Monday, June 2, 2008

** Due to technical difficulties with the GDS e-mail system, This Week @ GDS was not delivered on Monday as planned.
GDS e-mail is now up and running again. Please forgive any inconvenience. **

Lost and Found Reminder!

Please remember to check for missing clothing and other lost items before the end of the year!

L/MS Class Trips

1st, 4th, 6th, and 7th grades enjoy day trips this week and the 8th grade spends three days at Camp Arrowhead. Please check any notes home from teachers for details!

Closing Ceremonies and HS Graduation

Check the GDS calendar for the many closing ceremonies and graduation celebrations this week. Congratulations to all.

After Prom

Friday, June 6, 1-4 AM @ HS

After Prom provides a fun and safe party at the High School in the wee hours of Friday morning, following the HS prom (off campus, Thursday night). This year's After Prom theme is "Sailing Away," a nod to the seniors' T-shirts on the first day of school that sported the slogan "We run this ship." Encourage your kids to attend--it is going to be a great night, complete with toys to play with, a ton of fun food, and gifts of T-shirts. The After Prom planners still welcome (and need) more raffle items. Gift cards (Starbucks, bookstores, electronics, and the like) are great for HS and new college students. Anyone who wants to donate an item or a gift card, rest assured that it will be put to good use! Questions? Contact Jackie Meltzer at jackiemelt@aol.com or Andrea Dettelbach at andreadettelbach@yahoo.com.

L/MS Field Day

Friday, June 6, 9:00 AM - Noon

The L/MS Field Day is full of games and contests. Parents (or an adult) must attend this fun morning with their children. Please note that there is no After-School Program after Field Day activities. In case of rain, Field Day will be canceled and school closed. Parents should check the website for last-minute updates. Come decked out in school spirit with a silly hat or face paint!

9th Grade Trip to Six Flags Amusement Park

Friday, June 6, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The bus departs the HS at 9:00 AM and will return by 5:00 PM. Students should bring money for lunch and any regularly taken medication; a towel, bathing suit, sunscreen, and hat are recommended, along with a fanny pack to secure keys, money, and other small items. Contact Karen Epstein at 202-274-3248 or kepstein@gds.org.

Important Notice: Student Health Forms Due

Lower/Middle School families should have received the L/MS 2008-09 health forms by now. If you have not returned the L/MS GDS Student Health Form yet, please do so today. This form does not require any input from your physician. If you did not receive your forms, please contact Elizabeth at 202-295-6203. Thank you!

High School forms were mailed last week. If HS parents or students have any questions or concerns, contact Veronica Ampey at 202-274-3191 or vampey@gds.org.

Forms are available online at Health Forms.

Don't Miss GDS News - Contact Information Needed!

GDS is making e-mail it's primary means of communication. We need your updated information as the e-mail database is re-populated at the start of each school year. To ensure that you receive e-mails from GDS next year, please log on to infosnap (infosnap to review your e-mail address(es) (and other contact information) currently on file. For username and password, snapcodes, or help navigating the site, please contact infosnap customer support at 866-986-1601 ext. 260 or support@infosnap.com.

Summer at GDS - Register Today!

It's not too late! Visit GDS Summer Programs or contact Vinita Ahuja, Director of Auxiliary Programs, at 202-274-1683 or vahuja@gds.org for more information about the many exciting possibilities.

Notable & Noteworthy

Hundreds Dug Our Celebration on the Green!
It was a perfect evening last Friday at the High School for our Celebration on the Green. Several hundred Hoppers came out to enjoy BBQ, popsicles, a special open-air screening of "The Wizard of Oz," and a short video vignette of GDS students, faculty, and staff cheering "We dug it!" What a wonderful way to celebrate the success of our GDS Ahead Campaign and the beautiful High School! View the "We Dug It!" video (note that it is in Quicktime format only).

Did You Miss the Parent Forum on Finance & Development?
No need to fret, you can still get an overview of the presentation by viewing the Powerpoint presentation online (password is mightyhoppers). This document provides important information on the financial future of GDS. As part of the Board's effort to implement the goals of the School's new Strategic Plan approved last November, we have held Parent Forums on the topics of Curriculum, Diversity, and Finance & Development. The feedback from these Forums will aid us in achieving our strategic planning goals and in our continual effort to strengthen the School as a whole. The complete Strategic Plan can be found online (the password is mightyhoppers).

There's Still Time to Reach Record Annual Fund Participation!
At 82% parent participation, we're just a few gifts away from a new record! The Annual Fund provides crucial support for virtually every aspect of school life - every gift really counts! The fiscal year ends June 30, so if you have not made a gift yet or still need to pay your pledge, there's still time to be counted. Please make your gift online at Online Giving, or send your check to the GDS Development Office, 4530 MacArthur Boulevard, NW, Washington, DC 20007.

Island Hopper Fun
Check out the Island Hopper blog for the latest photos, fun facts, and auction recap! Visit Island Hoppers Blog today!

Fund-A-Scholar Gifts
If you generously raised your paddle to make a Fund-a-Scholar gift at the Auction but haven’t yet paid your pledge, please contact Carrie Andrews at 202-295-1071 or candrews@gds.org by the end of the school year (next week!). Thank you for your Fund-a-Scholar gift!

Student News

Sofie Ravesteijn qualified for the Age Group National Synchronized Swim
Championships for all three of her routines, finishing 1st in trio, 2nd in team, and 3rd in duet in the South Zone Regional Championships in May. The Nationals begin June 28 in Binghamton, NY. Sofie swims with NoVa Synchro, in Arlington, VA.

Student Art Honors
Asya Snejnevski '08 has won the top award - 1st place in the Congressional Art Competition - for her digital photograph. Her work will be on view at the US Capitol for the year. In addition she has won a scholarship to Savannah College of Art and Design, a computer, and dinner with Annie Leibowitz at the National Press Club. In addition, CJ (Caitlin) Greenhill '10 took third place for her still life painting. Max Fridberg '10 and Chris Wheat '11 received Honorable Mentions for their drawings. The Congressional Art Competition is a national contest held each year within each congressional district across the United States. GDS enters in the District of Columbia and locally the competition is administered by the Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. This year the exhibition was held on May 31 at the S. Dillon Ripley Center of the Smithsonian Museum on the National Mall.

Monday, June 2, 2008 - Sunday, June 8, 2008

Monday 6/2/2008
- 8th Grade Camp Arrowhead Trip, 8:00 AM departure
- HS Exams (@ HS)
- HS Graduation Rehearsal (10:00 AM @ Lisner Auditorium)

Tuesday 6/3/2008
- 1st Grade Luray Caverns Trip
- 6th Grade Trip
- 8th Grade Camp Arrowhead Trip
- HS Exams (@ HS)

Wednesday 6/4/2008
- 8th Grade Camp Arrowhead Trip, 5:00 PM return
- HS Exams (@ HS)

Thursday 6/5/2008
- 7th Grade Trip
- HS Exams (@ HS)
- LS 3rd Trimester Ends
- MS 4th Quarter Ends
- LS Closing Assembly (8:30 AM @ L/MS)
- 4th Grade National Mall Trip (9:30 AM)
- 8th Grade Rehearsal (10:30 AM @ L/MS)
- 8th Grade Photo (4:30 PM @ L/MS)
- 8th Grade Closing Ceremony (5:00 PM @ L/MS, reception follows)
- 8th Grade Dance (7:00 PM @ L/MS)
- HS Prom (9:00 PM)

Friday 6/6/2008
- L/MS Field Day (9:00 AM to Noon @ L/MS - no After School Program)
- HS After-Prom (1:00 AM @ HS)
- 9th Grade Trip to Six Flags (9:00 AM)

Saturday 6/7/2008
- SAT I & II

Sunday 6/8/2008
- High School Graduation (3:00 PM @ Lisner Auditorium)

See the calendar for upcoming events at http://www.gds.org/calendar.

See you in September!