It started out simple. A taste test. Some friends, some chicken, a few fries, and a mission to figure out whether the spot was worth our lunch money. We weren’t expecting it to get philosophical.  But then the sauce hit the fan. One question kept resurfacing: can you enjoy Chick-fil-A without thinking about the controversy behind it? The recent opening of a Chick-fil-A on the GW campus brought that question a little closer to home. For a lot of students, it was a win. It’s

College brochures, picture by Sadie Greenhalgh Every year, college representatives travel to Walls to meet with students and share what their campuses have to offer. These visits give sophomores, juniors and seniors a chance to ask questions, learn about the admission process, and explore opportunities without leaving the building. For many, it’s the first step in discovering which college might be the right fit. Ellianie Kalala (‘27) explained that college visits “helped m

Buried under interviews, forms and essays, applying to high school can feel like stepping into the unknown. Nerves and stress are common as 8th graders complete the process, all the while wondering if they will walk through the halls of SWW next school year.

On Aug. 29, School Without Walls students participated in Field Day on the Lincoln Memorial fields. Staff members such as Assistant Principal Turner and Heather Pultz encouraged students to arrive wearing their class colors and engage in a variety of games and activities. Furthermore, Pultz stated, “I thought kids were enjoying themselves; everyone seemed happy, safe, and social.”

As the leaves turn colors and the school year gets underway, one very important event is on everyone’s mind: Homecoming! Held at Eastern Market since 2022, this year’s dance will be hosted right at School Without Walls in the commons and on the terrace. Why the big change? Many Walls students are wondering just that, with Hatcher Pitts (‘28) saying, “I don’t fully support the change. I feel like there were some issues with having the dance in the school just because our scho

Just over 25 years ago, Ms. Katherine Turner graduated from this very school and now she is back as an assistant principal! She has worked as a teacher at various schools across DCPS and MCPS, and as an assistant principal at Stuart-Hobson Middle School for 12 years. This year, Assistant Principal Turner returns to her alma mater. 

Photo credit: Sowmya Boominathan ('28) This school year, Walls welcomed a new teacher to the faculty team: Mr. Keith Henning, the new PE teacher. After pursuing a career in the sports industry, Mr. Henning brought his lifelong passion and experience in athletics to Walls. At Walls, Mr. Henning teaches Fitness and Lifetime Sports, what many students know as PE. His interest in fitness, health, and especially sports began during his freshman year of high school while recoveri

Photo credit: Noah Beard (‘29) Interested in getting more involved at School Without Walls this year, Freshmen? Read about what expert upperclassmen recommend to make the most of the first year!  Malcolm Laskowski (‘27), a junior at Walls encouraged underclassmen to “Try new things”. Laskowski continues, “There’s so many clubs and sports and different activities.” The junior suggests that all underclassmen should absolutely engage in new clubs and activities at Walls. He al

Photo Credit: Nicole Winkle (‘27) One might think the Canary Islands were named after the birds. But three Walls juniors revealed that the name actually comes from the abundance of dogs living on the island. The trio—Malcolm Laskowski (‘27), Ava Orfield-Shah (‘27), and Zoe Date (‘27)—are starting a zoology club this school year, where members can learn more fun facts like this. Zoology, the study of animals, is a broad topic. That raises the question: what does a typical mee

A putrid stench fills the air as students crowd into the strangely stuffy choir room. Slowly, one by one, they realize that circular, black patches dot the ceiling, and panic ensues.

Photo credit: Kira Kraniak ('29) Transitioning from middle to high school can be daunting, especially into a selective, rigorous-magnet school such as Walls. It is for this reason that a program called Summer Bridge exists. Where rising 9th graders, along with any students new to Walls, are able to spend a week of their summer getting acclimated to the school. They meet peers and teachers, explore their campus, get acclimated to the high school environment, build a school co

The 2025–2026 school year opened with many new changes, one being the brand-new all-freshmen advisories. In previous years, SWW operated with advisory classes consisting of students from all four grades. This system promoted cross-class communication, which was especially beneficial for underclassmen who did not have many other opportunities to get to know their older peers.

Among the many changes for the new school year, one stood out: the new cell phone policy. According to the policy, students must keep their phones in their backpacks—from the time they enter the school until 3:30. During the first weeks of school, administration made multiple announcements about the rule, since it was district-wide and left little room for students to be on their phones.

Statewide assessments marked the conclusion of a long school year and the start of a bright, refreshing summer. The DC CAPE results for the 2024–25 school year had just been released, and Walls students and staff were delighted to hear that test scores had improved significantly.

A Note from Our Puzzle Editor by Leah Levy (‘25) – Puzzle Editor Emeritus  As my time at SWW comes to an end, I would like to express my...

In a sea of leis and inflatable palm trees, School Without Walls hosted its annual Spring Fling dance at the Martin Luther King Jr....