11/10/24
How we are moving forward
Now that we are on the other side of campaigns and votes, we ask each of you to thoughtfully review our mission and civility statements as well as our previous communications of political activity guidance.
All elections are eventful and impact groups and individuals in significant ways. As human beings, we carry those vulnerable parts of ourselves to the spaces we occupy. Inside of our school walls, we strive each and every day to maintain a culture of safety, discourse, empathy, and learning. As a school, our values persist. As a community of educators and learners, our hearts remain and our collective work continues.
Please continue to practice care and consideration for self and others and lean on our in-school network of supports where needed.
Resources:
MLWGS Drama Presents:
The Crucible by Arthur Miller
Directed by Chewie Lo Moore and Elle Meerovich
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 21-23 at 7pm
Featuring:
Ellie Agnello, Hiya Agrawal, Annie Bosher, Helena Z. Damer, Elise Eason, Lucy Gates, Brennan Harbour, Shakylia Jones, Jaanvi Kanda, V Lowden, Violet Mcfarlane, Charlotte Oristian, Ansley Plaisted, Rohan Rajguru, Sophia Runberg, Veda Urban, Scarlett Wharff, Max Whealton
Tickets: $7 for students, $12 for adults
Tickets available at the door or online: https://gofan.co/app/school/VA7818?activity=Performing%20Arts.
CLASS OF 2025
CAP AND GOWN – Herff Jones recently visited MLWGS to share ordering information about graduation-related paraphernalia (regalia and announcements). Students must wear a MLWGS cap, gown, and tassel to participate in graduation. To purchase these items, please visit https://hjvirginia.com/schools/maggie-walker-governors-school/ or contact Ms. Sheppard to pick up a hard copy of the packet.
Prices go up starting December 5, so please place your order as soon as possible. All items will be mailed directly to students (Don’t forget to open the box and check your order when you receive it!).
GRADUATION TICKETS – Graduating seniors will receive up to 8 tickets for our ceremony at Dominion Energy Center (Carpenter Theatre) on May 27 at 6:00pm. To reserve the number of tickets you need, please fill out the Google Form below using the student’s MLWGS Google Account by Tuesday, November 26. Only requests submitted through the form will be considered. If you need additional tickets, we are holding a lottery with what is left over before we leave for Winter Break.
https://forms.gle/aRdPQFMKvEk9cBpK6
If you have any questions about graduation, please reach out to Ms. Sheppard: [email protected].
History Honor Society Lecture
Do you want to learn about black history and its place in YOUR textbooks? Then come to TJHHS’s first speaker in its yearly speaker series Monday, November 11th during lunch in the forum and listen to Cece D’Arville (Maggie Alumn!) of the Virginia Museum of History and Culture!
Lunchtime training session on Nov. 12th about transcribing historical documents
Are you interested in joining the MLWGS Library’s transcribe team but couldn’t attend last month’s Transcribe-a-thon? On Tuesday, Nov. 12, Ms. DeGroat will hold a lunchtime training session about transcribing historical documents so that you can qualify to start earning community service hours on your own schedule by Thanksgiving break (note: signed honor agreement required). The session will begin promptly at 11:45am so there will be time for instruction and practice.
Family Day Powwow at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, MLWGS students, families, and friends are invited to an informal meet up at the VMFA. In conjunction with the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival, the VMFA is open for the Family Day Powwow. The event runs from 10:00am to 1:00pm on November 23rd. You’re invited to join for as little or as long as you’d like. Attendees can view a selection of films from the film festival, learn about food sovereignty, and more. The Family Day Powwow is free, there is no official sign up, and is not a chaperoned event. Bring family and friends to enjoy the day with you! The MLWGS community is welcome to meet at the main entrance of the VMFA at 10:00am.
Community Service Announcement
All students and parents are encouraged to check your community service hours totals to make sure that you are on track to complete this requirement. Students can help their parents get onto their x2vol accounts to check to see how many hours have been earned. Each student is striving to earn a total of 140 hours while at MLWGS, or 35 hours a year. Each student should work diligently to earn these hours while learning how to be leaders in the community. If a student has questions about any of this process, please stop by Mr. Cook’s office (room 149) or send him an email ([email protected]).
Senior Seminar and Mentorship Program Registration for Juniors
In December and January, Juniors (Class of 2026) will take a step in determining what their senior schedule will look like. All juniors will have to decide whether they are going to enroll in one of our exciting seminar courses or apply to undertake a mentorship with a professional in the area. On Monday, 12/2/24, Juniors will be added to a Schoology Group that will provide information about the Seminar/Mentorship selection and application process. As the process moves forward in December, students can help their parents view all material on this site. Juniors are encouraged to start thinking about this decision now, and parents are encouraged discuss this decision with their student. After materials are released by the first week of December, anyone that has questions about the process should reach out to Mr. Cook ([email protected]). The deadline for completing the Seminar/Mentorship selection and application process will be Friday, January 13, 2025.
Calling Dragon poets, songwriters, and storytellers!
The library’s second open mic of 2024-2025 will occur during lunch on Thursday, Nov. 14 in the library. Want to share a brief sample of your creative work? Sign up to reserve your reading spot! Open mics will be held quarterly. Mark your calendars for the other two Thursdays too: Jan. 16 and Mar. 20. Prefer to listen to your peers rather than sharing your own work? Join us! Creative Dragons need an audience. See you there!
Senior Parents!
Your child has an opportunity to make a long-lasting imprint of MLWGS. The Power of Story Seminar offers senior students the opportunity to paint different-sized wall sections in room 228. They can be painted alone or in groups of 3. Purchasing blocks can be done through OSP, and people can come to paint during lunch and after school. All designs will be submitted to Ms. LeCroy for approval.” Prices are $55, $35, and $15! Email Ms. LeCroy if you have any questions — [email protected]
Winter Sports
All students who want to participate in Winter Sports starting November 11th must have all completed documents and turned into [email protected] one week prior to the start date. https://mlwgs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/24-VHSL-Forms-1.pdf
Looking for Host Families for Japanese Students in March 2025
I am excited to announce that students from our partner school in Japan are visiting Maggie L. Walker next March. We are currently looking for families who are willing to host the Japanese students during their two-week visit. The planned dates for the visit are March 1st (Sat)– March 15th, 2025 (Sat). The responsibilities of a host family are to pick up and drop off the student at Richmond Airport; to provide housing and food for the student; to ensure the student can get to and from school each day; and to include the student in family activities in evenings and on weekends.
Our partner school, Chiben Gakuen, is in Wakayama, Japan, about 2 hours and 30 minutes south of Kyoto via train. The exchange is supported by our school, and we are planning on having 12 high school students from Japan visit.
There will be an information session on Tuesday, November 19th, at 7 pm on Zoom to provide more details about the exchange and the hosting experience. Your child does not have to be learning Japanese to be a host family. If you are interested in hosting a student, please fill out the survey below by Friday, November 15th. I will email you the Zoom link.
Link: https://forms.gle/N5wfH53eVqPyEFgh6
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Yoko Eshita, the Japanese teacher, at [email protected].
Robotics
The Mech Tech Dragons will be hosting a FIRST Lego League tournament for local elementary and middle school teams on November 17th. In order for the event to go smoothly, there is a need for community members (engineers, artists, business owners, etc.) to spend the day with teams and serve as competition judges. Training is provided and no previous experience is required to be a judge. If you are available and willing to serve as a judge for the event OR would like more information, please reach out to the event directors – Cheryl Kaplan ([email protected]) or Mark Sailer ([email protected])
Attention Juniors & Seniors!
Please see the link below if you are interested in applying to the TJ History Honor Society:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qTKauUL5adhMEjpedI_lx2uzgxLj4dwhEbPLwOY4d90/edit?usp=sharing
All applications for Juniors and Seniors are due by Monday, November 11th by 3:30 p.m. Please see Mrs. Voight or Ms. Lee if you have any questions.
AP Exam Fee Payment
Attention Advanced Placement (AP) students and their parents: AP exam fees were incorporated into student fees this year. We realize that AP exam fees can be costly and may need additional time for payment. As announced earlier in the school year, families may pace themselves through paying for AP exams through November 1st. Beginning November 2nd, the $40 College Board late fee will be applied.
All details about AP exam ordering and the timeline leading up to May testing can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hlRy5aJqGrIL4rzVlf8MbMvnCA2cWqgt/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107178821893099947385&rtpof=true&sd=true
From the PTSA
Join the PTSA on Monday, November 11 at 7:30pm for a virtual program with the MLWGS GRASP Advisor, Marianne Aronson.
Marianne will discuss paying for college – scholarships, FAFSA and more!
Join from anywhere by clicking the link below on Monday evening. Hope to see you there!
https://meet.google.com/nvk-tgtz-paj
National PTA Reflections Art Contest at MLWGS
The MLWGS PTSA is sponsoring the National 2024-2025 Reflections Arts Contest. Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This 50+ year-old program helps students explore thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love for learning to become more successful in school and in life.
- 2024-2025 Theme: “Accepting Imperfection”
- How To Enter: Students create and submit their completed works of art tied to this year’s theme in one or more of the available arts categories:
- Film Production
- Music Composition
- Visual Arts
- Dance Choreography
- Literature
- Photography
- Fill Out the Submission Form: Please read the category specifications and official rules for detailed information and enter the required details: https://forms.gle/b1z2zV7aUeHknbcr9
- Submission Deadline: Monday, December 7, 2024.
Any Questions? Email [email protected] and [email protected] with your questions.
Foundation News
Make 2X the Impact with your MLWGS Foundation Gift–on (or before) Giving Tuesday, December 3
The MLWGS Foundation is excited to announce that once again this year a generous MLWGS alumni family has offered to match all Foundation Annual Fund gifts up to $10,000 during the lead up to and on Giving Tuesday!
This makes December 3 (or any day between now and then*) the perfect time to make your ANNUAL FUND gift of support for our students and teachers.
So mark your calendar and please be sure to make your 2024 Giving Tuesday ANNUAL FUND gift online or by check (made out to the Governor’s School Foundation) by DECEMBER 3 to help unlock the match!
Don’t want to wait? Great! Make your gift now using this special Giving Tuesday link and it will count too!
A special Thank You to our anonymous donors who are making this challenge possible and to all of you who support our students and staff through your Foundation giving!
Please reach out to Executive Director Ginger O’Neil at [email protected] about the Foundation’s work any time.
Tonight’s closing quote comes to us from Mahatma Gandhi who said: “Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong!”
Have a great evening and GO DRAGONS!
