Layout

George Washington High is a three story building¹ at the north end of Post Road, the main thoroughfare connecting Lakewood to the outside world. The school is constructed of bland, cream-colored bricks, with the only external adornment being red and white signage over the door, proclaiming the school’s name.²

The parking lot is to the front of the school, and spreads out to the left of the main entrance.³

The lawn is to the right of the main entrance. In good weather, students have lunch outside, sitting at stone tables.⁴ It sits adjacent to the blacktop, which is used for outdoor play. The blacktop features basketball hoops and is bordered by bleachers. Beyond the blacktop is a path leading to the football field.⁵

Inside the building, the hallways are lined by red lockers.⁶ The floors are comprised of alternating red and white tiles.⁷

Room 201 is a sophomore homeroom. At the time of the Lakewood Slashings, it was the domain of English teacher Seth Branson. The classroom was decorated with informational posters about American authors, and the desk featured a bust of Edgar Allan Poe.⁸

The main office is comprised of three adjoining rooms. The center office is accessible from the hallway, and is the domain of Mrs. Hayward. At either end of the room are doors leading to the administration’s offices. Principal Teague’s office is to the right of Mrs. Hayward’s desk; Vice Principal Kellerman’s office is to the left.

The principal’s office is spartan, with unadorned gray walls. Principal Teague keeps two chairs in front of his desk, for visitors. The only ornament in the room is the neatly folded American flag on the file cabinet, sent home with Teague’s father, James, after his death in Vietnam. Teague keeps a framed photo of his daughters (Anne, Sarah, and Jamie) on his desk.⁹

There is stair access to the roof. Though the area is ostensibly off-limits, this doesn’t stop some people.¹⁰

History

Founding

George Washington High was established in 1945, the first school session after the end of World War II. Prior to this, schooling in Lakewood was the domain of parochial institutions, such as the elite St. George Preparatory School and St. Mary’s Academy.

Brandon James

Brandon James was a student at GW High in the early 1990s. Bullied relentlessly for his social awkwardness (he was a former homeschool) and his grotesque appearance (caused by Proteus Syndrome), he finally snapped at the 1994 Halloween dance, going on a violent rampage that saw five people dead and one critically injured, all of them classmates who’d been in involved in some way in making his life miserable.

That same night, Brandon was shot by police on the Wren Lake jetty. His body fell into the lake and was never recovered.¹¹

True Crime

On the evening of October 18th, 2015, Stacy Winters and Brock Carmichael, two freshmen at GW High, were murdered. Shortly afterward, Stacy’s parents Robert and Gina were also found dead.

The tragedy sent shockwaves through the school. Deputies were stationed at the perimeter of the property, and Eliza Taylor, of local news outlet Lakewood KLA, descended on the scene to grab interviews from students,¹² and was thwarted only by the intercession of Vice Principal Kellerman.¹³

The morbid fascination extended into the classroom, where English teacher Mr. Branson had to contend with his star pupil’s Noah Foster’s expounded on recent events, channeled through a paper he’d written connecting The Great Gatsby with the 1994 Brandon James Murders.¹⁴

Sheriff Clark Hudson found himself summoned to the principal’s office, where Principal Teague put him to account over his plans for police presence at the school, objecting to his desire to have all the students’ lockers searched indiscriminately.¹⁵

School Life

Lancer Athletics

GW High has an athletics program. Teams play as the Lakewood Lancers, and are uniformed in the school colors: red and white.

Faculty and Staff

Student Body

Class of 2016

Class of 2017

Class of 2018

Class of 2019

Notable Alumni

Other Interpretations

Season 1 AU

In the 2015 Season 1 AU, GW High was first referred to by its canonical name by Clark Hudson on September 10, 2009.²³ Prior to that, it had been called “Lakewood High School”.²⁴

A reference is made to the school having a fountain. This is presumably a nod to the fountain Sidney and her friends sit around in the original Scream.²⁵

1. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 20 ↩︎
2. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 13 ↩︎
3. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 13 ↩︎
4. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 20 ↩︎
5. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 21 ↩︎
6. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 16 ↩︎
7. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 17 ↩︎
8. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 17 ↩︎
9. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 19 ↩︎
10. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 22 ↩︎
11. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 17 ↩︎
12. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 13 ↩︎
13. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 15 ↩︎
14. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 17 ↩︎
15. The Story so Far, Vol. I: Chapter 1, Scene 19 ↩︎
16. Prior to her accident, Amanda was a member of the Class of 2015. ↩︎
17. As of the 2016 – 2017 school year, Kieran is a convicted felon and not enrolled in GW High. ↩︎
18. As one of the victims of the 1994 Brandon James Murders, Dara didn’t live to graduate. She was awarded a posthumous diploma at the 1996 graduation ceremony. ↩︎
19. As one of the victims of the 1994 Brandon James Murders, Laura didn’t live to graduate. She was awarded a posthumous diploma at the 1996 graduation ceremony. ↩︎
20. As one of the victims of the 1994 Brandon James Murders, Brett didn’t live to graduate. He was awarded a posthumous diploma at the 1996 graduation ceremony. ↩︎
21. As one of the victims of the 1994 Brandon James Murders, Trent didn’t live to graduate. He was awarded a posthumous diploma at the 1996 graduation ceremony. ↩︎
22. As one of the victims of the 1994 Brandon James Murders, Mike didn’t live to graduate. He was awarded a posthumous diploma at the 1996 graduation ceremony. ↩︎
23. Season 1 AU: Pilot, Post 120 ↩︎
24. Season 1 AU: Pilot, Post 92 ↩︎
25. Season 1 AU: Pilot, Post 133 ↩︎