In October of the 1998-1999 school year, the Student Council Association held a leadership retreat to bring students together and make plans for improving George Mason. Approximately thirty student leaders from all four classes in the High School participated, as did several faculty members.

As a starting point for debate and planning, all participants in the retreat were broken into five groups in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of George Mason. This report features the results of that discussion. The results have been divided into two sections: a summary of strengths and weaknesses, and the individual findings of each group. To ensure accuracy, the exact wording of each group has been maintained in this report.

Although each group identified a variety of strengths and weaknesses, and some facets of George Mason were listed as both strengths and weaknesses, some trends are apparent.

The vast majority of student leaders present at the retreat agree that student-teacher relations, the athletic program, and the small size of the school are strengths.

Alternately, most student leaders present concur that the lack of student e-mail capability, the "Bess" Internet censorship software, and the absence of lights on the athletic fields are weaknesses of George Mason.

Weaknesses: