NEWSLETTER QUICK LINKS:
Next Week 12/7-15
What I’m Diggin’ Roth IRAs
5K Run/Walk with Santa 12/8 register today
I Hate Shakespeare - Tickets on sale for 12/18 & 19
GWCS Foundation - Giving
Introducing Jira & Charley - Technology Support
Weekly Song Recommendations with Amelia
Pro-Tip: Blue Letters = Links - Happy Clicking!
SATURDAY, DEC 7
Coyote Robotics with Mr. Lindner from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
SUNDAY, DEC 8
5K Run/Walk with Santa beginning at 8:00 am at Reston Town Center (info)
Theatre Rehearsal with Mr. Goldie from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
monday, DEC 9
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Amazing Days during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
Theatre Rehearsal with Mr. Goldie from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
TUESDAY, dec 10
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Office Hours during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
History in Movies with Mr. Goldie from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm
WEDNESDAY, DEC 11
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
What’s Happening Wednesdays during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
Coyote Robotics with Mr. Lindner from 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm
Theatre Rehearsal with Mr. Goldie from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
THURSDAY, DEC 12
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Office Hours during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
Theatre Rehearsal with Mr. Goldie from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
FRIDAY, DEC 13
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Theatre Rehearsal with Mr. Goldie from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Dungeons & Dragons with Hartly from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
SATURDAY, DEC 14
Coyote Robotics Qualifier Tournament with Mr. Lindner at Deep Run High School in Glen Allen, VA - Go Coyotes!
GWCS ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR - UPDATED DAILY
GWCS Students are Diggin’ Financial Management:
A huge Coyote Thank You to Dan Zeytoonian who led an Amazing Day on Financial Management on December 1st. Students were totally engaged with Dan's interactive presentation on debt, savings, and investment and had really great questions. We're already looking forward to round two. But the thing I'm really diggin' for our kids is what we learned about the power of compound interest! Here are some clips from Dan's presentation:
Here's what our kids could be diggin' in 30 years with a one-time $1,200.00 contribution to a Roth IRA.
And here's what they could be diggin' if they invested $1,200.00 a year to a Roth IRA.
Alexa Warden
wardenac@gwcommunityschool.com
Every week in the WYNK a staff or faculty member shares something they are ‘diggin’! It may be a music artist, a museum, a hobby, a book, a tech tool, a current event, a recipe, a game, a fun fact… you name it - we dig it!
Join Santa, Mr. Connelly & Your Coyote Friends…
Register Today!
Earn Community Service Hours and Make a difference.
We are excited to announce our participation in the 2024 Run With Santa 5k event, taking place on December 8th at 8:00 am, at Reston Town Center. This event supports some of the charity programs offered by Northern Virginia Orthodontics.
Not only will you be making a meaningful impact, but you will also receive 3 hours of community service for your participation. It's a great opportunity to give back while also getting involved in a cause that benefits many families living in our community.
To register for the 2024 Run With Santa 5k and find more information about the event, please visit https://www.prraces.com/runwithsanta/
Tell Mr. Connelly when you register for the race, and he will make sure to add your community service hours.
Questions? Contact:
Mr. Connelly
connellytp@gwcommunityschool.com
The GWCS Players Present:
I Hate Shakespeare!
A Comedy by Steph Deferie
We don’t really hate Shakespeare, but that is the name of the show. What's in a name that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet? Or should I say, “doff thy name!” Yes, it is called I Hate Shakespeare!, but it is simply a tribute to the Bard for those of us who love Shakespeare! Let Hamlet be your narrator as you walk through an evening of skits, many featuring excellent performances by Coyote Thespians playing many of the Bard’s most famous characters, and many skits featuring Coyote Thespians spoofing Shakespeare and his plays until the clowns come home! The running time for the show is about one hour (plus a short intermission) and is guaranteed to make you feel more appreciative of Shakespeare, and a little worn out from laughing. Or as King Lear’s fool has said, “If a man’s brains were in his heels, were ‘t not in danger of kibes!?”
Questions? Contact:
Mr. Goldie
goldiera@gwcommunityschool.com
reserve your seats and buy tickets… it’s a Two Step Process:
TWO PERFORMANCE NIGHTS:
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
7:00 pm / $12 per ticketThursday, December 19, 2024
7:00 pm / $12 per ticket
Enjoy this peak into rehearsals. There will be an opportunity for a handful of people to attend dress rehearsals on December 16 & 17. If you are interested - talk with Mr. Goldie.
A Reminder For Our Fabulous GWCS Community
Tis the Season of GIVING
During this 2024 season of giving, we’d love for you to keep the GWCS Foundation in mind. In the first half of the school year, your tax-deductible contributions have directly supported activities, programs and events that enhance and enrich the GWCS student experience, including:
Camp Coyote | Sept. 27 - 28
Junior Gettysburg Film & Tour | Oct. 17 - 18
School Spirit Week & Homecoming | Nov. 18 - 22
Amazing Days | Mondays and Fridays throughout the year
Learning something new from students, staff, parents, and experts
Focused on gardening and cooking
Student-led GWCS kitchen renovation
Harvested GWCS garden for farm-to-table recipes
Cooking demonstrations and tastings for all
But every day is an amazing day at GW Community School. Hearts were bursting when our GWCS community recently gathered in force for this year’s Heritage Feast.
As we approach the end of 2024 and think about what we’re grateful for, we hope you’ll consider the GWCS Foundation for any charitable gifts. Every contribution is tax deductible, and has a direct and immediate impact on each and every GW Community School student. Please click here if you would like to make a donation.
Reminder: Take a minute to check your company's matching gift program to see if your employer will match your donation and double your impact.
Thank you again for your generous support. We wish you all a happy and healthy holiday season!
With thanks for your support,
Andrea Spiegel on behalf of the GWCS Foundation Board
Introducing Jira…
TECHNOLOGY ISSUES OR QUESTIONS?
CHARLEY IS HERE TO HELP!
Hi Everyone,
My name is Charley Petty, and I graduated from GWCS in 2020. More recently, I completed my degree at Champlain College, in Burlington, Vermont, where I majored in Game Production Management. During my time there, I served as the producer and lead for several games in multidisciplinary classes offered in the school's game studio. One of the most memorable projects was my senior capstone, where I led a 20-person team to create a game called Molementum, which is now available on Steam. Recently, I've had a shift in my career interests in IT, and I'm now aiming to earn my CompTIA A+ certification. I've always enjoyed helping people with technology, and I am excited to be back at GWCS as an intern. I'm eager to support GWCS with all things related to technology.
To get started, please use our new Jira management portal. If you are having any technology issues - please follow these steps to submit a ticket:
Step 1: Go to: https://charleypettyworking.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/1.
Step 2: Sign up with your GW Community School email address.
Step 3: Check your GW Community School email for a sign-up link. Look for an email from jira@charleypettyworking.atlassian.net.
Step 4: Click on the sign-up link and enter your full name and password.
Step 5: Once you have signed up, you will be able to access the portal. From there, select “Get Help Now” and follow the prompts.
Step 6: You will see a Summary box and a Description field. In the Summary box, type a brief summary of the issue, and in the Description field, provide a detailed explanation of the problem. Feel free to include any attachments that may help clarify your request.
Step 7: After completing your request, click send, and I will be able to review and respond to your submissions.
Let's make your tech experience smooth and efficient!
Charley Petty
GWCS Intern
pettyca@gwcommunityschool.com
Weekly Song Recommendations…
with Amelia
Hello, this is Amelia Schmutz! I am a junior at GWCS, and I write this section of the WYNK on song recommendations. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to talk to me at school or email me your top recommendations and favorite songs for a future WYNK.
MY
RECOMMENDATION
“Default” – Atoms For Peace
The word super in supergroup doesn’t disappoint in Atoms For Peace. With the leadman of Radiohead Thom Yorke, the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, the famous record producer Nigel Godrich, the drummer Joey Waronker of Beck and R.E.M., and the percussionist Mauro Refosco of Forro in the Dark. Atoms For Peace is perfect electronic music to either jam to or to put on in the background. “Default” was created as a happy accident in the studio Thom Yorke recalled to Rolling Stone Magazine when he said, “Default” started with a mistake on a sampler in my studio [makes telegraph-like drum-machine noise]. I hadn’t patched it in right. It was giving me a tone that, when I put it with a melody, I was like ‘That’s nice!”
“Default” can be interpreted as a narrator who has an addiction. Whether it is to a person or to something else. They want to stop but find it very difficult. This is not an uncommon theme throughout Thom Yorke’s music. “I laugh now. /But later's not so easy. /I've gotta stop. /The will is strong. /But the flesh is weak.” The chorus goes. With electronic sounds and beats and Thom Yorke’s soft, emotional vocals, the song feels like no mistake.
GWCS RECOMMENDATION
“I Feel It All” – Feist
Recommended by Ms. Warden
Though, the song has an upbeat tone, the lyrics have a far deeper meaning, especially the lyrics “Did we fight or did we talk.” The song presents the difficulty of truly knowing another person, or even oneself, as a kind of battleground of words and emotions. However, Feist doesn't see this as wholly negative. Instead, it's part of the war she "wants to win." Perhaps indicating a desire to overcome emotional hurdles to achieve deeper intimacy or self-awareness. The chance to be wild and free is within her reach when she “holds the gun” but she will also experience heartbreak. She's aware that it's time to move on. As the song changes from "I know more than I knew before" to "I don't know what I knew before.", the song defines the complicated dynamics of relationships. Since she is unaware that his love is genuine, she knows it must stop.
NEW RECOMMENDATION
“luther (with SZA)” – Kedrick Lamar, SZA
Kendrick Lamar released his new album “GNX” on November 22, 2024. "luther" by Kendrick Lamar, featuring SZA, is a standout track. The song combines a soothing, romantic backdrop with reflective lyrics. Kendrick Lamar’s quiet speech is supported by a gentle yet punchy beat that will make you bop your head along. The song samples title words from "If This World Were Mine" written by Marvin Gaye. “I just wanna see you win, wanna see. /If this world were mine.” The song's ethereal quality is enhanced by SZA's soft vocal ad-libs in the background, which meshes perfectly to the song. The chorus blends their vocals beautifully. The themes of the song emphasize the desire to uplift and empower one’s partner in a world that often feels challenging.
SHOW YOUR COYOTE SPIRIT…
ORDER GWCS SPIRIT WEAR TODAY!
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