park for the 7th annual Coyote Day. Planned activities include capture the flag, water balloon toss, and barbecue. Other events are too secret to announce.
  


• GWCS to Publish New Literary Magazine
  Under the leadership of English and Creative Writing teacher Daniel Pereira, GWCS will soon produce its first literary magazine, Coyote Soup, a collection of student-produced poetry, fiction, photography, and artwork. All submissions are due by May 12 and should be e-mailed to pereiraad@gwcommunityschool.com.
  


• Huge Plant Sale May 13th and 14th
  Whether its plants, flowers, shrubs, or soil the GWCS's first plant sale will cater to all your garden needs as it seeks to raise funds for school projects. The sale will be held on Saturday, May 13 from 9-5 and on Sunday, Mary 14 from 9-3. The selection will be huge and the prices unbeatable.
  


• GW Seniors Gain Acceptances to Top Schools
  The waiting is over for some GW seniors as acceptances have begun to roll in from a number of top universities, including The University of Mary Washington (honors program), SUNY Binghamton University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of William and Mary, University of Virginia, and Goucher College. Since the GW Community School began operations six years ago, 90 percent of seniors have pursued post high school education.
  


• Coyotes End Season with Best Basketball Record Ever
  In a season with 50-point wins and a few heartbreak losses, the GW Coyotes, led by coach Richard Goldie, racked up a best-ever record in 2006. The fact that the 15 members of the team left their homes before light to get to 6:30 a.m. practices is testament to the spirit of the school, the commitment of the students and their coaches – Goldie, Roger Muntu, and Amanda Paul – and a true love of the sport. The season was topped off with a banquet highlighted by a film featuring the team’s best moments.
  


• GW Students Best Other Bard Competitors at Emily Jordan Shakespeare Competition
  In its second foray into literary competition, GW students walked away with a host of awards. The 11-student and two-teacher effort included an award for the entire troop and five individual awards for strong characterization and line delivery.
  


• New Lives, New Responsibilities
  Whether moving on to college or work, 18-year-olds face a host of new responsibilities and a less forgiving legal system. “No alcohol” policies are more the norm than the exception throughout the nation’s universities. Craig Franco a lawyer with Odin, Feldman & Pittleman P.C., will meet with GW seniors to discuss new freedoms and accompanying legal responsibilities.
  


• Asker Joined By Jordan In Coyote Backcourt/Jordan Breaks School (Benkert) Record
  Despite heroic efforts by Coyote legends like Matt Goldstein and Charlie Gillmarten, the backcourt has never been the stronghold for GWCS basketball teams. The 2005 campaign started with Jason Weinberger and Eric Asker, a junior and a sophomore in the starting lineup and more stability than the team has seen in its short five year history. The prolonged absence of Weinberger, along with the unlikely loss of the entire front line on Tuesday due to illness or injury, left young Mr. Asker, a sophomore, as the lone starter from the original line up that began a long season last October.
  Read More
  


• Going Native: GW Students Tackle Invasive Species in Local Park
  In the first of a series of projects aimed at addressing the growing problem of non-native plant species, the GW community -- students, teachers, and partners -- partnered on February 22 will Earth Sangha, a non-profit Buddhist environmental group, to remove invasive plants from Willburdale Park.
  


• On Beyond Numbers: The American Mathematics Competition
  25 GW students worked through lunch hours for nearly a month practicing for the annual American Mathematics Competition. The scores will be released during the last week in February.
  


• Congressman Ryan Gives GW Students Civics Lesson
  Ms. Paul's AP Government class traveled to Capitol Hill for a tour and an extensive question and answer session with Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio). Just 33 years old, the congressman serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and is co-chair of the House Manufacturing Caucus.
  


• Cold Weather Bodes Well for Annual West Virginia Ski Trip
  GW students will be schussing and carving down the snow slopes in one of the East Coast's most pristine settings during the school's Feb. 22-24 ski trip to Snowshoe, West Virginia.
  


• Honors Physics Class Builds, Launches Medieval 'Sling Shot'
  GW students researched, developed, built, and successfully launched a trebuchet -- a weapon used during Medieval times to hurl heavy missiles. Using arts and crafts materials and lots of hot glue, Dr. Cox's Honors Physics class built small-scale models, advancing to a larger version that successfully propelled water balloons 35 feet.
  


• GW Students Participate in Global Warming Project
  The National Academy of Sciences' Koshland Science Museum hosted Mr. Hartman's AP Environmental Science class in a program entitled "Global Warming Facts and our Future." The program concentrated on three issues: the history of global warming, the carbon cycle, and the future of global warming.
  


• GW Actors Tune Up for Shakespeare Festival
  GW students hope to recapture several awards earned last year at the annual Emily Jordan Folger Theatre Secondary School Shakespeare Festival. Auditions for the March 6-16, 2006 competition will be held in mid-January. The students will tune up for their competition at GW's first annual Elizabethan Festival at the end of February.
  


• Debate Team Readies for February 11 Competition
  Just one month old, the GW debate team, under the director of World Civilization teacher Amanda Paul, is preparing for its first challenge February 11th with WACFL- Washington Area Catholic Forensic League. The format will be Lincoln-Douglas, which requires students to debate one on one.
  


• GW Parents for Partners Meeting Set for February 8th
  "Parents for Partners" -- parents committed to expanding the range of GW school services -- committee meetings will be held at the school February 8th from 7-9 p.m. A potluck dinner will be held at the start of the meetings.
  


• Accotink Creek Watershed Focus of February 6 Service Project
  GW students, teachers, and interested parents will be partnering with the group Friends of Accotink Creek for a Monday, February 6 service project to collect, record, and recycle trash along the banks of the Accotink Creek. The two-hour project, beginning at 3:30, is part of a longer-term effort to help restore the water quality and natural habitat of the Accotink Creek watershed. For more information about Friends of Accotink, please visit www.accotink.org
  


• Sophomore Brockway Wins "Bard" Prize for Romeo and Juliet Monologue
  Prevailing over eight of her classmates with her monologue from Romeo and Juliet, sophomore Haley Brockway won GW's first "Shakespearean Idol" competition. Her prize: a beautifully bound copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare.
  


• GW Coyotes Improve Basketball Record to 4-1; Register Tie in First Soccer Game
  In a lopsided victory, the Coyotes beat visiting Thornton Friends by a 60-point margin and look forward to their next game January 19 at the Chelsea School. Meanwhile, in its first soccer game, the Coyotes posted a 6-6 tie against the Transition School. The next game is set for February 15th.
  


• SGA Will Sponsor Student Issues Forum February 1 and Movie January 26
  GW's Student Government Association (SGA) will sponsor a Student Issues Forum during lunch Wednesday, February 1st. Students must sign up in advance and are encouraged to propose events, voice concerns, and enjoy some free pizza. The SGA also will sponsor an afternoon movie, The Bourne Identity, immediately following school on Thursday, January 26th.
  


• GW Actors Tune Up for Shakespeare Festival
  GW students hope to recapture several awards earned last year at the annual Emily Jordan Folger Theatre Secondary School Shakespeare Festival. Auditions for the March 6-16, 2006 competition will be held in mid-January. The students will tune up for their competition at GW's first annual Elizabethan Festival at the end of February.



• Services Learning Class Collects $300 for Toys for Tots
  A bake sale and fund raiser organized by the school's Services Learning class netted $300, which was used to buy toys for needy children under the Toys for Tots program.



• GW Coyotes Place Second in Kingsbury Tournament
  In another strong performance, the GW Coyotes placed second in the annual Kingsbury Tournament defeating the British School before succumbing to Kingsbury at the host school's court. The next game is scheduled for Monday, January 9, against the Thornton Friends School.



• GW Parents for Partners Meeting Set for January 12
  Following up on last month's successful inauguration of "Parents for Partners" -- parents committed to expanding the range of GW school services -- committee meetings will be held at the school January 12 from 7-9 p.m. A potluck dinner will be held at the start of the meetings.



• Music Night to Highlight Students' Acoustical, Singing Talents
  GW students will show off a broad range of guitar, singing, and dancing skills January 13 at the annual Music Night. The performance begins at 7:30 and tickets at the door will be two dollars for students, five dollars for adults, and ten dollars for a family.



• GW Coyotes Dominate Thornton Friends, Improve Record to 2-0
  On the basketball courts, the GW Coyotes dominated both offensive and defensive boards to notch up a 69-14 blowout of Thornton Friends of Maryland. The December 12th victory leaves the team at 2-0 going into the annual Kingsbury Tournament December 16-17.



• Science/Drama Teacher Lands Leading Role in Local Production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile
  The GW's own Matt Hartman will take up residence at the Little Theatre of Alexandria for a January 14-February 4 run of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, a play written by comedian Steve Martin. The setting is Paris' Lapin Agile, a bohemian bistro, in 1904. An imagined meeting takes place between Picasso (played by Hartman) and Einstein, both on the verge of greatness. "Their very witty dialogue," the theatre writes, "enables both the artist and the mathematician to realize that ideas and inspiration are close allies." For reservations, call: 703-683-0496.



• Political Media Consultant Reviews 2004 Election, Upcoming Contests
  Greg Minoff from the political media consulting firm Shrum, Davine, and Donolin, gave Mrs. Paul's two AP government classes an inside look at what worked and what didn't in getting the message across during the 2004 presidential election. Minoff, who worked on the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry, used several political television ads to discuss the role of media and advertising in politics.



• Soccer Becomes GW Community School's Newest Team Sport
  Under the leadership of French teacher and indoor soccer coach Roger Muntu, 11 students from GW will travel December 15 to the Fairfax Sportsplex for their first game at 3 p.m. against The Transitional School. Indoor soccer requires each team to field six players. The Sportsplex is located at 6800 Commercial Drive in Springfield.



• Come see “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” by the Reduced Shakespeare Company being performed on Friday and Saturday December 16th and 17th at 7:30pm. Whether you know and love Shakespeare or can’t stand the Bard, you’ll love this crazy lesson of literary lunacy. So come support the GW Community Theater in their latest and greatest endeavor!



• GW Community Students Get Access to Harvard-Smithsonian Telescopes
  Through January 2006, GW Community School students will get access to a network of five automated telescopes that can be controlled over the Internet. The telescopes, developed at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, can be used by the students to take 5 images per night of Mars to measure changes in angular size and brightness over time.



• GW Basketball On a Fast Break
  The 16-member GW Community School basketball team, led by head coach Richard Goldie and assistant coach Roger Muntu, did what no other GW team had done before - beat Chelsea School. In a low-scoring physical, game, the Coyotes battled the Silver Spring, Maryland school to start its season with a 30-26 victory.
  The Breakfast Club



• Parents as Partners: Joining Together to Support the GW Community School
  In a tremendous display of support, parents of more than half of the GW students met December 1 and agreed to provide a broad range of value-added services to the school, from professional expertise in the classroom to transportation to school events and assistance in community service projects.



• The GW Community School was featured in the Washinton Post Magazine's list of the Top 30 DC area high schools. Turn to page 44 of the magazine for more information.



• College planning information can be found here.

• Breakfast Club
  December 05
  
  For those of you who were unaware, there is a GWCS basketball team this year.
  
  It may have slipped past your watchful eye because they do not meet the standard model. This group of students is up at dawn and at the ball yard before 6:30 three mornings a week. They have put in ninety minutes of hard work, drilling, and listening to Mr. Goldie yell at them before any other students have arrived on campus. They work without complaining, they strive for excellence, and they improve steadily. They love basketball, they are ambassadors of the school when they travel to practices and games, and they make all of us proud.
  
  If that was not enough, they are something new this year that they have never been before: Unbeaten after two games!
  
  In their first game, the coyotes beat the Chelsea School of Silver Spring, Maryland. It was their first victory over Chelsea in five years. The victory saw seven different players score points, led by Julian Gaeta.
  
  In their second game, the Coyotes faced a rebuilding Thornton Friends (MD) team that posed little challenge. Reminiscent of the many beating that the new coyotes used to receive half a decade ago, the game was a lopsided route. Eleven GWCS players scored in the game led by two coyotes in double figures: Eric Asker and Benjamin Keefer.
  
  At the root of this seasons’ early successes lies the support of a community. Parents coming to the gym at dawn, teachers excusing morning tardies and early dismissals, Mr. Muntu and Ms. Paul coaching at every practice and every game, and an immeasurable amount of desire, dedication, and commitment.
  
  This weekend (Friday evening and Saturday afternoon) the team will be playing in the Kingsbury Invitational; a small tournament for private local high schools. Dare we dream that this could be the year, and the team, to come home with the big trophy? Oh…we dare…