The doors opened and the buses unloaded, students waved, and everyone walked into their first day of school at George Mason High School. This day was not only the first day of school, it was a fresh start; a new beginning. With new kids, new teachers, and new classes, there was no doubt that it was the beginning of a great year.

The SCA blew everyone away with their back to school assembly. With a "Bring It On" dance and a skit that acted out all the upcoming events, there was nothing that could stop the audience from laughing. "I thought the assembly was a great way to start out the year, and it was fun to watch," stated Allie Plata, an eighth grader.

The SCA is very optimistic about this year and hopes that it will be one of the best years this school has ever seen. The first day is over, but there are weeks ahead of us. Things are looking up for a great year.

Students new to the George Mason High School community were invited to explore the building and meet the SCA on Wednesday.  They engaged in a tour of the building as well as some team building exercises.

At the same time, teachers have taken over once again as they prepare their classrooms, lesson plans, and curriculums for the coming school year.  They began the week with the annual convocation ceremony where distinguished faculty are recognized for their years of service.

The first bell of the 2009-2010 school year rings at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.  Welcome back students and staff!

As students and teachers alike prepare for their return to school this September, one administrator, instead, bids farewell. After 11 years at George Mason, Dr. Mary McDowell will be leaving to join the administrative staff of Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County. In her years at Mason, McDowell has held the positions of biology teacher, Science Department Leader, Assistant Principal and most recently, Interim Principal.

Beginning this September, McDowell will be an Assistant Principal at Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County. According to McDowell, her new responsibilities will include supervising the science and technology division, being the administrator for the class of 2012 and acting as the liaison with the TJ Partnership Fund.

McDowell was an integral part of the George Mason community, impacting both the student body and faculty greatly. Assistant Principal Ken Siekman said that in the six years he knew McDowell, he was impacted positively by her "work ethic and her sense of fairness...she was good at noticing inequities in the way things sometimes worked, and she was adamant that everyone-students, parents and fellow staff-should be treated fairly." This is something, he added, that "takes real courage and strength of character."

Principal Tyrone Byrd stated that while he only knew McDowell for one year, he "quickly became impressed with her as a professional and as a friend," and added that she is an "intelligent, hard-working, and thoughtful professional who loves children and her colleagues."

When asked what she will miss most about Mason, McDowell said without hesitation, "the people-students and staff" adding, "Who I am professionally was largely shaped by my experiences at GM with the students, the staff, and the community. Thank you all for being a part of my life for so many years."

While McDowell's departure will be a great loss, we know she will be a valuable and appreciated addition to Thomas Jefferson, just as she was here at George Mason. In the words of Principal Byrd, while we will miss her "focus and immense professional knowledge, our loss is truly T.J.'s gain."

Its 10 a.m. the day before graduation and the senior class has gathered down at the Moore Cadillac Stadium for their field day. Dry in swimsuits, wearing flip flops or simply barefooted, the students enter to find a colossal moon bounce, a dunk tank, a digital photo booth, various water activities, and much more. The day is carefree, exciting, and fun for the class of ‘09. Three hours later, they leave soaked in memories. Senior class sponsors Mr. McAdam and Mr. Adukkalil describe the day sixth months in the making as a day of "fun time for seniors and "a day of water" which adds to some of their last moments together as high-schoolers.

After only a few short weeks with Mr. Byrd, everything is going smoothly, with the school, the faculty, and the students.

"Everything is great, says Byrd. The enthusiastic Byrd can be seen at almost all the school events and likes spending a lot of time with his students. Since being hired at the beginning of fourth quarter, Byrd has gotten familiar with everything, learned what Mason is all about, and become comfortable with everything Mason has to offer.

So what does Byrd have in store for next year? "The first thing that I would like to initiate is five principal advisory committees, one for each grade. These committees would consist of five to seven students," stated Byrd. Through these committees students would be able to talk to Byrd, so he can hear what everyone has to say. "I want every student to have a voice," he explained. Because a lot of students in the school don't participate in extracurricular activities, Byrd wants students who are shy, but interested in leadership, to feel comfortable and later take on other leadership roles throughout the school.

Byrd will continue to ride the school buses, eat lunches, visit classrooms, and interact with students of Mason. Also, he would like to ensure that younger students don't miss anything and older students get involved.

On June 9, Newsweek announced its annual list of the United States' top 1500 public high schools, placing George Mason at number 66. Even though this is a slight setback from the years before, students and teachers have both confirmed that the reason for this is that many more schools are now offering International Baccalaureate programs. The lower ranking is also attributed to the introduction of eighth graders to the high school system.

Mason junior Becca Ward commented, "The reason I moved to Falls Church was because my dad read into the Newsweek articles, and all their statistics, and finally decided that Mason was the best possible choice for my family." Mr. Sokolowski said, "Forget that, we're number one! No, really, in all seriousness I think the rating is very appropriate. I mean, we're still in the top 5 percent." Congratulations George Mason, you've raised the bar once again!