Fall Spirit Week in the Middle and Upper Schools featured daily dress-up themes and lunchtime competitions.  Monday found the four Upper School classes competing in "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" (see the Video of Hungry Hippos too), where they tried to gobble up the most balls on the US Courtyard floor.  On Tuesday Twins came in all sizes, while Crazy Hair Styling was all the rage on Wednesday.  Plus, see a video of the Middle School also playing "Hungry, Hungry Hippos" to finish their Spirit Week!

The SGS Annual Fund's 5-Week Parent Drive is just around the corner starting Monday, October 7.  Last year parent participation increased from 75% to 84% and four classes reached 100% parent participation!  This year we are hoping to see 90% of parents support the Annual Fund and the many student activities that it helps fund.  Keep an eye on the Parent Participation Sign by the bridge just past the Middle School for weekly updates on giving.  Our Annual Fund goal is $210,000 and we need your support!  To learn more about the Annual Fund, please head to our FAQ Page or contact Ashley Miller at ashley.miller@sgs.org.  Together we can #Powerthedragon.

Fall Spirit Week in the Middle and Upper Schools is Sept. 30 through Oct. 4.  It's a week of daily dress-up themes and lunchtime competitions.  Then cheer on the Dragons on Friday, Oct. 4 when the girls varsity soccer team hosts Riverside (4pm) and the girls varsity volleyball team hosts Genesis Prep (6pm in ESAC).  [This is a correction from last week's news that listed athletic events from the wrong date.] 

Middle School themes and spirit competitions include:
> Monday: PJs and board games at lunch (bring a game to share);
> Tuesday: Theme Day (dress appropriately for activity);
> Wednesday: Jersey Day and sports in ESAC at lunch;
> Thursday: Dress like a Teacher Day and “Think you know the teachers?” Jeopardy in Dragon Room at lunch;
> Friday: SGS day (wear your SGS gear) and Hungry, Hungry Hippos at lunch.

For the Upper School, the themes and spirit competitions include:
> Monday: Class colors (Seniors: Sky Blue, Juniors: White, Sophomores: Red, Freshmen: Black) and Hungry, Hungry Hippos;
> Tuesday: Twin Day and Egg Roulette;
> Wednesday: Wacky Hair Day and 3 Minute Stylist;
> Thursday: Jersey Thursday and Human Foosball;
> Friday: Pajama Day and Minute to Win It.

The week ends with the Upper School Homecoming Dance on Saturday, October 5 from 7–9:30pm in the Dragon’s Den (lower level of Metters Gym).  The theme is “Fire and Ice” and cost is $10 per student (pay at the door).

Go Dragons!

With the weather changing, Saint George's will run its annual TEST of its Instant Alert System at 10:30am on Thursday, October 3.  Instant Alert is the main system we use to notify you if there are school closures, emergencies or issues with bus transportation.  All parents should have registered in this system to receive these alerts via phone, text, or email, depending on their preference. 

Information about Instant Alert was sent out with the Back to School Documents, and new families were given specific instructions for registering their accounts.  See the Instructions for Registering your account in the event you have not done so and Instructions for Resetting your username and password if you've forgotten them.   

We highly suggest that everyone login prior to this test to make sure that your preferences and contact information is correct, as we do not update it for you.  If you have any questions prior to the test or after the test, please contact Alison Ramsey at (509) 464-8330 or alison.ramsey@sgs.org.  Thank you. 

Please do not bring any peanuts or tree nuts in lunches if your child is going on a field trip or outting.  Also be aware that we have students with nut allergies in each division.  If your student is bringing any nut products to the Middle or Upper School, remind them NOT to sit at the tables that are marked with the No Nuts signs in each lunchroom.  In the Lower School, there is a table specifically marked just for students who bring peanuts and nuts.  Thank you!

In an annual tradition, the senior class dressed up in all kinds of outfits for their individual and class photos for the yearbook on Sept. 17.  See a Photo Gallery of their secret identities!

The May Term Habitat Class spent several days working around and inside a house under construction in Deer Park in a neighborhood of Habitat homes.  They also spent a day at the local Habitat Store helping to clean up and paint tables (and each other).  See photos of their work at the Habitat House and in the Habitat Store.

Construction of the new Arts Building requires a number of changes to where buses, parents and students will be parking on campus this school year.  These changes include:

- The road past the new Arts Building up to the Davenport House will be closed to all traffic.  It will not be available for parents to pick up or drop off students as in the past.  Instead parents may drop off Lower School students in front of the 5th grade classroom.  (Please do not leave your vehicle parked there, as it must accomodate a number of parents dropping off students.)
- The buses will drop off Middle and Upper School students in their usual location in front of the Middle School.  However, Lower School students will be dropped off in the morning along the sidewalk by the Little Gym and the Errol Schmidt Athletic Center (ESAC).
- This location (sidewalk by Little Gym & ESAC) is also where all students will board the buses after school instead of on the road below the Davenport House.
- The parking lot used by Juniors (on the right after crossing the stream) will be reserved for visitors and construction vehicles only.  Parents may also park in this lot if there is space and walk their students to the Lower School.
- The Juniors and Sophomores will park at the far end of the ESAC parking lot.  They should allow extra time to walk to the Upper School so as not to be late for classes.
- See a printable version of the Campus Map with all of these changes identified in yellow.

If you are driving on campus, please allow extra time during the first weeks of school for parking.  School personnel will be visible before and after school to help guide everyone to the new parking and pick up locations.  Thank you for your patience!

Tuesday, Sept. 17 is Photo Day for the Middle and Upper School students.  Lower School student pictures are Thursday morning, Sept. 19.  The envelope from Classic Image Photography went home with all Lower and Middle School students last week; Upper School students can find the forms in their mailboxes at school.  Students are to bring their envelope back to school on the 17th or 19th even if they do not wish to order a photo package.  Every student will have a picture taken for the yearbook, and the photographer will need the student's name/bar code to match the photo taken for the yearbook. 

Saint George's had 22 people out for the Spokane River Clean up this past Saturday, Sept. 14.  A big thanks to all of the volunteers who represented the entire SGS community!