FROM OUR PRINCIPAL
Dear GCHS Parents,
What an incredible way to kick off Friday Knight Lights! Thank you for making our first Knight Out such a wonderful event. The atmosphere was electric, and we loved seeing our community come together in celebration and school spirit. We can’t wait to do it all again at our next home game on Thursday, September 5th.
As we head into Labor Day weekend, I’ve been reflecting on the gift of rest. Some of the leaders in my life have encouraged me to plan for rest, not just stumble into it when I’m exhausted. Labor Day was established to honor the hard work and contributions of the American people, but as believers, we also know that God Himself modeled rest for us in creation. In Genesis 2:2–3, the Lord set aside the seventh day and made it holy. Jesus also reminded us that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Rest is not laziness, it’s obedience, renewal, and a reminder that our ultimate trust is in God, not in our own striving.
I want to encourage you to take this long weekend to be intentional with rest, whether that’s time with family, time in the Word, or simply slowing down. My husband and I will be heading to El Paso to spend time with his ailing Grandfather, and stopping by the Hatch Green Chile festival on the way! It’s a reminder to us that rest often looks like pressing pause on the busyness of life in order to lean into the people and moments that matter most.
May this weekend be a gift to you and your family. Thank you for entrusting us with your students. We are praying for you to find refreshment in the Lord and to step back into next week renewed.
August Staff Birthdays
Kyle Sager – August 1st
Luke Griffin – August 10th
Sydney Moyer – August 10th
Kelly Jones – August 27th
Frank DeSena – August 29th
Heather Fredrickson – August 29th
*If you would like to bless our staff, here is the favorites list
DISC Assessment
Over the next few days, your student will have the opportunity to take the DISC assessment, free of charge. The DISC is a personality and behavior tool that helps students better understand their strengths, communication styles, and how they work with others. Our hope is that by gaining these insights, students will be better equipped to use their unique, God-given gifts and talents to serve and glorify Christ in the classroom, on the field, and in their future careers.
Senior Day – September 23rd
Attention Seniors and Senior Parents. Join us on September 23rd at 7:45am for a time to discuss Senior year activities and college admissions 101. The meeting will take place in the gym and will be led by the counseling team!
College and Career Highlights
Did you know that every high school student should keep an up-to-date resume? Here are some updates to remember to add to your student resume on Naviance:
Huntington University Arizona is excited to announce that they will be offering a FREE interactive workshop series this fall featuring all three of our programs—animation, graphic design, and film production! These workshops are geared towards prospective high school students who would like to check out our programs and gain some hands-on experience in the digital media arts.
Workshops will happen in September, October, and November, and the September workshop is now LIVE for RSVPs! The October and November workshops will be available later in the semester for registration.
Interested participants can RSVP here: HUAZ Interactive Workshops RSVP Form
EUROPE 2026
We are thrilled to announce an incredible opportunity for next year, a 10-day Europe trip in May 2026, departing just a few days after graduation! This unforgettable journey will take students to Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest. The trip will be led by Mr. Noble and Dr. Mitchell, providing a unique perspective, connecting the historical significance of these destinations with biblical insights. It’s a perfect graduation gift or an amazing way to kick off the summer.
Don’t miss out on this chance to explore Europe with your classmates and teachers, and from a Biblical perspective.
Please note: All students attending must be a current GCHS student or GCHS graduate of the 2026 class at the time of the trip.
A NOTE FROM OUR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
A big shout-out to KNIGHT NATION for showing up in full force as our football team defeated Wickenburg 52-0 last Friday! Missed the game? Read all about it HERE! The Knights are in action again tonight, traveling to Tucson for a showdown with Sabino. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00pm. Let’s go!
Volleyball started the season strong on Wednesday, defeating Snowflake 3-0 (25-11, 25-16, 25-22) in its opener. The squad is in Payson today and tomorrow for the Longhorn Invitational. If you’re up north for the holiday weekend, swing by Payson High School and cheer on the girls! Next week, volleyball plays at Valley Christian (September 3rd- 4/5/6pm)! This is a huge rivalry game for us, and we would love to show the Trojans what Knight Nation is all about. See you there!
Cross Country’s 2025 campaign is gearing up for an early start tomorrow morning. The boys and girls teams will both compete at the Chandler Invitational, with races beginning at 7:10 a.m. (Tumbleweed Park). This is one of the closer meets on the docket, and we hope that you can make it out to support these awesome athletes!
Swim gets started next week, traveling to Prescott for a dual meet against Prescott High! The Knights are slated to hit the pool on September 4th (4:00pm, James Family Prescott YMCA, 750 Whipple St). Can’t wait to see who makes a splash this season!
For more information and all things Knights, visit our website: gcsknights.com.
STUCO UPDATE | HOCO Tickets on sale NOW!
Homecoming Spirit Week: September 15th – September 19th
*Spirit Week Dresscode Applies* IMPORTANT*: This is not an excuse to wear sweats all week. Your outfit must obviously fit the theme for the day.
- Monday, Sept. 15th: “Up in the Clouds Day”- Pajama day
- Tuesday, Sept. 16th: “Adventure is Out There Day”- Wear Africa safari clothes, explorer, adventurer
- Wednesday, Sept. 17th: “Carl and Ellie Memory Day”- Dress as senior citizens
- Thursday, Sept. 18th: “Soaring into the Future Day”- Dress as your dream job
- Friday, Sept. 19th: “Cloud 9 Spirit Day”- Wear your HOCO shirt and get a coupon to redeem at the Snack Shack for a FREE ice cream!
Homecoming Dance: September 20th, 7:00pm-10:00pm in the HS Gymnasium
- Purchase your Homecoming Tickets and Shirt: GCHS Homecoming 2025
- Reminder: the Homecoming Dresscode (as outlined in our Handbook and sent via Parent Square by Mrs. Garza) will be strictly enforced!
- If a student is bringing a non-GCS guest, this guest MUST be a current high school student in good standing, and he/she MUST fill out this GCHS Dance Guest Pass and submit it to the front office no later than Wednesday, September 17th! The front office also has copies of these Guest Passes.
ROOTED IN PRAYER
Parents, Grandparents, and all friends of GCHS are invited to join the team of volunteers that make up Rooted in Prayer every Wednesday morning when school is in session, starting at 8 AM in the cafeteria. Praying aloud is not required. Contact Mary for more information: HSPrayer@gcsaz.org. Have a prayer request? Click Here.
