October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we will once again observe it with a school-wide Pink Out Day on Thursday, October 29. All students and staff are encouraged to wear their Pink Out t-shirt or any other school-appropriate pink top with uniform pants, skirts or jumpers (no donation required).
Thursday evening is our annual Pink Out volleyball game, in addition to being Senior Night and Parent Night. A bake sale and a silent auction fundraiser will also be part of the event, featuring donated items from many local businesses. T-shirt profits, bake sale and auction proceeds, and any contributions at the door will be donated to Munson Medical Center's Smith Family Breast Center and directed to patient needs.
We encourage as much participation as possible in Pink Out Day and/or the Pink Out game. Junior varsity plays at 5:30 pm and varsity at 7:00. We'll see you there!
GTA seniors visited Saginaw Valley State University as a group recently. They toured the campus, enjoyed a meal in the dining hall and listened to an in-depth presentation about the school. These field trips provide our upcoming graduates with an in-person look at campus life, living facilities, labs and classrooms, and allow them to ask school representatives specific questions about fields of study, internships and more, as they explore or finalize their post-secondary plans.
t's not too late to sign up for the Muddy Mustangs Fun Run, set for Friday, October 16. Crazy costumes are encouraged, with prizes for best costume, muddiest runner and best family costume theme. The cost to participate is $5 per person or $20 per family, with proceeds supporting the Mustang Athletics Department. Registration/check-in is at 4:45 pm, race time for elementary students and families is 5:15, and junior high and high school runners start at 5:45. Awards will be given out at 6:30. Register now or as late as race day here.
If you have GTA elementary students, you will likely hear all about the new playground equipment that was finally ready for children to enjoy! There are plenty of swings, slides, chutes, places to climb and interactive features to make recess even more fun. A big thanks to Mr. Wilson, facilities director, for planning and overseeing the project.
GTA 8th graders participated in MiSTEM's Manufacturing Day last week, a unique opportunity to explore local manufacturing careers and learn how modern manufacturing impacts our community. Students visited TC Millworks, a local woodworking company, and Clark Manufacturing, a precision machining company, where they toured the facilities, learned about the work being done, and explored career opportunities in manufacturing.
Over the last 26 years, we have also made many enhancements to our program, including adding a preschool, building a greenhouse, creating gifted learning classrooms for elementary students, providing a full array of competitive athletics, offering dual enrollment in college and Northwest Ed Career-Tech opportunities for high school students, and much more!
We have also been recognized as a Glasser Quality School, ranked as a Best High School by U.S. News & World Report 11 times since 2013 and voted Best School for five consecutive years by our community in the Record-Eagle "Simply the Best of Northern Michigan" awards. And just last week, we learned that our seniors' average college entrance SAT score was the highest in Traverse City and the greater northern Michigan area, #17 statewide and #1 among all charter schools in the state.
Thank you for being a part of our success by sharing your children with us!
GTA families enjoyed delicious That'sa Pizza, GoGo SqueeZ snacks and cold treats from the Anywhere Ice Cream Truck while they reconnected and met new friends at the Family Council Back-to-School Picnic!
Yesterday, September 17, was Constitution Day, marking the 239th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States. Students in Mrs. Holthaus's Lower Elementary class enjoyed learning about our country's fundamental "rulebook" and what it means to be an American citizen with some engaging activities.
On Thursday, September 17, students and staff may wear jeans (no holes or tears, please) with their uniform shirts for a $2 per person donation. Funds collected will help replenish our student lunch pantry for students in need or those who occasionally forget to bring their lunch to school. Participation is appreciated but always optional.
Grand Traverse Academy has earned high rankings in U.S. News & World Report's "2026 Best High Schools," in both the national and charter school categories. Schools are ranked on six factors, including student performance on state assessments and how well students are prepared for college. This is the 11th time we have received this recognition since 2013.
Upper Elementary students in Ms. Wood's class were challenged with building a structure, like a house or tower, with nothing but small pieces of paper. Their conversations, planning and creativity were amazing!
