Pro-Tip: Blue Letters = Links - Happy Clicking!

MONDAY, MAY 12

DUE: OBX Edge Risk Form should be turned in to Mrs. Kohler today! (form) (info)
Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Seniors: Cap & Gown Fitting & Celebration at 9:15 am in Kids’ Kitchen (info)
Amazing Days during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm

TUESDAY, MAY 13

No Gym - OBXers should be at school by 9:00 am
Co-Ops Continue
OBX #5 The Edge at George Mason - be at school by 8:30 am (info)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 14

Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
DUE in Advisory: Weekly Wednesday Internship Survey (click here)
What’s Happening Wednesdays during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
THE LAST Art Club Session with Ms. Albert from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm (info)

THURSDAY, may 15

Regular class schedule - First Period Gym thru Dismissal from 8:00 am - 3:15 pm
Coyote Cafe Lunch option in Kids Kitchen (info/menu)
Office Hours during 7th period from 2:22 pm - 3:15 pm
History in Movies with Mr. Goldie from 3:20 pm - 5:30 pm

FRIDAY, MAY 16

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
Seniors: Memory Board Gathering at 3:15 pm in the GWCS Cafe (info)
Dungeons & Dragons with Hartly from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm

SATURDAY, MAY 17

Seniors: Memory Board Gathering from 8:00 am - 10:00 am in the GWCS Cafe (info)

GWCS ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR - UPDATED DAILY
2025-2026 School-Year-at-a-Glance - Updated 4.22.25

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Big Things for the Big Kids

UPCOMING SENIOR EVENTS!

Senior Cap & Gown Fitting
Monday, May 12 @ 9:15 AM
Kids’ Kitchen

Let’s make this milestone more than just a fitting! We’re turning cap and gown day into a small celebration for our seniors. We’ll have someone on hand to snap casual photos of students in their caps and gowns — perfect for memories, announcements, or just sharing the excitement.

To sweeten the morning, we’ll also have donuts, fruit, and lemonade for our seniors to enjoy. Families are welcome to come and share in the celebration!

Graduation Memory Board Get-Togethers
Friday, May 16 @ 3:15 PM &
Saturday, May 17 @ 8:00–10:00 AM
GWCS Cafe
R.S.V.P.

Calling all proud parents and soon-to-be grads! Get ready to showcase those cherished memories at graduation with personalized memory boards. This is your chance to team up for a fun family project, craft a heartwarming surprise for your senior, or let your senior unleash their creativity on the family! To help you bring those memories to life, we're hosting two collaborative memory board get-togethers at GWCS on the dates listed above. Don't miss out! CLICK HERE to RSVP if you plan on joining us for one or both sessions. Remember to bring your precious photos and dazzling decorations – though we'll have a sprinkle of extras just in case inspiration strikes!

What’s a Memory Board?
A beloved GWCS tradition! On graduation day, each senior displays a three-panel display board (36”H x 48”W) covered with photos, keepsakes, and memorabilia that celebrate their life and time at GWCS.

What to include?
Baby photos, family and friend pics, school memories, awards, artwork, and anything that tells your story. Be creative—glue items securely so they stay in place during transport.

Who makes it?

Some families make it as a surprise for their senior.
Some students prefer to do it themselves.
Others work on it together and enjoy the walk down memory lane.

What to bring if attending a Memory Board get-together?
We’re hosting two optional work sessions with basic supplies available such as glue and some graduation themed decorations. Bring a tri-fold display board (example), your printed photos, and decorations or lettering. You’d be surprised what families have glued to their memory boards! Come and build something meaningful!

Questions? Contact:

Mary Carbone at mcarbone74@gmail.com
—or—
Alexa Warden at wardenac@gwcommunityschool.com

Senior Beach Trip
May 26–29
Hotel Bethany Beach, Delaware

It’s time to celebrate YOU with sun, surf, and senior spirit! We’re heading to Hotel Bethany Beach for three days of fun, laughs, and unforgettable memories with your classmates. Pack your shades, your beach gear, and your best stories — we’re sending you off in style!

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OBX #4: The EDGE at George Mason

Team Development & Experiential Learning

May 13, 2025

Destination: The EDGE at George Mason

The Edge Team Development Course uses a variety of challenging activities that together can improve communication among students and heighten their sense of community. Through combining talents and competencies, communication, and sheer persistence, students collectively surmount challenges that at first seem improbable. There are many fun challenges offered to the group through the use of unique portable, as well as low and high challenge course initiatives, though all activities are “Challenge by Choice,” so any student who feels anxious, for example about climbing the tower at the end of the day, will be encouraged to participate in a meaningful team task on the ground (belaying the ropes).

About:

Destination: The Edge at George Mason, 9100 Freedom Center Blvd, Manassas, VA 20110
Depart: Meet at GWCS: 8:30 am (Go directly to school - NO GYM)
Pickup: GWCS at 3:15 pm
Important Forms/Information:
- Assumption of Risk - DUE: Monday, May 12, 2025
- GMU Campus Map
- Aerial Element - what to expect
Bring/Wear: GWCS T-shirt/clothes that can get dirty; comfortable outdoor appropriate clothes that can get wet. Cargo shorts/pants are recommended. Check the weather and bring rain gear if it’s going to rain; we are going rain or shine! Closed-toed shoes are required!
Lunch: Students should bring a bagged lunch and water bottle
Transportation: School Van & Personal Cars

QUESTIONS? CONTACT:

Ms. Kohler
kohlerja@gwcommunityschool.com

Thank you to the GWCS Foundation!

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The Final Art Club Class…

Wednesday May 14th!

The Art Club has completed their mural and will have their final Art Club meeting (for any final touches) on Wednesday, May 14, 2025! A hearty "Awooooo!" to the magnificent Rachel Albert for organizing and inspiring our artistic Art Club Coyotes this year! Thanks so much for your time, effort, creativity, good vibes, generosity, and patience. That mural you and the students created in the hallway? It's like a jolt of happy mixed with a zen garden – seriously brightens our day. Our coyote hearts are happily howling with gratitude.

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Annual Fundraiser ~ Week 3…

spotlighting:
Mr. Connelly, Mr. Howarth, and Mr. Lindner!

Dear GWCS Community,

Welcome to Week 3 of the GWCS Foundation Giving Forward campaign!

We’re thrilled to share that we’ve already raised more than $26,000 toward our bold $50,000 goal!! A special thanks to an anonymous donor whose VERY generous contribution was made in honor of two GWCS teachers: Tim Connelly and Dean Howarth.

This kind of tribute highlights one of the biggest reasons behind our ambitious goal. As we celebrate 25 incredible years of GW Community School, we’re also planning a scholarship program to ensure students facing financial hardship can experience the same magic and mentorship that define a GWCS education.

Your tax-deductible gift will help fund these scholarships, plus the programs, activities and events that make the GWCS student experience truly special. Every bit helps, so please donate now!

👉Donate Now!

🌟 Celebrating 42 Years of Teaching Excellence

This week, we’re spotlighting two teachers who have shaped the lives of hundreds of GWCS students:

Tim Connelly – 17 years
Assistant Principal, Basketball Coach, Civics/History/Economics Teacher

Gary Lindner – 25 years
Robotics Coach, Math Teacher

What do current students say?

Myat T: Mr. Connelly is amazing because he makes learning Civics fun. He’s also nice, caring, respectful, and funny.
Ophelia G: Mr. Lindner teaches in a clear and methodical way that makes sense to me.
Ari N: Mr. Connelly doesn’t talk dully but with enthusiasm, and what he says is interesting.
Aung M: I like Mr. Lindner because he is cool, savage, and he could be a “baddie” security guard. I also like his special move, Lindner Express, because he always moves super fast.

👉 DONATE NOW at gwcsfoundation.org/donate

💭 Alumni Q&A with Mr. Connelly & Mr. Lindner

Interview by Kait Lemoine (Class of 2011)

Why did you want to teach at GWCS?

Tim Connelly (TC): More than anything I was looking for a small school, where I could connect with the kids and form meaningful relationships in the community. GWCS seemed to offer so much more than a more traditional school. The kids were happy, actually happy to be at school. It has been so much more than a place to go to work, it has been a second home.

Gary Lindner (GL): I always wanted to be a math teacher and was frustrated with public schools. My wife founded the Commonwealth Academy where Rick and Alexa worked at the time. At the time the school decided to go in a different direction and that's when Rick and Alexa created GWCS. I have 3 sons that needed to be at school like GWCS so we enrolled him (first student). I saw how great GWCS was when my son started and I wanted to get back into teaching and it was perfect because at the time they needed a French and Math teacher and I could do both.

What have you learned over the years teaching at GWCS?

TC: I have learned that the most important thing you can do as an educator is to invest in the community. Teaching is not always a smooth process and the trust you build by working with the students outside the classroom goes a long way to creating a harmonious atmosphere in the classroom.

GL: To be more sensitive to the things that might upset my students or cause them to feel like they want to give up.

Favorite memory from GWCS?

TC: The GWCS girls basketball team winning back-to-back championships.

GL: Robotics Club. I had a student who was on the team that did not want to be. We advanced to the regional championship that year and the winner had to pick 2 teams to go with them to the finals and the students had to lobby for themselves. The student went over to the other team and convinced them to pick our team. We won an invitation to the world championship because that student went and spoke with the other team. It was a proud moment for both of us.

💙 Help Us Give Forward

We hope you carry your own cherished GWCS memories—uplifting moments that continue to inspire. Now, you have the chance to Give Forward and ensure those experiences continue for current and future students.

Please help us get one step closer to our goal! Consider donating today, and share this campaign with friends and family who support GWCS.

If you have any questions about the GWCS Foundation or the Giving Forward fundraiser, don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your continued support of the GWCS student community.

With warmth and appreciation -

Andrea Spiegel
Fundraising, GW Community School Foundation

P.S. Gifts of $1,000 or more will be honored with a personalized, engraved plaque displayed at the school.

🎉 In honor of this milestone year, Diamond Legacy Donors will have the opportunity to name a space at GWCS—imagine the Smith Family Coyote Café or the Jane Doe GWCS Theater! We’ll help you find a meaningful legacy opportunity.

>>>>>

👉 DONATE NOW!

<<<<<

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TICKET SALES DEADLINE:

Friday, May 30, 2025

HOW TO GET YOUR TICKET…

PAY WITH CASH - put $40 per ticket in an envelope with student’s name and ‘Prom Ticket’ on front of envelope and give it to Mrs. Kohler.
PAY ONLINE WITH CREDIT CARD - Click Here!

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Unleash Your Imagination…

Free 3D Printing, Courtesy of Josh!

Hello GWCS! My name is Josh and I am an 8th grader at GWCS.

You may have noticed some flyers around school about FREE 3D printing. As the flyers say, if you would like a FREE 3D print, I can do that for you! Below are some examples of what I have printed, but I can print almost anything. A few of the things I will not print include guns, knives, weapons, replica weapons, and other similar items.

If you have an idea, but don’t have a model, try going to thingiverse.com and browsing the thousands of models they have available. Once you find something you like, shoot me an email at wcacuber1@gmail.com, or text me at 703-407-6590.

While these prints are free, donations are greatly appreciated! 50% of all donations will go to the GWCS Foundation.

That wraps up my part of the WYNK, thanks for reading!

Josh Diamond
GWCS 8th Grade Student
wcacuber1@gmail.com
703-407-6590 (text)

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GWCS 2024-2025 Chronicle Yearbook…

Place your order by June 6th
before the price jumps!

Alright Coyotes! Listen up! It's go-time to lock in your very own GWCS Chronicle Yearbook – your personal time capsule of awesomeness! Imagine flipping through pages of side-splitting candids, reliving those unforgettable school events, and yes, even cringing (in a good way!) at those iconic hairstyles. Don't let these memories fade away! Order your yearbook today before that price does a high jump!

ORDER FORM:

Click Here for printable order form

Price:

$50 if ordered by June 6, 2025
$65 if ordered after June 6, 2025

Payment:

Send in cash or a check payable to GWCS
-or-
Click Here to pay by credit card online

YEARBOOK PICK-UP PARTY:

Mark your summer calendar! On Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm GWCS will host a Yearbook Signing Party followed by a Summer Movie Marathon from 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm!

Questions? Contact:

Mr. Goldie
goldiera@gwcommunityschool.com

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Graduation 2025 ~ Come One, Come All!

save the date: Saturday, June 7, 2025 at 11:00 am

All Students & Parents Encouraged to Attend!

Mark your calendars for this year’s GWCS Graduation Ceremony on June 7th, 2025, at 11:00 AM at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. All GWCS students and parents are expected to attend. Celebrating our seniors’ achievements is a community effort, and your presence makes the day even more meaningful.

Every time you attend our graduation ceremony, you gain a deeper appreciation for what this milestone represents—both for the graduates and for your own student when their time comes. The attendance of the entire GWCS community gives our seniors a heartfelt and supportive send-off in true community style.

All guests should be seated by 10:45 AM to ensure a smooth start. Keep an eye on the WYNK for volunteer opportunities to help make this day truly special.

Let’s come together to honor our seniors and celebrate their success!

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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.

Email: amelias@gwcommunityschool.com

MY
RECOMMENDATION

“Telephone” – Lady Gaga, Beyoncé

Whether “Telephone” playing in pride parade or in a coffee shop, I know I’m about to slay the dance floor. This LGBTQIA+ anthem will always be a universal favorite despite it being Lady Gaga’s least favorite song.

I was shocked to find out that Lady Gaga said, “I hate ‘Telephone… It’s the song I have the most difficult time listening to.” In the same interview, she indicated that it wasn’t just the song she had mixed feelings about, it is also the music video. “I can’t even watch the ‘Telephone’ video. I hate it so much. Beyoncé and I are great together… I wish I had edited myself a little bit more.”

“When I say it’s my worst song it has nothing to do with the song,” Gaga clarified. “Just my emotional connection to it.” Maybe it has to do with the fact that it was originally written for Brittany Spears.

This song is great groove though and it will get you moving. It reminds me of dancing to the Just Dance video game version when I was little. It’s a killer dance song.

"Telephone" - Lady Gaga, Beyoncé (Official Music Video)

GWCS RECOMMENDATION

“Anemone” – The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Recommended by
Ms. Warden

“Anemone” is one of those songs that you’ll forget about for a while and then you’ll hear it randomly and fall back in love with it all over again.

“Anemone” is a song about heartbreak, about those angry and desperate days following a one-sided breakup. Songs like this meander as if on rails, that build and mood swing, that create a musical space for pain and euphoria. It does this while being so cool and gritty.

This was the late Anthony Bourdain’s favorite song. Bourdain was an addict, that may be why the lyrics, “Drenched in opiates and regret, I heard this song once and became besotted by it. It sounds like lost love, past lives, unforgiven mistakes and transgressions,” hit him so hard.

Anemones sting and try to consume you. In many cultures they are considered bad omens. Maybe it was an omen for the band. The song hit at the peak of early shoegaze in 1996. The band got in its own way and fell victim to their own self-proclaimed brilliance. All the while frontman Anton Newcombe battled his ego, addiction, and pretty much everyone who ever got close to him.

"Anemone" - The Brian Jonestown Massacre (Official Audio)

NEW RECOMMENDATION

“Yvonne” – Foxwarren, Andy Shauf, Darryl Kissick

This Canadian quintet released “Yvonne” on the second single from their new album, “2,” out May 30, 2025.

“Yvonne” is a study of love’s strange spell. The song starts with a standard California rhythm, and picks up with a string section and singing, “I don’t know what I’d do without you, ‘Yvonne’ It brings you to the shore. ‘Yvonne,’ the woman scanning the beach each morning for buried treasure, deserves a love song too”, the band says.

Over the last decade, Andy Shauf has become known as “a phenomenal storyteller” according to NPR Music. He’s built a reputation for his ear and his ability make good folky music. He is always using some fresh fascination, skill, or concept as the catalyst for albums he writes.

Riding a crest of enthusiasm, Foxwarren headed into the studio in the autumn of 2018, hoping to the florid folk-rock of their past until it evolved into a mesmerizing song cycle about the vagaries of love.

The blend of folk, bossa nova and orchestral music is unique. It creates a distinctive atmosphere of ease.

"Yvonne" - Foxwarren, Andy Shauf, Darryl Kissick (Official Music Video)

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