Updated: October 16, 2018

Principal Matters

On Saturday, October 13 all Upper School students are invited to attend the Homecoming Dance hosted here on campus. The Homecoming Dance is truly one of the highlights of the fall for Upper School students. The dance is held outdoors in the Malizia Amphitheatre in front of Richardson Hall. The dance begins at 8 p.m. and ends promptly at 11 p.m. Attire for the dance is semi-formal. We anticipate an exciting and memorable time for our students on this night.

To ensure a positive experience for all, we would like to stress the importance of safety, behavior and decision-making in and around school functions. Student Handbook Guidelines apply at all school functions, and consequences will be given to those who do not follow these guidelines. Please remember that the use and/or possession of drugs and alcohol is not tolerated at the homecoming dance or any activity on campus. As stated in our Student Handbook, Woodward Academy does reserve the right to search/test for such items at all times should it be deemed necessary. Members of the Deans office and the faculty and staff will be on hand and responsible for enforcement to include random screening.

For safety, we ask that all students remain inside of the homecoming venue while attending the dance. Students will not be allowed to leave the homecoming dance and re-enter. In addition, students will not be allowed to walk to area homes or restaurants. Finally, to better monitor students entering and exiting the event, all parking and drop offs will be directed by campus security to use the parking lot behind Woodruff Dining Hall.      

Parents, we have been made aware of several post-homecoming events around metro-Atlanta for Saturday night. For clarity, please note that Woodward Academy does not host/sponsor a post-homecoming party. Should you have questions regarding post-homecoming event details, we urge you to continue to talk with your student and contact the parents of the "host" student to ensure the safety of your child.  

Again, we look forward to a tremendous homecoming season and we thank you for being a part of what makes Woodward a great community!

Dr. Jonathan Merrill
Upper School Principal

Senior Spring Break

To clarify, there is no Woodward Academy Senior Spring Break trip. We are aware of a trip being advertised as the “Woodward Senior Spring Break trip.” However, that trip is not sponsored by, or endorsed by, Woodward Academy. We advise parents to investigate carefully before allowing your senior to participate. 

Upper School Day Planner

The Upper School student day planner is available in the Campus Store. You also may access an online version of the student day planner here.

From the Dean's Desk

We are committed to keeping our students healthy and striving toward making good decisions. As part of the Woodward Academy substance abuse initiative, the Upper School will provide drug education for all interested parents. There are a couple of multiple sessions that parents may choose from. These sessions are STRONGLY suggested to new to Woodward Academy parents who entered in the 9th-12th grades over the past four years. If you have an upper-class student (or WA graduate) but still have a underclass Upper School student, and attended a previous session in the Middle School, you may attend these sessions if you'd like updated information on drug and alcohol use among teens.

The sessions are led by Dr. Brian Dew, Associate Professor and Chair of the Counseling and Psychological Services department at Georgia State University and Anthony Thomas, Upper School Dean of Students. The dates to choose from are Monday, October 15, from 6-8 p.m., and Thursday, October 25, from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Both sessions will meet in Gresham Chapel. Please use this link to sign up for one of the scheduled session times: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044FA5A62CA7FF2-parent.

Uniform Reminders

School uniforms are to be in good repair and of proper fit. Skorts are to be worn no more than 4 inches above the crease of the back of the knee. Gentlemen should be clean shaven at all times. Tennis Shoes/Sneakers should not be worn with the exception of a medical excuse from the infirmary. Students must have a valid medical excuse on file in the infirmary to wear non-uniform shoes. Shoe excuses are limited in nature and the student is expected to be back in regulation shoes at the completion of the approved time period.

Counselor Corner

Greetings from the Upper School Counselors! Periodically we receive information that is helpful to our families. Please take a look at this article about teenagers and technology. We know how drawn they are to their smartphones and the Internet. It's good for us to educate ourselves about the perils so that we can increase their awareness.  If you feel that your teen is struggling with this, feel free to reach out to your school counselor to discuss.

• Ms. Shelor - Class of 2019 counselor
• Dr. Hendrix - Class of 2020 counselor
• Mrs. Dedeaux - Class of 2021 counselor
• Mrs. Lawson - Class of 2022 counselor 

Check Out the Parent Community Website!

Whether you’re looking to volunteer or wondering when the next Parent Community event is, you can now find it all on the Parent Community website. Please be sure to check it regularly for upcoming opportunities to contribute or volunteer such as the 10th-grade Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and the Upper School Homecoming Tailgate. You also can follow us on Facebook @WAParentCommunity. 

Chaplain's Corner

Greetings Woodward Academy Community,

What an exciting month in religious life at Woodward Academy! Throughout September, Upper School Chaplain’s Council leaders hosted assemblies and announcements across Woodward’s campus to explain the important celebration of Rosh Hashanah and reflective time of Yom Kippur. Yad B’Yad members also had the opportunity to build a beautiful sukkah for Sukkot, where our Jewish students shared fellowship over meals and prayer.

In October, our Hindu student leaders will share about Navaratri throughout our campus. Students will also plan and lead an Interfaith Prayer Service focused on the theme of “hope.”

Throughout the month of October, students in our community will observe the following:

• October 9-18 (Hinduism) - Navaratri is a nine night festival that honors the Mother Goddess in all her manifestations, including Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati. It is a festival filled with worship and dance, culminating with Dussehra, the victory of good over evil.

Please feel free to visit our Interfaith Initiatives page to see upcoming events this semester or to share a prayer request for our Interfaith Prayer Service.

Blessings,

Chaplain K
Rev. Katie O. Kilpatrick, Academy Chaplain
404-391-7589, chaplain@woodward.edu

Flu Shot Clinic

Woodward will be hosting a Flu Shot Clinic on Friday, October 19, from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., for Middle and Upper School students and parents. The Flu Shot Clinic will be sponsored by HealthCheck Services. Flu shots are preservative free and may be administered to children ages 3 and up. Please review the Vaccine Information Sheet and sign the HealthCheck Consent Form to submit on the day of the clinic. No appointment necessary.

Middle School - First Floor Conference Room (please use door closest to the dining hall)
Upper School - L-J Lecture Hall

Please note: A Tdap (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis) vaccine will be available for $53.50 and a Pneumonia vaccine also will be available for $120. There will be no flu mist available. Middle and Upper School students may receive their flu shot without a parent/guardian present by providing a signed consent form and payment.

The cost for the flu shot is $30 per person. Please make checks payable to HealthCheck. Visa, MasterCard, and cash also accepted. Receipts for insurance reimbursement will be available at the clinic upon request.

Woodward Ghost Tour

Please join us for the first annual Woodward Academy Ghost Tour. Since 1900, thousands of students, faculty, and military personnel have called our campus home. Recently unearthed stories claim that some of these faces have never left! Put on your comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight and camera for an evening stroll through the most haunted parts of campus. We just might be able to scare up some dearly departed souls.

This event is appropriate for all ages and children are welcome to participate in the tour. We also will provide crafts, face painting, and ghost stories for children 12 and under. Event begins Oct. 27 at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments and snacks, tours begin at 7 p.m. at the bullring.

Proceeds from this event will benefit Horizons at Woodward Academy. For more information, email kristin.jackson@woodward.edu.

Horizons 5K

Established in 1900 as Georgia Military Academy, Woodward Academy honors our history and traditions as well as the many veterans who are members of our community. To recognize and pay tribute to fallen alumni, the Academy will host a 5K run/walk around our historic campus and the surrounding neighborhood. Proceeds will benefit the Horizons at Woodward program. Join us at 8 a.m. on Saturday, November 10, for a warm-up, presentation by the Woodward Honor Guard, and invocation delivered by Chaplain Katie Kilpatrick. The race will begin and end in the bullring located at the center of the Upper School campus. Start time is 9 a.m., and winners will be announced after all participants finish around 10:30 a.m.

JDRF Walk

SIXTEEN people in the Woodward Academy family live with Type 1 diabetes. On Saturday, October 20, JDRF will host its annual One Walk for a cure at the Georgia World Congress Center.  This year’s t-shirt is designed by two Upper School students, Cole Storey and Claire Hailey and will be sold for $20 until Thursday, October 4. T-shirts will be delivered in time for the walk.

Click on the below link to order your awesome t-shirt!

https://support-woodward-academy-s-2018-jdrf-one-walk-copy.cheddarup.com

Upper School students can earn service hours for walking with us. To register for the walk or to donate to our team, click this link and follow the prompts:

 https://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?company_id=48531&fr_id=7432&pg=company

Walk details:

Georgia World Congress Center Yellow Parking lot (465 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. NW Atlanta, GA 30303), Woodward Tent, 7:30 registration and 9:00 Walk! 

Last year Woodward families and their supporters raised over $100,000 to help fund a cure.  Let’s do it again! 

Now Accepting Sibling Applications

We are now accepting applications for the 2019-2020 school year! We want to make sure siblings of current Woodward students have primary consideration for openings, so we encourage parents to visit the Admissions Getting Started page to apply today. If you have family, friends, or neighbors interested in applying their children, you can send a letter of recommendation to admissions@woodward.edu to improve their chances for acceptance. Also, please encourage them not to wait for 9th grade to apply as our Upper School is at capacity and will have limited openings. Thank you for entrusting Woodward with the education of your child, and we look forward to helping your family and friends share the Woodward experience! 

fALL in for WA Update

Woodward Fund parent participation at the Upper School is 13%! Thank you for your support! We still have a ways to go, however. The parent campaign runs through November 9, which will be here before you know it. Check it off your list today by making a gift at woodward.edu/fallin. Questions? Contact thewoodwardfund@woodward.edu.

Tropical Ecology Field Study

The dates for the summer school course Tropical Ecology Field Study in Costa Rica have been set for June 21 - July 1, 2019.  This course is taught by Chery Gibson (former member of the Woodward Academy Faculty and Science Department Chair), Elaine Carroll (former biology instructor), and Mark Wainwright (author and naturalist from Costa Rica). For 11 days, students travel throughout Costa Rica exploring and learning about some of the richest ecosystems on earth, some of the fascinating Costa Rican history and culture that surrounds them, and often, the connection between the two. 

The ecosystems to be explored include lowland Caribbean rain forest, highland cloud forest, coastal Pacific rain forest, mangroves, and even caves.  During the course, the students participate in a reforestation project and as well as activities on an organic sustainable farm.  We take every opportunity to get a "taste" of Costa Rica  -- from its food (literally), its scenery, its everyday life, its music and dance,  and its ocean.  Join us this summer.

For more information please contact Elaine Carroll at elaine.carroll@woodward.edu.

Martinique Trip in March 2019

Please see this flyer with information about a Woodward spring break trip to Martinique.

Woodward Partners with The Social Institute—Upcoming Parent Presentation

Woodward is pleased to announce that we’ve partnered with The Social Institute, an organization that empowers students to navigate social media positively. Founded by 4x Duke All-American and social media expert Laura Tierney, The Social Institute uses a refreshing, positive approach that teaches students to make positive, high-character choices whenever using social media and technology.

This year, The Social Institute will visit Woodward for two days to meet with our Upper, Middle, and sixth-grade students, faculty, and parents. Parents will have the opportunity to attend a Parent Presentation titled “Coach Your Child to Win at Social Media,” which will take place on Friday, November 16, from 8:30-10 a.m., in the Chapel Activity Room (No. 16 on the Campus Map). Coffee and tea will be available.

RSVP today to attend the presentation.

In preparation for their visit and Parent Presentation, we ask that you take 5 minutes to complete a parent and guardian survey by November 1. Click here for the Parent and Guardian Survey.  

Thank you for taking the time to complete the survey and we hope to see you the Parent Presentation on November 16! 

Don't Idle Your Car's Engine

Did you know that two minutes spent idling is equal to driving 1 mile. Please think about not idling in the drive-thru, your driveway, the bank, at school, the shopping mall, the car wash, while waiting for someone and anywhere else you can safely turn off your car while stationary. It’s your turn. Turn it off!

WALive

Use voucher code "WAlive1819" here to activate your account so you can watch live Woodward sporting events, performances, and more throughout the school year.

Applerouth SAT and ACT Tutoring

Particularly for the Class of 2020, Applerouth Tutoring will be offering SAT and ACT preparation courses at Woodward.  Woodward provides the space and security.  Payment is made to Applerouth.  See this flyer for the dates of the sessions and information to register.  If these dates are not convenient for you, Applerouth does offer other sessions in other parts of the city.  Contact them for more information.

From the Learning Support Center  

Parents, please find helpful information at your student's class page on PowerSchool.Learning.  Particularly, this year there is a new page on each class's page, the LEARNING SUPPORT page (bottom of the selection list on the left of the front page). Parents and students can find  helpful information about adult tutors, ACT accommodation tests (Classes of 2019 and 2020 only), and student tutors (PeerKonnect–link soon to be activated, Classes of 2021 and 2022 for tutoring; Classes of 2019 and 2020 to volunteer and be vetted as tutors). If you have further questions, please contact Kemberly Edwards (kemberly.edwards@woodward.edu).

Particularly for the Class of 2020, Applerouth Tutoring will be offering SAT and ACT preparation courses at Woodward.  Woodward provides the space and security.  Payment is made to Applerouth.  See this flyer for the dates of the sessions and information to register.  If these dates are not convenient for you, Applerouth does offer other sessions in other parts of the city.  Contact them for more information.

Taggart's Drivers Ed Class

Information about Taggart's Drivers Ed classes during the school year here.

Upper School Daily Class Schedule

The Upper School daily class schedules may be found here.

Text Notifications - Update Your Info

In order to receive text messages from Woodward Academy, including student transport notifications and weather-related alerts, please make sure your cell phone number is up-to-date by visiting the Parent Portal and clicking on "Update My Contact Information."

Security Reminder

Parents, please sign in at your child's school each time you visit and clearly display your visitor badge while you are on campus. Thank you.