George Washington High School
In this issue:
Family/Teacher Conferences
Assessment - PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 9 and Accuplacer
Chronic Absenteeism
Your Voice/Tu Voz Survey
AP Exam Registration
Seniors - Colorado Free Application Days
Seniors - Panoramic Photo
Juniors and Seniors - Seal of Biliteracy Application
School Store and Coffee Bar Now Open
Monday and Friday Dress Days
Superintendent's Student Cabinet
The GWHS Food Pantry Needs Your Support
Weekly Athletics Update
Featured Highlight!
Family/Teacher Conferences
Family/Teacher Conferences will be held Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9 from 4:30 to 7:00pm. Parking will be available in both the North and South Lots. Teachers will be in their classrooms, ready to welcome you and answer any questions you may have. You can access your student’s schedule through Parent Portal. Maps of the building will be provided, and student ambassadors will be available to help guide you. If you require an interpreter, please visit the Pike's Peak Lobby, or have a student ambassador escort you to Pike's Peak Lobby to connect with an appropriate interpreter. Additionally, families are invited to complete the "Your Voice/Tu Voz" survey using laptops available in the North Lobby; your feedback is invaluable in helping us understand your school experience. We look forward to seeing you!
Assessment - PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 9 and Accuplacer
On Tuesday, October 15, all students in grades 10 and 11 will take the PSAT/NMSQT. There will be no school for students in grade 9 or grade 12. See the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide HERE.
On Wednesday, October 16, all students in grade 9 will take the PSAT 9. Additionally, all grade 12 students who need to demonstrate competency for graduation in English and/or math will take Accuplacer. There will be no school for students in grades 10 or 11, or students in grade 12 who have demonstrated competency for graduation. Grade 12 students, watch your DPS email for information, or speak with your counselor regarding competency. See the PSAT 9 Student Guide HERE.
All students will need to bring their DPS-issued Chromebook on their test day. Students, be sure your Chromebook charged before test day. If you do not have a DPS-issued Chromebook, visit Mr. Embleton in room 323. If you do not have a Chromebook charger, be sure to bring your Chromebook to Mr. Embleton in room 323 for charging at the charging station.
On Friday, October 4, all students received an email to their @dpsk12.net accounts with their testing room assignment and approximate end time. Students should plan to arrive no later than 8:30am on their testing day.
If you do not want your student to participate in assessments for the 2024-2025 school year, parents/guardians must complete an Assessment Participation Exemption Request through Parent Portal. Click HERE for more information about assessments and the opt-out process. Guides in ENGLISH and SPANISH are available.
Chronic Absenteeism
Any student who misses 10% (the equivalent of one to two days per month) or more of the time enrolled in school is considered chronically absent, as defined by state and federal policy. This includes both excused and unexcused absences, as well as suspensions, and also includes late arrivals and early pick-ups. Because absenteeism is calculated by the minute, some families recently received a DPS communication regarding their student's chronic absenteeism despite not having missed full days of school. Remember, every minute matters! Be sure your student is in school, on time, every day.
Your Voice/Tu Voz Survey
The Your Voice/Tu Voz Family Survey is now open! Complete the survey HERE before Friday, November 1. Review the FAQs HERE.
AP Exam Registration
AP students, as a reminder, if you are taking an AP exam in May 2025 you must pay for your AP exam(s) HERE. Each exam is $103; a $10 per exam late fee begins Friday, October 25 and all AP exams must be paid for by Friday, November 8. After you have paid for your AP exam(s), you must also place your exam order by joining your AP Classroom for each AP exam you plan to take. Questions? Click HERE for the AP exam registration process and some FAQs.
Seniors - Colorado Free Application Days
The Colorado Free Application Days campaign is an initiative designed to inspire more Coloradans to continue their education. From Tuesday, October 15 through Thursday, October 17, all 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado as well as several private institutions will waive their application fees, making it free for any Colorado student to submit an application. By waiving application fees—a common barrier to higher education—Colorado Free Application Days aims to improve access to further education and training, which is becoming increasingly critical in the state’s rapidly changing economy. Details can be found here. The DSF Future Center will be closed due to P/SAT testing on Tuesday, October 15 and Wednesday, October 16, but open all day for drop-in hours on Thursday, October 17.
Seniors - Panoramic Photo
Seniors, your Senior Class Panoramic Pictures will be taken Thursday, November 14 in the Gym. Remember - this is the ONLY time pictures will be taken of your whole Senior class, so don't miss out! All ordering is online; click HERE to order. Remember when ordering: all laminated photos come with a 5-year money-back guarantee, or order the "both" package with the formal and funny photos laminated and automatically save 20%! Click HERE to be entered into the contest! Questions? Email BestClassPicture@gmail.com.
Juniors and Seniors - Seal of Biliteracy Application
The DPS Seal of Biliteracy is an award for graduating high school students who prove proficiency in reading, speaking, listening, and writing in English as well as another language. It's a prestigious award that communicates to colleges and employers that you are biliterate. The Seal appears on your official transcript after graduation. Recipients also receive a sticker to affix to their diploma and an honorary cord to wear at graduation. Students may automatically earn the award by demonstrating additional language proficiency through World Language tests taken in high school, but by filling out the application HERE you specifically identify yourself to DPS as a candidate for the Seal of Biliteracy. Applications to earn the Seal in May 2025 are due Friday, November 1. Questions? Contact seal_of_biliteracy.groups@dpsk12.net.
School Store and Coffee Bar Now Open
The School Store and Coffee Bar items are available for delivery during our open hours, which are Mondays (periods 3 and 6), Tuesdays (period 2), Wednesdays (period 3), Thursdays (periods 2 and 6) and Fridays (periods 2, 3 and 6). Scan the QR code, fill out your items in the form with your name and room number, and your items will be delivered to your classroom during the period of your choice! Please be prepared to pay with credit card or ApplePay when your delivery arrives, and confirm before you order that your teacher allows deliveries. Click HERE for the form and QR code.
Monday and Friday Dress Days
Every Monday this school year, wear your gear that represents your post-high school plans! This can be anything from a college hoodie to a mechanic's worksuit - just be creative and represent your goals! Every Friday this school year, wear your greenest GWHS gear to show your Patriot pride!
Superintendent's Student Cabinet
The DPS Superintendent Cabinet is a collection of students from across district-run and charter schools that meet monthly. The Cabinet establishes youth/adult partnerships in district-level activism. The first Superintendent Cabinet meeting for the 2024-2025 school year will be Tuesday, October 22 from 5:00 to 7:00pm, in-person. If interested in participating, please complete this registration FORM by Friday, October 11. For more information, check out this FLYER.
The GWHS Food Pantry Needs Your Support
GWHS operates an on-site food bank to provide fresh food, staples, and toiletries to families and staff in need. Over the past year, we have seen a 400% increase in use of the Food Pantry. This service cannot survive without the generosity of our community. The best way to give is cash. It allows us to purchase bulk quantities from the Food Bank of the Rockies well below retail and wholesale prices stretching your donations further. There are four ways to donate:
Cash or check dropped off in the Main Office (please make checks out to Patriots Care, Inc.)
Give directly with your credit card at QGiv
Zelle to GWHS.Food.Pantry@gmail.com (please put "Food Pantry" in the memo)
Venmo to @GWPC-Be-Inspired (please put "Food Pantry" in the memo)
For those that prefer to donate in-kind, you can check out our Amazon Wishlist to see what our highest use items are. Any items purchased from the wishlist can be selected for Amazon delivery directly to GWHS or dropped in the Main Office. Finally, we are also looking for volunteers to help on a weekly basis to cover a range of tasks. If you have time to give, you can sign up HERE.
If you have questions or would you like more information, please reach out to gwhs.food.pantry@gmail.com.
Weekly Athletics Update
Patriots excel in the classroom and on the field! Click HERE to read our weekly Athletics Update.
Featured Highlight!
GWHS is extremely proud to announce that, in addition to its five National Merit Scholarship Program Semi-Finalists from the Class of 2025, we have seven Commended National Merit Scholarship Program students! Each year, about 34,000 students who scored in the top 2-4% of students who took the PSAT/NMSQT the previous October are selected as Commended students. Our Commended students are: Matthew Abrams, Owen Craig, Brian McHughs, Isabelle Sabo, Lindsay Sieja, Oakley Thomas and Adam Wang.
Students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in October of their junior year (for information regarding this year's administration, please see above). The 16,000 National Merit Semi-Finalists are the highest-scoring students in each state, representing less than one percent of each state's high school seniors.
October 8 - 9
Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:30 to 7:00pm)
October 10
Teacher Workday/No School for Students
October 11 - 14
Fall Break/No School
October 15
PSAT/NMSQT (grade 10 and 11 students; no school for students in grades 9 or 12)
October 16
PSAT 9 and Accuplacer (grade 9 and select grade 12 students; no school for students in grades 10 or 11)
October 17
Regular even-block schedule day
October 18
Odd-block schedule day