In this issue:

2026-2027 Early Bird Registration

Assessment - 2026 AP and IB Exam Schedule and Final Exams Schedule

2025-2026 Student Absences Policy and Procedures

Prom Requirements and Updates

Join Us for Spikefest

Summer School Registration

Student Opportunities List

Proctor an AP or IB Exam

Spring Arts Showcase

Annual GWHS Grow Club Plant Sale

Thank You for Showing Your GWHS Staff Some Love!

Volunteers Needed for Prom Setup

Volunteers Needed for After Prom

After Prom Donations: Help Make "Midnight Rodeo" a Success

GWHS Landscape Committee Update

GWHS Food Pantry Usage

Spirit Wear

Weekly Athletics Update

Click Here for This Week's Athletics Events

Click Here for GWHS's Bell Schedule

May 9

Prom

May 19

Last Day of Classes for Seniors (Required)

May 20 - 22

Spring 2026 Final Exams

May 21

Senior Checkout

May 25

Memorial Day/No School

May 26

Class of 2026 Graduation Exercises

May 27 - 28

Course Competency (by invitation only)

 

2026-2027 Early Bird Registration

Current GWHS families, get ready for online registration – save time by updating your student’s information for the 2026-2027 school year! By completing this process using your Parent Portal account, you can avoid paper forms and save time at the school during the fall return. To register online, primary legal guardians of current DPS students must have an active DPS Parent Portal account. Visit myportal.dpsk12.org to sign up, or to check that your account is active and ready before the window opens.

The “Early Bird” window is Monday, May 4 through Friday, May 22.

For more information on how to complete online registration, contact the Main Office or visit SchoolChoice for online registration guides. All SchoolChoice applicants must have an accepted seat before registering their student.  

 

Assessment - 2026 AP and IB Exam Schedule and Final Exams Schedule

Please review the 2026 AP and IB exam schedule HERE, and the final exams schedule HERE. There is a late start for period 4 and 5 final exams on Thursday, May 21; please note this change was made to accommodate Senior Checkout, and is different than previously announced. Please note we not allow requests to modify final exam dates, except in extreme cases (student hospitalization, etc.).

* Exam Conflicts: Students who have a direct conflict between an AP and IB exam need to contact our AP Coordinator, Najah McFarland, and our IB Coordinator, Mr. Hildner, in room 112 as soon as possible.

* Exam Attendance Policy: After a student in grade 11 or grade 12 takes an AP or IB exam, they are no longer required to attend any remaining scheduled classes for the course in which they tested. Grade 11 and grade 12 students who do not take the AP or IB exam in their course must continue to attend scheduled classes and take a course final exam. Grade 9 and grade 10 students, regardless of whether they take their AP or IB exam, must continue to attend scheduled classes for every course. Earning honors-weight credit for that course is contingent on completion of a final exam. All students who are taking an AP or IB exam will be excused from all of their classes on the day of their exam (attendance is at students' discretion, should they choose to use the excused time to attend class for academic reasons). Students who are not testing must attend all their classes that day. 

* AP Students - Required Exam Materials: you MUST bring your fully-charged DPS-issued Chromebook with you on your AP exam day(s). Additionally, you MUST bring a sticky note with your College Board username and password on test day to access your exam through the Bluebook testing app. Be sure to practice logging in to your College Board account before test day to resolve any potential issues beforehand. Students without a Chromebook and/or a working College Board username and password may not be able to test.

 

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.

Prom Requirements and Updates

If you are attending Prom, there is a Prom Attendance Form that must be completed in order to receive your ticket. Students will not be permitted into Prom without a physical ticket, and tickets will not be permitted without this form being completed showing you have met ALL of the requirements to attend. This form will be available after Spring Break. Copies can be found in the main office, Schoology, and HERE. 

Requirements to attend Prom:

** Attended mandatory class meeting

** Attend your primary test day for CMAS Science (grade 11 on Wednesday, April 8) and SAT (grade 11 on Monday, April 13), or PSAT 10 (grade 10 students invited to Prom on Tuesday, April 14)

** Meeting the 90% attendance rate beginning March 3

** Completed all years of ICAP in Student Portal

** Completed credit recovery courses (if applicable)

** Passing all spring semester courses as of May 4 (no exceptions or refunds on tickets)

** Fees have been paid in full

** Students must provide Prom ticket proof of purchase voucher from MySchoolBucks

Prom will be at the Denver Aquarium inside the ballroom near the lounge from 7:00 to 11:00pm (doors close at 9:00pm and there is no re-entry). Students will have access to the entire aquarium until 10:00pm. Prom attendees will be given a specific wristband upon entry; only those with that wristband will be admitted into the ballroom or allowed in the building after hours. Violation of this may result in a trespassing ticket. Parking is free with the parking code located on your ticket. Guest forms for GWHS students in grade 10 or guests outside of GWHS will be available after Spring Break and are due no later than Wednesday, May 6 by 2:30pm. Copies can be found in the main office, Schoology, and HERE. 

Denver Aquarium is offering a special discounted meal for Prom attendees, see the menu HERE. 

GHWS understands some students may have faced challenges that impact their ability to meet the established Prom eligibility requirements. While these expectations are in place to support student accountability and success, GHWS offers an appeal process for students with extenuating circumstances. Please carefully read and complete this FORM (also available on the GWHS website) if you need to appeal your Prom eligibility.

 

Join Us for Spikefest

Wrap up the school year with some sun, music, and competition! On Saturday, May 23 GWHS Volleyball is hosting a grass tournament open to all GWHS students, alumni, and friends from other schools. Whether you're playing for gold or just the vibes, it’s going to be a great day.

The details:
Teams: Co-ed foursomes (at least 2 girls per team).
Cost: $60 per team ($15 per person).
Perks: Pay on game day and get official team t-shirts.

Practice sessions:
Need to sharpen your skills or convince a few more friends to sign up? Every Friday leading up to the tournament, we’ll be out in the fields off of Virginia Ave from 4:00 to 6:00pm. Come hang out, get some touches in, and find your rhythm before game day.

Register your team by Tuesday, May 19 by clicking HERE and scanning the QR code. Questions? Contact Hannah Erwin at gwvolleyballcoach@gmail.com. 

 

Student Opportunities List

Students, be sure to check this LIST regularly to discover some of the great opportunities available to you! These opportunities may include summer programs, scholarships, internships and much more. Participating in programs like these can help you build skills, explore careers, strengthen your college applications, and earn money or scholarships. Check back often as new opportunities are added throughout the year!

Proctor an AP or IB Exam

GWHS has over 600 students taking AP and IB exams from Tuesday, April 28 through Friday, May 22, and we need your help with proctoring! Sign up HERE to proctor an AP or IB exam. You may select any exam your student is NOT taking. Proctor training is easy, and your support is deeply appreciated! 

 

Spring Arts Showcase

Join us for the GWHS Spring Arts Showcase to celebrate learning and excellence in arts classes this semester! This year's Showcase will be held Tuesday, May 12, starting with the Art Show in Pikes Peak Lobby at 6:00pm, followed by the Spring Music Concert at 6:30pm. Click HERE for more information.

 

Annual GWHS Grow Club Plant Sale

GWHS Grow Club students have been growing gorgeous veggie seedlings in the newly refurbished GWHS greenhouse, and they are now available for pre-sale. Please use this FORM to order your plants, and order quickly before items sell out! Plant pick-up is this week after school in the GWHS Greenhouse. Questions? Contact Lisa at lemerson8@msn.com.

 

Thank You for Showing Your GWHS Staff Some Love!

Thank you for your thoughtful donations for teacher/staff appreciation week! Through your generosity, we raised $2,430. With our matching gift, this became just under $5,000. This money will have a massive impact on making our GWHS teachers and staff feel valued and celebrated for the incredible work they do, every day. We also received a lunch donation and that will also have a large impact. Because of your kindness, we are able to recognize and uplift the educators who dedicate their time, energy and passion to shaping our children. We are sincerely grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity. 

 

Volunteers Needed for Prom Setup

Please volunteer to help set up for Prom on Saturday, May 9 at the Denver Aquarium beginning at 5:00pm. If you are interested in helping, please email Ms. Kristi at kristi_paukstis@dpsk12.net. 

 

Volunteers Needed for After Prom

Saddle up, GWHS! The After Prom "Midnight Rodeo" is coming to town Saturday, May 9, and we need your help to make it a legendary ride. This party is a FREE ticket to an unforgettable night for our students, but we can’t pull it off without our volunteer crew.

We’re looking for help during the day and night on Saturday, May 9, and for clean-up on the morning of Sunday, May 10. No experience? No problem! Underclassmen parents: This is the perfect "sneak peek" at the fun your kids will have as juniors and seniors. Double the fun: Sign up for one shift or multiple - and bring a friend! Sign up HERE - your help is greatly appreciated!

 

After Prom Donations: Help Make "Midnight Rodeo" a Success

To make this year's After Prom an unforgettable night for our students, we need your help! We are currently collecting donations for our "Midnight Rodeo" event on Saturday, May 9 and are looking for the following:

** Gift Cards: We are seeking $5–$15 gift cards to local favorites (coffee shops, fast food, etc.) to use as prizes throughout the night.

** Snacks: We need a variety of refreshments to keep the energy high.

** "Buy a Share" Items: Check the sign-up for opportunities to contribute toward larger event essentials.

Whether you can drop off a gift card, a box of snacks, or "buy a share" of a larger item, every contribution helps create a fantastic experience for the kids. Sign up to donate HERE. 

 

GWHS Landscape Committee Update

A huge thank you to everyone who came out for GO GREEN DAY! Your energy, hard work, and teamwork transformed our campus. Special thanks to student volunteers, parents, staff, and community partners for planting six trees, mulching, and lending a hand (and for sharing the pizza!). We’re grateful for your support in making GWHS greener. 

Questions about next year? Want to join or simply help? Contact Barb DeSarro at bwdesarro@hotmail.com.

 

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

Don't forget to purchase your Patriots spirit wear for the spring sports season! 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.