GWUOHS Parent Newsletter May 2017

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings GWUOHS Parents, Learning Coaches, and Families,

As summer is quickly approaching, the GWUOHS staff has been busy planning some exciting events over the next few months.  I wanted to highlight some of these “happenings” for all of you, since I know you are also preparing for your summer:

Graduation preparations are under-way, and we are so excited to welcome our graduating class and families on GWU’s Foggy Bottom campus.  In addition to the commencement ceremony, we have activities planned for our students, including our Capstone Presentations and community-service events in Washington, DC.  For more information on graduation weekend, please access the announcements on your landing page or contact me at amistretta@gwuohs.com.

The GWUOHS staff also has been designing a variety of Summer Academies to keep students engaged in learning throughout the summer.  These fun workshops will cover many facets for academic growth, including sessions for science/math, Advanced Prep, college-prep, academic success, and liberal arts.  For complete information, please visit https://www.k12courses.com/ (go to “Supplementary” and then “Online Summer Academies).  Feel free to refer any interested friends or family members, too!

And, finally, please don’t forget about our current re-enrollment promotions, which will be occurring through the end of June.  We would like nothing more than for you to join us for another exciting and fulfilling school year.

Here’s to the start of a wonderful summer!

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

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College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

It is hard to believe we are so close to the end of the semester! Good luck to all as you wrap up!

The last Journeys classes for the semester will be the week of June 5^th! We will review items covered this term, and talk about summer plans!

Seniors/Senior Parents! If you student has not yet updated me on their postsecondary plans, please have them do so ASAP!

Graduation Items:

Please be sure to RSVP for Graduation by June 9^th!

Capstone Day will be June 23^rd at GWU’s Foggy Bottom Campus

Graduation will be June 24^th at GWU’s Foggy Bottom Campus

Don’t forget your Caps/Gowns/Tassles!

Our Seniors are going Places! Some have elected to take a gap year, many will be attending college this fall! Some of the schools our seniors are planning to attend: Penn State University, Pace University, University of Washington, University of California-Berkeley, New York University, University of Maryland-College Park, Rochester Institute of Technology, and many more!

As of May, our seniors have earned more than $2.8 million in scholarships!

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News and Announcements

 GWUOHS Graduation Reminders

Seniors–please be sure to RSVP to the e-vite, which you should have received via e-mail, if you plan on attending graduation. Please respond no later than June 9th, as we are working to pin down our final numbers for graduation attendance.

Introducing Our 2017 Graduation Speaker…
Vendela Dente

I’m Vendela Dente. I have been doing online schooling for all my four years of high school. I started GWUOHS in sophomore year because I needed more of a challenge.  At GWUOHS, I have been able to explore my interests. I have taken an average of 8 classes per semester – with an extra year of Math and Spanish. I am a part of the school newspaper “YAWP”, and  the Medical Team. I am an editor at the Writing Center, and I am the NHS President.  Given the flexibility that was granted through online schooling, I have been able to travel the world with my dad for his business, volunteer weekly at the Red Cross, and take classes at my local state university to further my interests and develop a sense of self before I leave home for college.  For my next four years, I plan on studying International Political Economy in the 3-3 law program at Fordham University on the Loyola Scholarship and the full grant.

Re-Enrollment for 2017-18

If you have not yet made our enrollment team or your student’s advisor aware of your intention to re-enroll for next year, please do so! Through June 30, 2017, re-enrolling families are eligible for $500 off tuition. Please contact your student’s advisor for details.

 GWUOHS Annual Virtual Science Fair
Whitney Keatonž

The students in honors science courses have been working on science fair projects all semester.  These projects will be turned into 5 minute presentations that will be sent to judges during the week of June 19th.  An Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, June 22^nd (time TBA) to announce the winners and the whole school will be invited to attend.  We are excited to see all the interesting projects that our students have been working on!

GWU Medical School Field Trip
Whitney Keaton

On Friday April 28^th, 13 of our students and many parents, along with Mrs. Keaton and Mrs. Mistretta gathered for a field trip in Washington DC.  The group toured the GWU Medical School, had lunch and enjoyed some time at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. A great time was had by all!

GWUOHS Yearbook
Joseph Chernich

The Yearbook Club has sent final yearbooks out for publication and delivery.  If you would like to order one for $10, you can place a late order at www.treering.com/validate  and enter the Private School code: 1013476472804867.  Have a great summer and snap some photos to share next year! If you are interested in being in the club, or in the open Editor-in-Chief position, please reach out to Dr. Chernich.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit http://tinyurl.com/K12TestPrepProgram or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

GWUOHS Marketing

As we work to keep our school community vibrant and growing, GWUOHS is always looking for any ideas that may help us better market our school to prospective students and parents. If you have any suggestions (or would like to contribute to our marketing efforts), don’t hesitate to reach out to our marketing team at gwuohsmarketing@k12.com.

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2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

Learn2Serve Service Project
Angela Anderson

GWUOHS’s Learn2Serve club will be participating in an upcoming service project on Thursday, June 22nd in Washington, DC. This project is open to all GWUOHS students. Learn2Serve members will be serving lunch to those in need, as well as working in the gardens for KidPower DC, a nonprofit which provides after-school tutoring and activities for students in the DC area. Please contact Dr. Anderson at aanderson@gwuohs.com if you are interested!

GWUOHS Summer Academies

GWUOHS provides a variety of academies to keep students engaged throughout the summer. These academies are taught by our own GWUOHS staff and offered to current and newly-enrolled students. The workshops cover many facets for academic growth, including sessions for science/math, Advanced Prep, college-prep, academic success, and liberal arts. Please see below for the Summer Academy sessions that we plan to offer, and reach out to your advisor with any questions or if you are interested in participating!

Science and Math

• GWUOHS Summer STEM Academy
  • Dates: July 24-28 (5 days – virtual)
• Learning Physics with Rockets Academy
  • Dates: August 7-11 (5 days – virtual)
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Math Students Academy
  • Dates: August 21-25 (5 days – virtual)
• AP Math and Science Prep Academy
  • Dates: August 28-September 1 (5 days – virtual)

Academic Success

• Getting Started: Keys to Success for the Online Learner
  • Dates: August 30-September 1 (3 days – virtual)

Leadership

• Foundations of Leadership – Examining Your Leadership Style
  • Dates:  July 31-August 2 (3 days – virtual)

Liberal Arts

• Today’s Social Media and Its Impact
  • Dates: August 9-11 (3 days – virtual)

College Preparation

• Writing College-Admissions Essays Academy
  • Dates:  August 14-18 (5 days – virtual)

Partnering with GWU

• GWU Summer Immersion
  • Dates: Various
    
  • Grades: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
    
  • Description: Summer Immersion is a full-day, rigorous, noncredit program for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors at GWU’s Washington, DC, campus. Participants enroll in two-week programs that integrate lectures with guest speakers, experiential and applied activities. Students expand and deepen their knowledge of a topic through collaborative learning and an exploration of the diverse intellectual and cultural resources of Washington, DC (for more information, visit: https://summer.gwu.edu/summer-immersion).

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GWU Corner

During the 2016-17 school year, GWUOHS staff have been finding ways to incorporate GWU events and resources into their courses.  This is to recognize the essential partnership we have with The George Washington University, and provide opportunities for students to engage in in-person events relevant to their learning.  Some activities that have been included in our own GWUOHS courses consist of:

• Incorporating recordings from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health’s YouTube channel into our high-school science classes.
• Providing students information on relevant webinars offered by the GWU Lecture Series.
• Coordinating a GWU Med School tour.
• Distributing information regarding “Future-Careers Day,” which is coordinated by GWU’s Medical School.
• Discussing with students pertinent information regarding GWU’s Young Scholars Program for future mathematicians and engineers.
• Sharing worthwhile and relevant events that are taking place on GWU’s campuses (from debates to films and more).

We look forward to incorporating more events and resources into our own school community to continue to strengthen our partnership with The George Washington University!

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Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

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The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter April 2017

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings GWUOHS Parents, Learning Coaches, and Families,

As we officially enter our re-enrollment season, I want to thank you for the confidence and support you have demonstrated toward GWUOHS over this past school year.  You have been an integral part in the continued efforts to make our school the best it can be.

With the support of the dedicated GWUOHS staff and learning coaches, our students have exceeded our expectations this school year, inside and out of the classroom.  Our passing rates and engagement-levels continue to be impressive; our students are actively involved as leaders in our clubs and activities; many have inspired us with the impact they made on individuals in need via service-learning events;  and we have had numerous students publicly acknowledged for their amazing extracurricular work.  Also, our seniors’ acceptance rates at major colleges and universities continue to be outstanding, as well as the impressive scholarships that are being offered to our 2017 graduates.  I feel all of these successes are reflective of the incredible community we have built – together.

We could not value our current students more, as they form an experienced base for our school, serving as “leaders” and role-models to the new students who will join us in the Fall. In addition, we value you, our returning families, as you contribute to the ever-growing sense of community at our school.  I sincerely hope that you will join us for another exciting and fulfilling school year.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

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College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

It’s hard to believe we are so close to the end of the school year! We still have a lot of great topics upcoming in Journeys!

• The Transition to High School
• Financial Aid
• High School Portfolio
• Understanding EA, ED, RD
• Common Application
• Internet Safety
• And many, many more! 

Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information! 

Notes about Capstone:

Please remind your students that Capstone assignments are NOT subject to rolling deadlines. Due Dates are firm.

All remaining Capstone assignments are due on MAY 17^th.

Virtual Capstone Presentations will run between May 26th-June 2^nd. Please have your student sign up for a date and time if they have not done so already.
All seniors are required to present their capstone virtually.

Postsecondary Plans and Scholarships!!

Kudos to Our Seniors!! Several have already confirmed their postsecondary plans! Some of the colleges are students will attend are:

Rochester Institute of Technology, Penn State University, Marymount University, University of Washington, UC Berkeley, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, Concordia University, Fordham University, Pace University, New York University, Towson University, University of Michigan, and more!

As of April, our Seniors have surpassed 2.5M in scholarships! Way to Go!

Graduation Weekend (GWU Foggy Bottom Campus)

Evites have been sent, please RVSP by June 9^th.

June 23^rd Capstone Day

June 24^th Commencement Ceremony

Please order your cap/gown/tassel from the Jostens website. The link should be available on or before May 1^st. If you have any issues with your order, please contact our Registrar: gwuohsregistrar@k12.com

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News and Announcements

 GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

GWUOHS In the News

• GWUOHS student Nicholas Robertson was recently drafted in the 1^st round of the OHL Hockey Draft! Please join us in recognizing his accomplishment and hard work.
  • http://tinyurl.com/NRobertsonOHL

Fall 2017 Course Selection

Believe it or not, it is already time to begin making course selections for the upcoming Fall 2017 semester. Over the next few weeks, your advisor will be speaking with you about your course selections, and will also provide the 2017-18 course catalog and course listing for the fall. The plan is for us to have all fall courses finalized by Tuesday, May 23rd. You may reach out to your advisor with any questions you may have regarding course selection for the fall term.

 GWUOHS Annual Virtual Science Fair
Whitney Keaton

ž  This spring, all honors science students will be completing modified honors projects that will be entered into a Virtual Science Fair.ž These projects will allow students to research and design an experiment (or invention) that they are interested in. A presentation will be created at the end of the project to be entered into the fair. We will be using judges from all fields of science to judge the projects in various categories.

ž  The judging will take place during the week after projects are due followed by an awards ceremony.

ž  Dates:

›      Final Projects – due 6/16
›      Judging – 6/19-6/21
›      Awards Ceremony – 6/22

• If you are not in honors science, but are interested in participating, contact Mrs. Keaton ASAP!
• Parents – if you are in the science field and are interested in judging, please contact Mrs. Keaton!

GWUOHS Yearbook
Joseph Chernich

We’re really excited about this year’s George Washington University Online H.S. yearbook. Why? Because you can add your own photos and memories to your personalized copy. All you have to do is create a free account with TreeRing.

TreeRing is a yearbook publisher that is focused on helping students and parents preserve their memories as much as it’s focused on helping schools preserve their history. So, the yearbooks have a more personal touch.

Your book includes two, free pages for you to personalize with your own photos and memories. The personal pages are totally optional, so if you just want the more traditional yearbook, that’s okay, too.

Whichever you choose, you can click here to purchase a yearbook for $9.99.

If you are going to use the personal pages, please have them done and buy your copy of the yearbook by May 6, 2017.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit http://tinyurl.com/K12TestPrepProgram or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

GWUOHS Marketing

As we work to keep our school community vibrant and growing, GWUOHS is always looking for any ideas that may help us better market our school to prospective students and parents. If you have any suggestions (or would like to contribute to our marketing efforts), don’t hesitate to reach out to our marketing team at gwuohsmarketing@k12.com.

---

2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

Learn2Serve Service Project
Angela Anderson

GWUOHS’s Learn2Serve club will be participating in an upcoming service project on Thursday, June 22nd in Washington, DC. This project is open to all GWUOHS students. Learn2Serve members will be serving lunch to those in need, as well as working in the gardens for KidPower DC, a nonprofit which provides after-school tutoring and activities for students in the DC area. Please contact Dr. Anderson at aanderson@gwuohs.com if you are interested!

GWUOHS Summer Academies

GWUOHS provides a variety of academies to keep students engaged throughout the summer. These academies are taught by our own GWUOHS staff and offered to current and newly-enrolled students. The workshops cover many facets for academic growth, including sessions for science/math, Advanced Prep, college-prep, academic success, and liberal arts. Please see below for the Summer Academy sessions that we plan to offer, and reach out to your advisor with any questions or if you are interested in participating!

Science and Math

• GWUOHS Summer STEM Academy
  • Dates: July 24-28 (5 days – virtual)
• Learning Physics with Rockets Academy
  • Dates: August 7-11 (5 days – virtual)
• Seven Habits of Highly Effective Math Students Academy
  • Dates: August 21-25 (5 days – virtual)
• AP Math and Science Prep Academy
  • Dates: August 28-September 1 (5 days – virtual)

Academic Success

• Getting Started: Keys to Success for the Online Learner
  • Dates: August 30-September 1 (3 days – virtual)

Leadership

• Foundations of Leadership – Examining Your Leadership Style
  • Dates:  July 31-August 2 (3 days – virtual)

Liberal Arts

• Today’s Social Media and Its Impact
  • Dates: August 9-11 (3 days – virtual)

College Preparation

• Writing College-Admissions Essays Academy
  • Dates:  August 14-18 (5 days – virtual)

Partnering with GWU

• GWU Summer Immersion
  • Dates: Various
    
  • Grades: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders
    
  • Description: Summer Immersion is a full-day, rigorous, noncredit program for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors at GWU’s Washington, DC, campus. Participants enroll in two-week programs that integrate lectures with guest speakers, experiential and applied activities. Students expand and deepen their knowledge of a topic through collaborative learning and an exploration of the diverse intellectual and cultural resources of Washington, DC (for more information, visit: https://summer.gwu.edu/summer-immersion).

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GWU Corner

During the 2016-17 school year, GWUOHS staff have been finding ways to incorporate GWU events and resources into their courses.  This is to recognize the essential partnership we have with The George Washington University, and provide opportunities for students to engage in in-person events relevant to their learning.  Some activities that have been included in our own GWUOHS courses consist of:

• Incorporating recordings from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health’s YouTube channel into our high-school science classes.
• Providing students information on relevant webinars offered by the GWU Lecture Series.
• Coordinating a GWU Med School tour.
• Distributing information regarding “Future-Careers Day,” which is coordinated by GWU’s Medical School.
• Discussing with students pertinent information regarding GWU’s Young Scholars Program for future mathematicians and engineers.
• Sharing worthwhile and relevant events that are taking place on GWU’s campuses (from debates to films and more).

We look forward to incorporating more events and resources into our own school community to continue to strengthen our partnership with The George Washington University!

---

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

---

The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter March 2017

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings GWUOHS Parents, Learning Coaches, and Families!

I want to start by saying “thank you.”  Over the past month, the enthusiastic support of the GWUOHS parents has been astounding and such a motivational force to our school, students, staff, and me.

We reached out to our parent community to ask for help with our Speaker Series, which are sessions for our students regarding different college and career paths.  Many of you immediately and willingly volunteered your own time to speak with our students.  This led to incredibly worthwhile presentations, which covered the military, medicine, and education fields.  Each of our presenters discussed their impressive careers and backgrounds; and, they also included motivational life lessons, which inspired us all.  A huge thank you to all of our speakers for sharing your stories with us – I am confident that you made a lasting impression on our students and community.

Also, many of you have taken the time to share your ideas on how we can increase our visibility with potential families.  This has led to productive discussions filled with creative strategies and a dedication to grow our school.  You want other families to experience this incredible premiere program, and your contributions will help us in spreading the word to those families.  I encourage all parents to reach out to me to continue these school-growth conversations (amistretta@k12.com) – I welcome all of your ideas.

Once again, thank you for your support, dedication, and commitment to our students and school.  GWUOHS would not be the extraordinary program that it is without you.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

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College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Hope all of you are enjoying your Spring semester so far!

Spring Journeys focuses on many great topics!

• Time Management
• Financial Aid
• Friendships
• Choosing a College
• Respect
• Internet Safety
• And many, many more!

We have also been doing a series of units on the College Essay in 11^th grade, and Service/Volunteering in 10^th!

 Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

 Notes about Capstone/Graduation:

Parents-please remind your students that Capstone assignments are NOT subject to rolling deadlines. Due Dates are firm.

Graduation information will start being detailed in April and May

College Acceptances and Scholarships!!

Kudos to Our Seniors!! Several have already been accepted into college! Some of the acceptances received so far: Pace University, Siena College, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, New York University, George Mason University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Miami University-Oxford, Radford University, George Washington University, University of Connecticut, New York Institute of Technology, and more!

As of March, our Seniors have surpassed 1.8M in scholarships! Way to Go!

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

So far, we have been fortunate to have had UC Berkeley, GWU, University of Arizona, St Mary’s College of Maryland, and Virginia Tech present for our students. We may have one or two more before the close of the semester, so keep your eye out!

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News and Announcements

Please Welcome Finley Elizabeth Coyle!

Our Associate Head of School, Maria Coyle, and all of us here at GWUOHS, are happy to welcome her daughter Finley, who made her debut at 7 a.m., Tuesday, March 14th. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Coyle and her family on their new arrival!

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

GWUOHS In the News

• GWUOHS student Andrew Putt was recently featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and South Hills-Mon Valley Messenger, spotlighting his career as a professional MotoTrials rider:
  • http://tinyurl.com/APuttPostGazette
  • http://tinyurl.com/APuttMessenger
• GWUOHS student Sophia Handel was recently featured in The Baltimore Times, which highlights her gymnastics career and the ways in which she’s balanced this with her online schooling:
  • http://tinyurl.com/SHandelBaltimoreTimes
• GWUOHS student Annabel Annunziata was featured on the K12 Blog, showcasing her recently-launched online beauty site, Beauty at its Finest:
  • http://tinyurl.com/AAnnunziataK12Blog

NHS/NJHS DC Service Learning Trip

Last month, a group of GWUOHS students in our National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society traveled to Washington, DC to participate in our annual service learning trip. This year, we worked with Bread for the City, an organization which provides food and clothing to the needy. Please see the following link for our video feature on this event: http://tinyurl.com/DCServiceLearning.

GWUOHS Marketing

As we work to keep our school community vibrant and growing, GWUOHS is always looking for any ideas that may help us better market our school to prospective students and parents. If you have any suggestions (or would like to contribute to our marketing efforts), don’t hesitate to reach out to our marketing team at gwuohsmarketing@k12.com.

GWUOHS Annual Virtual Science Fair
Whitney Keaton

ž  This spring, all honors science students will be completing modified honors projects that will be entered into a Virtual Science Fair.ž These projects will allow students to research and design an experiment (or invention) that they are interested in. A presentation will be created at the end of the project to be entered into the fair. We will be using judges from all fields of science to judge the projects in various categories.

ž  The judging will take place during the week after projects are due followed by an awards ceremony.

ž  Dates:

›      Final Projects – due 6/16
›      Judging – 6/19-6/21
›      Awards Ceremony – 6/22

• If you are not in honors science, but are interested in participating, contact Mrs. Keaton ASAP!
• Parents – if you are in the science field and are interested in judging, please contact Mrs. Keaton!

Yearbook Club
Joseph Chernich

The Yearbook needs photos of you!  Please send in an individual picture of yourself.

We also want to see you out in the world doing the things you enjoy: sports, theater, hiking, field trips, picture with your pets… We want to see you doing the activities you love.  We are also collecting photos of artwork and poetry.  And if you want to help edit, join the club!  All submissions are due May 1st.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit http://tinyurl.com/K12TestPrepProgram or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

SAT Test Date	SAT Prep Session
May 6, 2017	Mar 20-Apr 28
Jun 3, 2017	Apr 17-May 26

ACT Test Date	ACT Prep Session
Jun 10, 2017	Apr 24-Jun 2

 

---

2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

 

---

GWU Corner

During the 2016-17 school year, GWUOHS staff have been finding ways to incorporate GWU events and resources into their courses.  This is to recognize the essential partnership we have with The George Washington University, and provide opportunities for students to engage in in-person events relevant to their learning.  Some activities that have been included in our own GWUOHS courses consist of:

• Incorporating recordings from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health’s YouTube channel into our high-school science classes.
• Providing students information on relevant webinars offered by the GWU Lecture Series.
• Coordinating a GWU Med School tour.
• Distributing information regarding “Future-Careers Day,” which is coordinated by GWU’s Medical School.
• Discussing with students pertinent information regarding GWU’s Young Scholars Program for future mathematicians and engineers.
• Sharing worthwhile and relevant events that are taking place on GWU’s campuses (from debates to films and more).

We look forward to incorporating more events and resources into our own school community to continue to strengthen our partnership with The George Washington University!

---

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

---

The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter February 2017

A Message From Our Head of School

Dear GWUOHS Parents and Learning Coaches,

We have officially (and successfully!) completed our Fall Semester.  I could not be more proud of the accomplishments of our students in just a few short months.  From the astounding scholarships that our Seniors are receiving to the outstanding student performance in Fall classes – our students are exceeding so many expectations.

As we discussed in our Spring All-School Assembly, we will continue to strive to do even bigger and better this upcoming semester.  We know our students will remain determined for that continued excellence in their studies.  So, we encourage them to use that determination to become as active as they can in our school community.  They can join one (or more) of our many clubs, where they can collaborate and socialize with their peers.  They can become a leader in those clubs, helping to shape our GWUOHS community.  They can attend one of our activities – from All-School Assemblies to admissions sessions, NHS-sponsored school activities, and more – students will not only benefit from these sessions educationally, but also personally.  We want nothing more than to have our students benefit from all of the unique aspects of GWUOHS – academically, personally, and socially.

We appreciate your help with getting your child involved – you can check out all of our clubs and community events in your student’s homeroom.  As always, if you have any suggestions or ideas on these (and potential) offerings, you are always welcome to contact me: amistretta@k12.com.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

---

College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Welcome, or Welcome Back for Spring Semester!

Spring Journeys focuses on many great topics!

• Time Management
• Financial Aid
• Friendships
• College Essay
• Career Exploration
• Volunteerism
• And many, many more!

 Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

College Acceptances and Scholarships!!

Kudos to Our Seniors!! Several have already been accepted into college! Some of the acceptances received so far: Pace University, Siena College, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, New York University, George Mason University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Miami University-Oxford, New York Institute of Technology, and more!

As of February, our Seniors are already approaching 1.5M in scholarships! Way to Go!

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

So far, we have been fortunate to have had UC Berkeley, GWU, Drexel, and the University of Arizona present. Our next upcoming will be St. Mary’s  College of Maryland, February 10^th at 2 PM EST, followed by Virginia Tech on March 10^th at 2 PM EST.

---

News and Announcements

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

GWUOHS In the News

• GWUOHS student Andrew Putt was recently featured in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, spotlighting his career as a professional MotoTrials rider: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/other-sports/2017/02/10/McMurray-native-is-no-easy-rider/stories/201702100016
• GWUOHS student Sam Faulkner was recently featured in our K12 blog. Sam was featured in NBC’s recent production of Hairspray Live! – http://blog.k12.com/student-success/gwuohs-senior-is-destined-for-broadway/#.WH-3adwrKUk
• GWUOHS Alumni Sarah Hesterman was recently featured in two publications, which note her accomplishments as a youth advocate for gender equality:
  • Ms. Magazine’s blog – http://msmagazine.com/blog/2017/01/09/youth-advocate-post/
  • Girl Talk HQ – http://girltalkhq.com/college-freshman-joins-un-program-to-champion-the-economic-empowerment-of-women/
• GWUOHS has also recently been given accolades at HomeschoolBase.com:
  • TOP 10 Award: https://homeschoolbase.com/best-online-schools-academies/
  • TOP 100 Honor: https://homeschoolbase.com/100-best-educational-websites-2017/

GWUOHS Marketing

As we work to keep our school community vibrant and growing, GWUOHS is always looking for any ideas that may help us better market our school to prospective students and parents. If you have any suggestions (or would like to contribute to our marketing efforts), don’t hesitate to reach out to our marketing team at gwuohsmarketing@k12.com.

GWUOHS Annual Virtual Science Fair
Whitney Keaton

ž  This spring, all honors science students will be completing modified honors projects that will be entered into a Virtual Science Fair.ž These projects will allow students to research and design an experiment (or invention) that they are interested in. A presentation will be created at the end of the project to be entered into the fair. We will be using judges from all fields of science to judge the projects in various categories.

ž  The judging will take place during the week after projects are due followed by an awards ceremony.

ž  Dates:

›      Final Projects – due 6/16
›      Judging – 6/19-6/21
›      Awards Ceremony – 6/22

• If you are not in honors science, but are interested in participating, contact Mrs. Keaton ASAP!
• Parents – if you are in the science field and are interested in judging, please contact Mrs. Keaton!

Yearbook Club
Joseph Chernich

The Yearbook needs photos of you!  Please send in an individual picture of yourself.

We also want to see you out in the world doing the things you enjoy: sports, theater, hiking, field trips, picture with your pets… We want to see you doing the activities you love.  We are also collecting photos of artwork and poetry.  And if you want to help edit, join the club!  All submissions are due May 1st.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit https://www.k12courses.com/supplementary/test-prep-and-college-counseling.html or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

SAT Test Date	SAT Prep Session
Mar 11, 2017	Jan 23-May 3
May 6, 2017	Mar 20-Apr 28
Jun 3, 2017	Apr 17-May 26

ACT Test Date	ACT Prep Session
Apr 8, 2017	Feb 20-Mar 31
Jun 10, 2017	Apr 24-Jun 2

 

---

2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

 

---

GWU Corner

During the 2016-17 school year, GWUOHS staff have been finding ways to incorporate GWU events and resources into their courses.  This is to recognize the essential partnership we have with The George Washington University, and provide opportunities for students to engage in in-person events relevant to their learning.  Some activities that have been included in our own GWUOHS courses consist of:

• Incorporating recordings from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health’s YouTube channel into our high-school science classes.
• Providing students information on relevant webinars offered by the GWU Lecture Series.
• Coordinating a GWU Med School tour.
• Distributing information regarding “Future-Careers Day,” which is coordinated by GWU’s Medical School.
• Discussing with students pertinent information regarding GWU’s Young Scholars Program for future mathematicians and engineers.
• Sharing worthwhile and relevant events that are taking place on GWU’s campuses (from debates to films and more).

We look forward to incorporating more events and resources into our own school community to continue to strengthen our partnership with The George Washington University!

---

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

---

The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter January 2017

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings GWUOHS Parents and Learning Coaches,

Happy New Year!

As we know, the incorporation of service-learning activities is one aspect that sets our school and students apart from others.  I am always so impressed with the drive of our students, families, and staff to make our world a better place.

One example of this drive and determination is the recent service-learning trip in which our Learn2Serve club members and sponsor recently participated.  In December, they traveled to New York City; and in just a few short days, they helped countless individuals in need.  From collecting donations to buy and wrap presents for homeless children, to assisting at a food pantry that helps fight hunger – this group went above and beyond in making a difference in so many lives.  We could not be more proud.  Thank you to our Learn2Serve sponsor (Dr. Angela Anderson), our club members, as well as all of you who donated funds/toys.  You truly are making a difference.

And, coming up will be our National Honor Society’s trip to Washington, D.C, at the beginning of February. In addition to attending a leadership conference, these students will volunteer their time at an organization that provides services to the needy in the D.C. area, as well as a charitable group that gives care to shelter animals.  Again, this is just yet another example of how our students continue to significantly contribute to our society.

So as we begin this New Year, may we all be inspired by the amazing contributions of our GWUOHS students and staff.  I look forward to seeing the differences they will continue to make in 2017.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

---

College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Welcome Back! I hope all of you had a very enjoyable Winter Break and are off to a great start in the New Year!

As we wrap up Journeys this semester, you can look forward to some of these great remaining topics!

• Gap Year
• Learning Styles
• Communication
• Preparing for Final Exams

**Please submit any missing assignments ASAP!**

There will be tons more in the Spring!

• College Essay
• Capstone
• Volunteerism
• Financial Aid
• College Entrance Exams
• And many, many more!

Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

College Acceptances and Scholarships!!

Our Seniors are off to an amazing start! Several have already been accepted into college! Some of the acceptances received so far: Pace University, Siena College, University of Maryland-Baltimore County, New York University, George Mason University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Miami University-Oxford, New York Institute of Technology, and more!

As of January, our Seniors are already approaching $800,000 in scholarships! Way to Go!

Please look in your CC Recordings for the following sessions if you were unable to attend live:

• PSAT Night
• NCAA Night
• Senior Parent/Student Night
• Freshman Parent/Student Night
• Junior Parent/Student Night

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

So far, we have been fortunate to have had UC Berkeley, GWU, Drexel, and the University of Arizona present. Our next upcoming will be St. Mary’s  College of Maryland, February 10^th at 2 PM EST

---

News and Announcements

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

GWUOHS Marketing

As we work to keep our school community vibrant and growing, GWUOHS is always looking for any ideas that may help us better market our school to prospective students and parents. If you have any suggestions (or would like to contribute to our marketing efforts), don’t hesitate to reach out to our marketing team at gwuohsmarketing@k12.com.

National Honor Society/National Junior Honor Society
Lucas Humphrey

The GWUOHS NHS/NJHS chapter is excited for our trip to Washington, D.C. on January 31st – February 5th! We will be participating in our annual service project, as well as attending the LEAD Conference, a student leadership conference held by NASSP (the parent organization of NHS/NJHS). We are happy to be representing GWUOHS at this conference once again this year.

Yearbook Club
Joseph Chernich

We are looking for some more help to put together our school yearbook! This is an exciting opportunity for students to participate in the design and content of our yearbook, which is published annually. Contact Dr. Chernich or Ms. Leighton if you are interested.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit https://www.k12courses.com/supplementary/test-prep-and-college-counseling.html or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

SAT Test Date	SAT Prep Session
Mar 11, 2017	Jan 23-May 3
May 6, 2017	Mar 20-Apr 28
Jun 3, 2017	Apr 17-May 26

ACT Test Date	ACT Prep Session
Apr 8, 2017	Feb 20-Mar 31
Jun 10, 2017	Apr 24-Jun 2

 

---

2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

---

January 2017 Spotlights

Student Spotlight

“Le Coucher du Soleil” by Dina Sofair

Congrats to Dina Sofair for winning the GWUOHS Photography Contest! Her photo, above, is titled “Le Coucher du Soleil.”

Staff Spotlight

Mrs. Lisa Bell

Mrs. Bell is the College Counselor and Journeys Symposium instructor at GWUOHS, and this is her first full year with our school. Mrs. Bell joined GWUOHS in February 2016, after being an Academic Coach and Admissions Advisor with the International Academy since 2012. Prior to her work with GWUOHS and International Academy, Mrs. Bell was an Education Counselor in Italy for military members and their families, she also taught English as a Second Language to Italian adults, and worked as a substitute teacher for all grades K-12. Mrs. Bell lived in Italy for seven years, and was fortunate to see a great deal of Europe during her time there. She has also taught English as a Second Language with Berlitz, working with adult students from all over the world. Mrs. Bell’s first experience in the Education field was as a fourth grade teacher in a brick and mortar school in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Mrs. Bell originally hails from Elkridge, Maryland. She lived there until moving to South Korea during sophomore year, and finished High School on an American military base. She currently lives in Virginia with her husband, three children, and dog. She is an avid Baltimore Ravens fan, loves to travel, read, and spend time with her friends and family.

---

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

---

The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter December 2016

A Message From Our Head of School

Dear GWUOHS Parents and Learning Coaches,

Season’s Greetings!

During this special season, I hope we all take time to pause to reflect upon those individuals and aspects of our lives in which we are thankful.  During my own reflection, there is so much that this school brings to me every day for which I am grateful. I am deeply thankful for the collective talent, energy, and dedication of our students.  I am also so very appreciative for our staff, who devote so much of their lives to our students – academically and personally.  And, of course, I am thankful for the enduring and essential commitment of our parents and our GWUOHS community.

I would just like to remind everyone that students will be on break Thursday, December 22^nd, through Wednesday, January 4^th.  We hope your child and you take that time to enjoy the holidays and break.  The GWUOHS academic staff also will observe this Winter Recess.  However, we do encourage students to take this time to catch-up on any past-due assignments, and officially begin 2017 with a successful start.

Once again, thank you for your commitment to this school and your child’s future.  I hope this season brings you happiness, peace, and many special memories.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

---

College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Happy December! I hope you all are enjoying your Fall as we head into Winter!

We’ve been covering some great topics in Journeys! If you have been unable to attend live, I hope you have been gaining tons of information from the recordings! Some of the topics we have already covered include;

• Setting Goals
• Time Management
• College Lists
• Updating Family Connection
• Common Application
• SAT/ACT/PSAT
• The Common App
• College Deadlines
• College Essays

Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

Please look in your CC Recordings for the following sessions if you were unable to attend live:

• PSAT Night
• NCAA Night
• Senior Parent/Student Night
• Freshman Parent/Student Night
• Junior Parent/Student Night

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

So far, we have been fortunate to have had UC Berkeley and GWU present, our next upcoming will be The University of Arizona on Dec. 2^nd.

---

News and Announcements

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

Yearbook Club
Joseph Chernich

We are looking for some more help to put together our school yearbook! This is an exciting opportunity for students to participate in the design and content of our yearbook, which is published annually. Contact Dr. Chernich or Ms. Leighton if you are interested.

GWUOHS Spring Break Trip 2017
Joseph Chernich

The signup deadline is fast approaching!  Join those who have already reserved their spot!  Dr. Chernich will be the chaperone as we travel to Milan, Venice and Florence.  The trip coincides with Spring Break: March 31 – April 7, 2017.  We need to know if you are going by December 8th! Here is the link to register: http://www.eftours.com/tour-website/1927016US

Learning Coach Tips
Marguerite Pavloff, GWUOHS Learning Coach

One of our parents, Marguerite Pavloff, is sharing a few tips this month for our GWUOHS Learning Coaches.

• “Print and post everything where everyone can see it (in our case, the kitchen).
  • Academic calendar with days off and permanent-zero deadlines
  • Weekly ClassConnect schedule
  • Advisor Check-In times
  • Weekly Help Desk schedule
• Use the new email system to keep up-to-date with everything and ensure student is aware of the information.
• In the past, utilized the attendance tool to keep track of how much time spent on each class.
• Each morning, look at posted information and find out where the student intends to work on that day.”

If you are a Learning Coach and also have some tips to share, please email lhumphrey@gwuohs.com to share your tips!

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

One of the items within the college preparation list is taking the SAT or ACT exam.  This exam, along with your child’s courses, grades, and extra-curricular activities will help determine the colleges they apply.  To help your child prepare for the SAT/ACT exams, K12 is now offering Test Prep courses.  The Test Prep sessions are adaptive online prep courses which can help strengthen a student’s performance on the SAT or ACT exams.  Each session occurs right before the test date to ensure your child feels prepared and ready to take the exam.  We offer 2 different types of sessions throughout the school year:

 Instructor-Led sessions COST $899

• Synchronous Sessions with experienced, energetic, certified teachers
• 3 one hour English sessions and 3 one hour Math sessions
• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Individual help sessions by appointment
• 3 full length practice tests

Guided, Self-Study sessions COST $299

• Asynchronous Lessons with practice questions, quizzes, and easy to understand explanation videos
• Access to library of video resources
• Drop-in help desk sessions
• 3 full length practice tests

Visit https://www.k12courses.com/supplementary/test-prep-and-college-counseling.html or call 855-534-6298 for complete details and ordering information.

SAT Test Date	SAT Prep Session
Jan 21, 2017	Dec 5-Jan 13
Mar 11, 2017	Jan 23-May 3
May 6, 2017	Mar 20-Apr 28
Jun 3, 2017	Apr 17-May 26

ACT Test Date	ACT Prep Session
Feb 11, 2017	Dec 26-Feb 3
Apr 8, 2017	Feb 20-Mar 31
Jun 10, 2017	Apr 24-Jun 2

 

---

2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

---

December 2016 Spotlights

Student Spotlight

Balancing Ballet with High School by Taylor Lim

Photo Credit: Rachel Neville Photography

Being an online school student is very demanding, especially with my rigorous ballet schedule, and living on my own in New York City (my family lives in California). Balancing all of my work and responsibilities is difficult, but I have learned to take advantage of every minute of the day. I dance at minimum five hours a day, five days a week, and have additional rehearsals on the weekends. I am also responsible for grocery shopping, cooking my own meals, and laundry. I do the bulk of my schoolwork in the evening after I get back from ballet, and on the weekends. I also try to wake up early to squeeze in a few assignments before I leave for the day. The hard work is worth it to be able to be in New York at a high caliber ballet school, pursuing my dreams.

---

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

---

The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter November 2016

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings!

I hope this message finds you well, as we welcome the beginning of November.

I continue to be so proud of the involvement of our GWUOHS students and families within our school community.  This is because it is so important to us that our students, parents, and families get involved and stay involved.  Our involvement allows us to stay connected with GWUOHS through positive relationships, a sense of community, and participation in extracurricular opportunities;  from the first day of school to the last.

In October we had many successful sessions and activities, and we are so appreciative of your participation.  Many of you joined us for our Meet-and-Greet on George Washington University’s Foggy Bottom Campus – It was such a pleasure meeting our families face-to-face and to hear the difference that GWUOHS is making in our students’ lives.  Also, thank you to those of you who participated this month in our College-Counseling Sessions and Parent Nights, presented by our College Counselor, Lisa Bell.  We look forward to many more of these college-preparatory and relationship-building activities during this school year.

To name just a few of these types of activities…In November, we will have our Academic Assembly, in which we will acknowledge our students and their academic performance.  Also, our Learn2Serve club will be traveling to New York City in December to take part in a service-learning trip.  We also will have another service-learning trip next semester, where our National Honor Society students will travel to Washington, D.C.  And, of course, we are looking forward to our Spring-Break Trip Abroad to Italy, where our students will have the opportunity to tour Florence, Venice, and Rome!

As always, I encourage you to share your ideas of the types of activities you would like us to incorporate.  We will continue to strive to integrate events that will build relationships and help your child grow academically and personally.

Again, thank you for being such an instrumental part of our school and community.  I hope you have a terrific November.

All my best,
Alison Mistretta

---

College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Happy Fall! I hope all of you are enjoying your school year so far!

We’ve been covering some great topics in Journeys! If you have been unable to attend live, I hope you have been gaining tons of information from the recordings! Some of the topics we have already covered include;

• Setting Goals
• Time Management
• College Lists
• Updating Family Connection
• Common Application
• SAT/ACT/PSAT
• The Common App
• College Deadlines
• College Essays

Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

Please look in your CC Recordings for the following sessions if you were unable to attend live:

• PSAT Night
• NCAA Night
• Senior Parent/Student Night
• Freshman Parent/Student Night
• Junior Parent/Student Night

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

So far, we have been fortunate to have had UC Berkeley and GWU present, our next upcoming will be The University of Arizona on Dec. 2^nd, though I am still working to see if I can line one up for November! Keep an eye out on Class Announcements and Class Connect links!

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News and Announcements

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

GWUOHS at GW
Maria Coyle, Associate Head of School

Dear GWUOHS community,

September 30^th marked a wonderful in person experience for our amazing staff and fantastic students!  Meeting at the Foggy Bottom Campus of GWU we started the day with a presentation from the Admissions Office and student guided tour of the campus.  After the tour, we met with our GWUOHS Admissions Representative, Ricky Owens.  Students and parents had the opportunity to talk with him about the GWU admissions process and ask any specific questions they may have had.  Mr. Owens is a wonderful resource for our GWUOHS students and will be presenting virtually, October 28^th.  Check your calendars for the Bb link to join us.  We ended the day with lunch together where we were able to chat and get to know one another.

A big thank you to all who attended!  Please keep an eye out for upcoming in person and online events.  Looking forward to seeing you all there.

 

GWUOHS Spring Break Trip 2017
Joseph Chernich

This year’s Spring Break Trip will take place in Italy, where we’ll be visiting Milan, Florence, and Rome, March 31-April 7!  Deadline to get started is November 7. Please contact our Group Leader Dr. Chernich at jchernich@gwuohs.com right away if you are interested in attending.

GWUOHS Math Lab
Diane Zieman

Hello GWUOHS students! Starting on November 1st, the GWUOHS Math Lab will be offering a math test prep question of the day with explanations.  If your student is interested in participating, please log into the Math Lab, the link to which is available on your student’s ClassConnect calendar.  They will have access to the answer and our terrific tutors to help with any math test prep questions.

 

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

Are you looking to improve your student’s ACT/SAT test scores? K12’s online test prep programs can help strengthen their performance on these high stakes exams. There are both teacher-led and independent study options available.

The next sessions start soon, which will coorelate with upcoming administration dates for both the SAT and ACT. Learn more today at the ACT/SAT Test Prep webpage: http://www.k12.com/curriculum/high-school-program-courses/college-test-prep.html

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2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events.

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November 2016 Spotlights

Teachers & Staff

Mr. Lucas Humphrey  

Mr. Humphrey is an English teacher and advisor at GWUOHS, and this is his third year with the school. Along with teaching English, he also serves as the adviser for the GWUOHS National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society, the latter of which is in its first year of operation at GWUOHS. Prior to teaching at GWUOHS, Mr. Humphrey taught in a variety of settings, including public brick-and-mortar school, a blended learning environment, and a public virtual school in his home state of Georgia.

Mr. Humphrey lives in Athens, Georgia with his wife Stephanie and their dog Sammy. He enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, music, and playing video games when time allows.

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

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The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter October 2016

A Message From Our Head of School

Greetings!

I hope you and your child are off to a successful start of the 2016-2017 school year!  As we begin and plan for an exciting new year, it is important to reflect upon what is important for us to accomplish during this school year with our students and our school.

As I reflect upon what I would like to accomplish, one area of utmost importance to me is building relationships with you.  This year, I will strive to make connections with each and every one of you and your students.  I want to know what is important to you in your child’s academic experience, as well as what you need to feel supported.  Therefore, this October, we want the focus to be on you and building relationships with you.

First, the Associate Head of School (Maria Coyle) and I will be hosting a “Partnering with Parents” session.  During this time, we will discuss our expectations for academic success, as well as hear from you on how we can support you and your child.  We hope this will lead to productive discussions, as we build our partnerships to strengthen our school community.  But, in order to make this as beneficial as possible for you, we need your help.  We are looking for volunteers to speak during this session to share what you have done to help your child be successful in our environment.  If you are willing to present, please email me at amistretta@k12.com.  Further communications regarding the date and time of the session will be emailed to all of you.

Also, we will be sending out a survey to all parents, which will ask for your feedback on what makes GWUOHS successful, in addition to areas where you believe we can seek improvement.  We will use your ideas to implement new strategies and activities to make this outstanding school even better.

And, finally, I have had the privilege of speaking with quite a few of you, and I am consistently amazed at your accomplishments, professionally and personally. One of our school’s greatest assets is your own experiences and stories.  We have plan this school year for a “Speaker Series” – and, again, we would appreciate your help.  We are seeking presenters to speak with our students about a wide range of topics, in the hopes that we can inspire, educate, and motivate them in their career/post-secondary explorations and community service. Please keep an eye out for an email from me with information on signing up to share your stories/careers/community.

“A relationship is not based on the length of time you spent together; it is based on the foundation you build together.”  I look forward to strengthening my partnerships with all of you, as we build our own foundation for our students’ success.

Have a wonderful October!

Alison Mistretta

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College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

Welcome to your Fall Semester! We are off to an excellent start in Journeys!

Some of the valuable topics we are covering this term include:

 

• Setting Goals
• Time Management
• College Lists
• Updating Family Connection
• Common Application
• SAT/ACT/PSAT
• And many more!

Taking the SAT/ACT/AP Exam(s)?

• Don’t forget our CEEB Code! 471066

Seniors/Senior Parents!

• Please keep me informed of:
  • College Applications-where are you applying, acceptances, denials, waitlist
  • Scholarships/Grants received
  • Where are you planning to attend
  • If not college, what are you after high school plans? Gap Year? Other?
  • Don’t forget to update your Family Connections with this information!

Mark your Calendars! Upcoming Events (Check your ClassConnect!)

• PSAT Night-October 4^th 6:30PM-7:30 PM EST
• NCAA Night-October 5^th 6:30PM-7:30PM EST
• Senior Parent/Student Night-October 11^th 6:30PM-7:30PM EST
• Freshman Parent/Student Night-October 12^th 6:30PM-7:30PM EST
• Junior Parent/Student Night-October 13^th 6:30PM-7:30 PM EST

Virtual Admissions Presentations!

• October 7^th: UC Berkeley 2PM-3PM EST
• October 28^th: George Washington University 2:30PM-3:30PM EST

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News and Announcements

GWUOHS Graduate Success

Curious to find out where our students go after they graduate from GWUOHS? Look no further! 100% of our graduates are accepted to one or more colleges, including schools such as Harvard or UC Berkeley. Additionally, our students received $2.8 million in scholarships, both in 2015 and 2016. As both our profile and population grows, we look forward to seeing what our 2017 class is capable of! Best of luck during this college application season, seniors!

About the Writing Center
Cassi Brownlow

The GWUOHS Writing Center is one of very few, and possibly the only, online high school writing center in the nation. The Writing Center has been functioning as a writing resource for GWUOHS for the past four years and has provided our student body (both high school and middle school) a unique opportunity to have their writing reviewed and edited.  The Center has been modeled after writing centers often found on college campuses and functions to serve the writing needs, no matter what those needs are, of our student body. Our school’s writing center is run by dedicated student-editors that meet daily with GWUOHS students to assist them with their writing. This writing takes all forms: from English essays, to history assignments, and even personal writing projects that students are composing. Our GWUOHS student-editors have been trained to focus on asking their clients questions about their writing in order to best assist with the client’s writing needs. Students can attend the Writing Center by clicking on the session in their ClassConnect tab. The GWUOHS Writing Center is run virtually out of Blackboard and is open daily each week to support the students of GWUOHS.

K12 Online ACT/SAT Test Prep

Are you looking to improve your student’s ACT/SAT test scores? K12’s online test prep programs can help strengthen their performance on these high stakes exams. There are both teacher-led and independent study options available.

The next sessions start soon, which will coorelate with upcoming administration dates for both the SAT and ACT. Learn more today at the ACT/SAT Test Prep webpage: http://www.k12.com/curriculum/high-school-program-courses/college-test-prep.html

Participate in the K12 Art Contest!

Reason: Opportunity for students in grades K-12 to share their artistic talents.

Timeframe: September 26 – October 31, 2016

Prize: All winners will receive a canvas of submitted artwork, a plaque of recognition, and a sketchbook

• 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place grade level winners
• Overall Best in Show

Blog Post: http://bit.ly/2ckDWzm

Link to Rules: http://bit.ly/2cU5SJC

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2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events. Coming up in October, we will host a series of parent and student nights for Freshmen (October 12th), Juniors (October 13th), and Seniors (October 11th). Parents of Sophomores are also welcome to attend the Freshman or Junior nights if interested. We hope to see you there!

National Online Learning Day
September 15, 2016

GWUOHS was proud to celebrate National Online Learning Day on September 15, 2016. We are proud sponsors of NOLD! If you celebrated NOLD as well, please share your stories with us! For more information, please visit the website for National Online Learning Day at http://www.onlinelearningday.com.

National Honor Society/National Junior Honor Society
Lucas Humphrey

We are currently reviewing NHS and NJHS applications for the 2016-17 school year, and will be holding our virtual induction ceremony in October! Keep an eye on your ClassConnect schedule and e-mail for this announcement, and congrats to our NHS and NJHS members, whether you are new or returning!

 

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September 2016 Spotlights

Teachers & Staff

Welcome Dr. Joseph Chernich – GWUOHS Math Teacher

Q: We have students from around the world.  Where do you live?

A:  I currently live in North Pole, Alaska where I regularly see polar bears, salmon, and moose.  I enjoy carving ice sculptures and being led along trails with my dogsled team.  Alaskans talk about leaving the state as “going outside”.

Q: Have you ever been “outside”?

A: Sure. I have been around the world.  My family is from Ukraine.  I have lived in England, Costa Rica, and even Antarctica (for a couple months).  We also like to travel now for vacation…my four kids like amusement parks while my wife prefers islands.  I speak many languages fluently and also traveled for international sports competitions in my youth.

Q: Have you ever taught online before?

A: I have been connecting with students in Blackboard Collaborate for over 10 years.  I recognize the flexibility that it offers to busy schedules as well as the privilege of getting to know my students on a personal level.  I have had hundreds of wonderful students–from American Idol finalists to gold medalists in the Olympics.

Q:  What made you decide to teach at GWUOHS?

A;  I was most impressed with the collection of students. I love teaching and enjoy seeing successful people work hard towards their goals.  I like to embrace diversity and this school feels like a great mix of personalities and interests.  It is honestly an ideal learning environment.

Mrs. Whitney Keaton        

Mrs. Keaton is a science teacher and advisor at GWUOHS, and this is her 5^th year with the school.  Growing up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, she was active in many school clubs and sports and enjoyed volunteering.  She received her Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Scranton.  During her junior year of college, she studied abroad at the University of Queensland in Australia.  After graduating, she taught at a brick-and-mortar high school in Winchester, VA for 9 years.  During that time, she became the head of the science department there and she also completed her Master’s degree in Chemistry.

Throughout her career and graduate work, she had a great deal of interest in online education and got her foot in the door by working to develop online chemistry courses at a local community college.  Mrs. Keaton then found GWUOHS and has been passionate about working in and improving online education from within a school in which she loves working.  She is currently working on a Ph.D. in science education research with a secondary emphasis in instructional technology.  Her research interests are in STEM education in online learning settings.

She now lives in Ashburn, Virginia with her husband, Dan, who works for a public accounting firm and their two daughters, Olivia and Haley.  Olivia is 2 and a half and Haley is 5 months old, so she often has her hands full!  She enjoys spending time with her family, taking advantage of the many exciting things to do in the DC area, going to the beach or lake, and sometimes just relaxing at home!

Alumni (Graduates)

Sarah Hesterman

Sarah Hesterman was also featured in our August newsletter as a 2016 graduate of GWUOHS. Sarah is doing well in Costa Rica, and is in Year 1 of her extreme study abroad program with Long Island University’s Global College. The independent learning and organizational skills she learned from GWUOHS are certainly paying off! Next year, she’ll spend time in 7 European countries and her 3rd year will be in China and Indonesia.

 

 

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

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The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter August 2016

GWUOHS Welcomes a New Head of School

Dear GWUOHS community,

As we look ahead to another wonderful school year I am reminded of the continual success and significant achievements of our students, staff, and overall school program.  Over the last five plus years the GWUOHS has grown in ways that continue to support student excellence and a positive school culture.  We continue to do so this year, adding another fantastic talent to our team, GWUOHS’ new Head of School, Mrs. Alison Mistretta.

Mrs. Mistretta comes to us with a wealth of knowledge and experience.  Her career in education began almost 15 years ago.  She earned her Master’s degree in Secondary English/Communications Education from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA.  Throughout Mrs. Mistretta’s educational career, she has taught in the brick-and-mortar, college, and online classrooms.  Mrs. Mistretta had the honor of being selected as a finalist for Beginning Teacher of the Year in Onslow County, North Carolina; honored twice in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers; and nominated three times to National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teachers.

Mrs. Mistretta has been a part of K12 since 2009, beginning as a High-School English teacher for K12 International Academy and the K12 Educators Group.  She moved into an instructional leadership position with K12 International Academy, which she has served for the past six years.   During this time, she demonstrated commitment to ensuring quality education for all students, increasing the amount of teacher/student synchronous contact time by nearly 50%, and increasing the overall instructional effectiveness of her teachers nearly 10% over the past year.  Additionally, she was responsible for a number of innovative instructional practices, always with a focus on improving student achievement.  Through high expectations, clear goals, and a focus on collaboration, Mrs. Mistretta also was able to establish meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders – students, families, and staff – creating a favorable learning environment for all.

Her background and achievements speak to the community values we hold as a school.  Values that cultivate hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations.  Her works align with the mission of GWUOHS making us poised to have another excellent year!

Mrs. Mistretta believes, “at the end of every day, students’ personal and academic success is my utmost goal.  This includes developing and maintaining a student-centered learning environment to ensure every student is reaching his/her greatest potential.  I believe in facilitating each student’s social and intellectual growth by creating an atmosphere of mutual respect, open communications, and the desire to make an impact on every student.  There is no greater honor than to be a part of shaping our future generations’ paths”.

Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Mistretta to the GWUOHS community.

Mrs. Maria Coyle

Associate Head of School

A Message From Our Head of School

I am honored and excited to be a part of the George Washington University Online High School! All new changes bring fresh beginnings, exciting promises, and innovative opportunities. I cannot wait to explore all of those possibilities together. It is a privilege to be a part of such a vibrant learning community with so much potential. I am very much looking forward to meeting and collaborating with all of the GWUOHS families and students. I have the utmost confidence that together we will do great things.

Alison Mistretta, M.Ed.

Head of School

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The Advisor Role
Maria Coyle, Associate Head of School

Dear GWUOHS community,

Welcome to the 16-17 school year!  We wanted to take a moment to share with you more about our fantastic GWUOHS advising program.  Each of our GWUOHS teaching staff serves as advisor to a wonderful group of students.  They work to ensure that students both learn the mission of our school, “to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations.  Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society” and incorporate those community values in their work.

Each weekly advising session focuses on your needs as a student and challenges your learning potential.  The meetings build upon one another to ensure you are supported not only in your academic work but also in other areas that may be important to you.  One way this occurs is by setting three goals each year with your advisor, an academic goal, social goal, and an emotional goal.  Together, you will create the goals and keep track of them throughout the school year.  Now is a great time to begin thinking about what goals you would like to work on this year.

Tips for a successful year:

1. Complete the ORN course as soon as possible. It is a comprehensive class on using our online school.  Invite your learning coach to join in and have fun learning more about the online middle or high school.
2. Set-up your weekly meeting with your advisor. They are a fantastic resource, support, and advocate for you! Reach out to them when you need help.
3. Get to know your wonderful, GWUOHS teachers! Introduce yourself, attend class connects, and invite them to connect with you on Skype. Reach out to them when you need help.
4. Use a calendar/planner. Fill them in the first day of school with your classes (live and offline), study halls, homework time, any extra-curriculars you are involved, and some breaks. Make sure you are logging in everyday and your planner matches this, i.e. you should have everyday (Monday-Friday) filled in.
5. Have a designated workspace just for schoolwork.
6. Check your email and homeroom daily. You will receive communication from your teachers, advisor, college counselor, and the school community about upcoming events.
7. Join us for our assemblies. They are a fun space for us all to get to know one another.

Welcome to a wonderful new school year!

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College Counseling Corner

Lisa Bell, College Counselor

I am looking forward to working with all the GWUOHS students this year through the required Journeys class. We have had great success with college acceptances and scholarships at GWUOHS, and most of that success is attributable to the quality of our students, but we also know that a solid college planning program is essential also. That is where I come in! We have built strong relationships with a number of universities and their admissions representatives, and we continue to make more of those connections to help our students achieve their goals. I’m so excited to see college acceptances this year!

Be on the lookout for Virtual Admissions Presentations! Last semester we had several schools participate where an Admissions officer presented to our Students. Some of the schools were: Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Boston University.

Additionally, we have the Freshman, Junior, and Senior Parent Nights coming up soon. Be on the lookout for further information.

Best of luck for a successful fall semester!

 

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News and Announcements

Congrats to Our Graduates of 2016!

On Sunday, June 26th, GWUOHS graduated 28 seniors at the Marvin Center on The George Washington University’s Foggy Bottom campus. Our seniors received a total of over $2.9 million in scholarships, and gained acceptance to many highly competitive schools, including Johns Hopkins University, Penn State, Ohio State, UCLA, and The George Washington University. A complete list of schools to which our students have been accepted can be found here. We couldn’t be more impressed by our group of graduates and their accomplishments, and wish them the best of luck in their post-secondary education plans!

Reflections on Graduation Spring 2016
Cassi Brownlow

Attending graduation this past Spring in Washington, D.C. not only further imprinted upon me the grandness of our connection to The George Washington University, but created within me a deep sense of pride for the graduating class of 2016. Some of these graduating students I had in English all four years of their high school career, many I had in class at least once, and some were my advisees. Meeting a student and their family for the first time in four years is an experience one rarely has, but it is as authentic and
meaningful as working with that student every day in a face-to-face situation. These graduates were poised, respectful, mature, and ready for the next chapter of their lives. Everyone here at GWUOHS cheers their past successes and champions their future opportunities!

 

Dual Enrollment with GWU
Maria Coyle

As you are planning your schedule for the upcoming senior year, a reminder that GWUOHS offers Dual Enrollment with GWU.  This is done through the GWU Office of non-degree students.  Specifically, for this Fall we are sharing with you information on enrollment in the course Introduction to Sociology.

Introduction to Sociology is a hybrid course and does require both online and in person availability on the GWU Foggy Bottom campus. The course offers a “broad overview of sociological imagination as a way of understanding social issues and personal experience; sociology’s place among the social sciences; basic elements of sociological perspectives”.

More information may be found at https://nondegree.gwu.edu/gwuohs.  If you are interested please speak with your advisor and/or Mrs. Coyle.

Happy 16-17 school year,

Mrs. Coyle

Learn2Serve to Washington, DC
Angela Anderson

GWUOHS LEARN2SERVE heads to DC!

The GWUOHS LEARN2SERVE Club encourages students to serve in both their local communities and together as a student body.  Several of our students just returned from our 1^st Annual Learn2Serve trip. GWUOHS students spent August 21^st & 22^nd in DC working with two local non-profit groups.

 

 

On Sunday, students met in the morning and spent time touring several museums before doing a “gleaning shift” at Bread for the City NW Food Pantry on Sunday afternoon. The Food Pantry needs weekly assistance separating items donated by local Farmers. Bread for the City is responsible for feeding 10,000 families on a monthly basis. Our students did an awesome job separating and bagging produce. They also had the opportunity to learn about the services offered by Bread for the City.   After our time with Bread for the City, we debriefed about our service over dinner and spent the evening on the National Mall touring monuments both on foot and by bike.

 

 

On Monday morning, students met for breakfast and then journeyed to Barnard Elementary School in Northwest DC. We were able to assist KidPower DC, agreat non-profit organization serving in many DC public schools. Students spent the morning weeding raised garden beds to prepare a community garden for Barnard Elementary School students. It was amazing to see how the garden changed with two hours of hard work by GWUOHS students!

Our trip to Washington, DC was a great success! Students forged relationships with each other and those that they served alongside. It was an excellent experience and one we recommend highly for anyone interested in serving with us next year!

 

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2016-17 School Calendar

Be sure to bookmark this year’s school calendar, linked above. The calendar provides our complete schedule for the year, along with holidays, dates on which our terms end and begin, exam dates, and upcoming events. Coming up in October, we will host a series of parent and student nights for Freshmen (October 12th), Juniors (October 13th), and Seniors (October 11th). More information about these events will be shared in an upcoming newsletter. Please join us!

GWUOHS Welcome Back Assembly
Tuesday, September 6th, 2pm EST

Hello students and families! Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 6^th at 2pm EST for our annual ‘Welcome Back’ All-School Assembly. Each year we hold an assembly to kick off the school year right! Students and Learning Coaches are encouraged to attend as we will introduce our school’s administration, the teaching faculty, GWUOHS clubs, and new school policies.

We look forward to seeing each of you there!

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August 2016 Student Spotlights

Alumni (Graduates)

Sophia Handel

Sophia’s parents, Rita and Larry, began doing their homework and talking to other parents. How is a student supposed to balance both school and the rigorous demands of being a student athlete? Sophia was committed to succeeding in school, without compromising her dreams. So, what was the solution?

After much research, they decided to enroll Sophia at GWUOHS, with the caveat that if things weren’t working out after a month, they would re-enroll at her previous school. They shared concerns about her ability to manage her own schedule and workload without the framework of traditional schooling. Sophia also wondered if she would receive as much support from her new teachers. As a student who strives for academic excellence, she frequently met with her teachers to get additional help, so she was concerned about losing that connection.

After a couple weeks, Sophia found her rhythm and her worries were put to rest. She found her teachers to be extremely supportive, and Sophia’s parents were pleased with her ability to take responsibility for her schoolwork and connect with her teachers. Rita believes this is preparing Sophia well for the college learning environment.

Full article: http://www.learningliftoff.com/sophia-handel-student-athlete/#.V74OfvkrKUl 

Sarah Hesterman

2016 George Washington University Online High School (GWUOHS) graduate Sarah Hesterman is eager to make an impact. She will attend her second United Nations’ Youth Assembly this week at the UN Headquarters in New York.

As a child of two military parents, Sarah is used to moving around. In 2013, Sarah and her family moved to Qatar. There, Sarah attended school and traveled to different countries including Jordan, Tanzania, and India during her breaks.

“I met girls my age that were in such terrible situations,” Sarah said. “No matter where you are, you can see girls being marginalized and ostracized.”

Full article: http://www.gwuohs.com/about/news-announcements/how-gwuohs-%E2%80%9Cstudent-world%E2%80%9D-creating-change

Has your student recently accomplished or participated in something particularly noteworthy? We’d like to know! Feel free to send information and/or pictures to lhumphrey@gwuohs.com for possible inclusion in a future newsletter.

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Clubs and Activities

Learn2Serve
Angela Anderson

The GWUOHS Learn2Serve Club is dedicated to organizing and participating in service learning projects in local communities. These projects provide a great opportunity for students to provide help to those in need, volunteer to improve the community, as well as meet other students who are also passionate about service work.

If you are interested in having your student serve in the future or join the LEARN2SERVE club, please contact Dr. Anderson at aanderson@gwuohs.com.

GW Medical Team
Whitney Keaton

Is your student interested in a medical career?  Do they want to be a doctor, veterinarian, do medical research, or anything else in the medical field?  If so…..

JOIN THE GW MEDICAL TEAM!

This is a school club that is open to anyone.  We meet twice a month and do group projects, watch videos, have guest speakers, and much more!  You will be notified via email of our first meeting and how to join, but if you have any questions please contact Mrs. Keaton and wkeaton@gwuohs.com.

National Honor Society/National Junior Honor Society
Lucas Humphrey

As we gear up for another school year, it is time once again to induct new members into the GWUOHS National Honor Society (NHS) chapter. Additionally, for the first time, GWUOHS is also seeking eligible members for our National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) chapter. If your student has a passion for volunteer work, service learning, making a difference in their community and beyond, and meets the academic criteria (a junior or senior with a 3.33 GPA or above, or a middle school student with an 85% average for NJHS), we would love to have them as a member!

Be on the lookout for your eligible student to receive an NHS/NJHS application packet during the month of September. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Humphrey at lhumphrey@gwuohs.com.

The student news site of George Washington University Online High School. Explore our student-run newspaper and see what’s happening in our vibrant school community.

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The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

To contact someone directly, please feel free to visit gwuohs.com.

GWUOHS Parent Newsletter June 2016

A Message from our Head of School

By Staci Kimmons

GWUOHS-GWU Dual Enrollment Opportunity

GWUOHS Rising Seniors,

As you are planning your schedule for the upcoming senior year, a reminder that GWUOHS offers Dual Enrollment with GWU.  This is done through the GWU Office of non-degree students.  Specifically, for this fall we are sharing with you information on enrollment in the course Introduction to Sociology.

Introduction to Sociology is a hybrid course and does require both online and in person availability on the GWU Foggy Bottom campus. The course offers a “broad overview of sociological imagination as a way of understanding social issues and personal experience; sociology’s place among the social sciences; basic elements of sociological perspectives”.

If you are interested please join us for an information session Friday, July 29^th at 2pm.  A reminder message will be sent with the link to join the session as the date gets closer.

Please note our Dual Enrollment Policy below and also found in the Student/Parent Handbook.

Dual Enrollment Policy Full-time students can take dual credits in their junior and senior years, meaning students are dually enrolled with GWUOHS and at a college or university. – Before enrolling in a concurrent program, students should receive authorization from academic administration to ensure the credits will transfer via the pre-approval form found on the GWUOHS website. – Students seeking dual enrollment need to provide a course description outlining credit value that will be earned for approval. Failure to do so CAN result in the course not transferring. – Academic administration will approve the course for the student, and the Registrar will note the pre-authorization in its records. – Number of credits awarded for each college course taken will be determined on a case-by-case basis. – Only credits that have been pre-approved as counting toward the GWUOHS diploma will be awarded on the official transcript. These courses will include the college name on the high school transcript. If other college courses not pre-approved have been taken by the student, they will not appear on the transcript. – Dual enrollment courses are not covered as a part of GWUOHS tuition costs. Any tuition or course fees required by the college or university are the responsibility of the student/family. Students should be aware that dual enrollment will not always count as college credit at other postsecondary institutions. Students should check college policies on transfer credits. GWUOHS reserves the right to accept, review, revoke, and/or hold any transfer credits from previous schools when it determines necessary to preserving the academic integrity of the school.

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Seniors

Class of 2016

Graduation Weekend is just around the corner!  We are so proud of the Class of 2016.  This has been a record setting class in many ways including:

• $2,769,990+ total in scholarships and awards
• 4 students accepted to The George Washington University (each receiving The Presidential Academic Scholarship)

Next year our seniors are headed off to the following colleges/ universities and we wish them all the best:

• Bard College
• California Institute of Technology
• Earlham College
• Eastman School of Music
• Gardner-Webb University
• Global College at Long Island University
• Johns Hopkins University
• Marist College
• Maryland Institute & College of Art
• McDaniel College
• Muhlenberg College
• Penn State University
• Roger Williams University
• Simmons College
• The George Washington University
• The New School
• University of California- San Diego
• University of Georgia
• University of Maryland- Baltimore County
• University of Southern California
• University of Tennessee- Knoxville
• University of Waterloo
• Virginia Institute of Technology

All seniors should request (via eScript) to have their final transcripts sent to the college/ university that they will be attending, at the end of the spring term.

A few reminders as we prepare for graduation weekend:

• Seniors who have been invited to present their Capstone projects to GWU and K12 Inc. stakeholders, should check with Mrs. Beasley to verify their presentation time. You and your guests are asked to arrive no later than fifteen minutes early.
• On graduation day, students are asked to arrive to the 3^rd floor lobby of the Marvin Center no later than 11:30 am. You should come dressed in your cap and gown.  We will not have extra caps and gowns available for loan.  Upon arrival, you will be given your appropriate concentration stole and lined up in appropriate order.
• The graduation ceremony will be broadcast online. As soon as that link becomes available, it will be shared with you via kmail.
• Diplomas and stoles will be mailed to those students who will not be attending our graduation ceremony. Students should expect to receive those 1-2 weeks after the actual ceremony.

There is a good reason they call these ceremonies ‘ commencement exercises’. Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning.
Orrin Hatch

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Spring Final Exam Schedule

Final exams begin next week.  The schedule listed below is recommended, however students may take their exams in any order, provided they are completed within the week.

Monday, June 20^th:                  English/ World Language

Tuesday, June 21^st:                  History

Wednesday, June 22^nd:            Math

Thursday, June 23^rd:                Science

Friday, June 24^th:                     Electives

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GWUOHS Class of 2016 Graduation Weekend Save the date for GWUOHS Graduation Weekend 2016 at the GWU Foggy Campus in Washington DC.

• Saturday, June 25^th
• Capstone Presentations
• Time: TBA
• Sunday, June 26^th
• Commencement Ceremony
• Time: 1pm

2016-2017 School Year

Re-enrollment has begun for the 2016-2017 school year.  We want to make sure GWUOHS families are aware of the re-enrollment incentives currently being offered:

• Families who re-enroll by May 31, 2016 will receive $1000 off tuition.
• Families who re-enroll between June 1^{st –} June 30^th, 2016 will receive $500 off tuition.
• Families who refer a family to GWUOHS, will receive a $1000 tuition credit, once the newly referred family has been enrolled for a full school term.

GWUOHS Summer Academy

It’s not too late to sign up for the GWUOHS Summer Academy.  Sessions include:

• ACT/ SAT Bootcamp
• AP Course Prep
• College Admissions Essay Writing Workshop
• College Admissions Interview Workshop
• Law Camp
• STEM Camp

Sign-up will end on June 30^th.  Please visit the following link to enroll:

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The mission of The George Washington University Online High School is to educate and inspire academically talented and motivated students who seek membership in a school community that values and cultivates hard work, integrity, appreciation of diversity, love of learning, compassion, and high personal expectations. Through intensive, interactive online collaboration, the GWUOHS experience prepares students to contribute significantly, responsibly, and respectfully in a global society.

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