In this issue:

Communicate with our School via Rooms

2025-2026 Student Absences Policy and Procedures

Fall 2025 Final Exams Schedule

ACCESS Testing - Monday, January 12

Course Catalog Available

Return Your Loaned Chromebook and Charger

Join Our Post-Finals Schoolwide Cleanup!

Yearbooks

Patriots' Snack'n Print Hours Through December

Thank You, GWHS Community, For Your Colorado Gives Day Generosity!

GWHS Food Pantry Usage

Spirit Wear

Weekly Athletics Update

Featured Highlight!

Click Here for This Week's Athletics Events

Click Here for GWHS's Bell Schedule

December 15 - December 17

Fall 2025 Final Exams

December 18 - December 19

Course Competency (by invitation only)

December 22 - January 4

Winter Break

January 5

Professional Development Day/No School for Students

January 6

First Day of Classes

January 12

ACCESS Testing for MLLs - No School for Non-Testing Students

Communicate with our School via Rooms

Denver Public Schools has transitioned to a communications platform called Thrillshare for all its communications, which works with the NEW, free DPS app! This means teachers, staff and coaches are now able to message (SMS or email) families directly, or through the DPS app! To facilitate the smoothest communication possible with our school and your student's teachers, be sure to follow these easy steps:

• Download the FREE Denver Public Schools (DPS) app (available from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store).

• Click "Rooms" at the center bottom of your screen.

• Enter your email or phone number that you provided when you registered your student for school in Parent Portal, and choose to sign in with a one-time access code.

• You will receive a one-time access code to the email or phone number you just entered.

You should now be connected with all Rooms to which your student has been added!

 

2025-2026 Student Absences Policy and Procedures

New for the 2025-2026 school year, all student absences will be reported using the online attendance tool in your Parent Portal. Instructions for how to enter a student absence notification through Parent Portal can be found here in ENGLISH, SPANISH and ARABIC. Please review the entire GWHS Attendance Policy HERE. The GWHS Attendance Policy contains important information regarding attendance requirements, interventions for chronic absenteeism, and more. Please note, any request for an early student dismissal after 3:00pm but before the end of the school day cannot be processed.

 

Fall 2025 Final Exams Schedule

Please find the Fall 2025 Final Exams Schedule HERE. Please note we not allow requests to modify final exam dates, except in extreme cases (student hospitalization, etc.). As a reminder, every day and every class is critical to every student learning. We ask that you plan your holiday travel so as not to interfere with instructional days around Winter Break. 

 

ACCESS Testing - Monday, January 12

On Monday, January 12, all MLL students will take ACCESS, a state-required test that progress monitors students' English language acquisition. Students will receive an email to their @dpsk12.net accounts the week of January 5 with their testing room assignment. Students should arrive at GWHS no later than 8:30am with their fully-charged DPS-issued Chromebook and their charger. We'll order pizza for all testing students! There will be no school for students who do not take ACCESS. Questions? Ask your ELD teacher.

 

Course Catalog Available

Students, as this semester winds down we wanted to let you know that Choice of Studies for next year’s classes is right around the corner. You will choose your classes for the 2026-27 school year in January.

The updated course catalog, which provides information about all of the courses that we are offering as well as course descriptions, is now available on the GWHS website. We encourage you to take a look at this over winter break so that you can be prepared to make informed decisions about which classes you would like to take next year. To access the course catalog, go to the GWHS website, click on “Academics” and then go to the Choice of Studies Hub, where you will find the link to the catalog and other resources to help you navigate choice of studies this year.

Parents, please have conversations with your students about what courses are available for your students and help them choose courses they will enjoy and that will benefit them and their goals for the future.

Return Your Loaned Chromebook and Charger

Students, have you borrowed a loaner Chromebook or charger, besides the ones you checked out at the beginning of the year? If so, please return your loaner Chromebook or charger to Mr. Embleton in room 323 before Winter Break. Loaner Chromebooks that are not returned will be considered lost/missing/stolen and a $400 charge will be added to your MySchoolBucks account. Loaner chargers borrowed and not returned are $28, and will also be added to your MySchoolBucks account. Remember, this is only if you have borrowed a Chromebook and/or charger besides the ones you were issued at the beginning of the school year; please keep your regular Chromebook and charger until the end of the school year. Questions? Please see Mr. Embleton in room 323. 

 

Join Our Post-Finals Schoolwide Cleanup!

We invite you to be part of making our GWHS community cleaner, greener and more beautiful! Join us in Pikes Peak at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 17 to be part of our schoolwide clean up after final exams. Gloves and trash bags will be provided. Don't forget to dress warmly; we are excited to see you there! Click HERE for more info!

 

Yearbooks

Yearbooks are now available through March 20, 2026. Senior portraits and baby dedications are due no later than December 31, 2025. Please click HERE for ordering information.

 

Patriots' Snack'n Print Hours Through December

The Patriots' Snack 'n Print school store will be open its usual hours the week of Monday, December 8 through Friday, December 12. We will be closed during Finals Week. We will not be replenishing stock so that we can prepare for a three week shut down before the second semester. Please be understanding if we do not have the item you would like. 

Thank You, GWHS Community, For Your Colorado Gives Day Generosity!

We are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity shown by the GWHS community during Colorado Gives Day, and the entire giving period! Thanks to your enthusiastic support, we raised an impressive $36,861 (~74% to goal) through ColoradoGives.org! This outpouring of support is a testament to the dedication you have for our students and our school's mission.

Your donations make all the difference. We simply cannot accomplish the great things we do—from supporting essential programs and resources like the Food Pantry to funding vital teacher grants and After Prom activities—without the financial partnership of our community.

Missed Colorado Gives Day? There's still time to give! If you haven't yet contributed, or would like to add to your donation, there is still time to make a tax-deductible gift before the end of the calendar year! You can continue to support GWHS's students and programs through Wednesday, December 31 by clicking HERE. Thank you again for your commitment to GWHS!

 

GWHS Food Pantry Usage

The GWHS Food Pantry provides FREE food and hygiene items for students, faculty, and staff.

• When: Every Wednesday, 3:30pm

• Where: GWHS Sub Basement Room 003

• Bring: Your own reusable bags, if you have them

You will not be required to pay, put in volunteer hours, attend service, or participate in any type of program to receive food. The GWHS Food Pantry does not to engage in discrimination, in the provision of service against a person because of race, color, citizenship, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a protected veteran. All clients will be treated with the utmost respect and courtesy. Questions? Contact gwhs.food.pantry@gmail.com.

 

Spirit Wear

With holidays coming up far too quickly, don't forget to purchase your Patriots spirit wear! Click HERE to see all the amazing clothing and gear on offer. Show off your school pride!

 

Weekly Athletics Update

Patriots excel in the classroom and on the field! Click HERE to read our Weekly Athletics Update.

 

Featured Highlight!

GWHS is proud to announce we are eSports state champions - again! Our eSports team finished their 14-0 season with a 3-2 win over Rocky Mountain High School in their toughest match of the year. Please join us in congratulating players Taveon Williams, Trenton Williams, Gael Saldana-Roa and Lucas Newlove!