11/17/24
Good evening, Dragon Nation.
While Dr. Lowerre is out, I will send the Sunday Updates as part of my role as Acting Director. Please feel free to contact me for any submissions in November or December. Dr. Williams and I will handle all administrative duties while Dr. Lowerre undergoes his procedures. He hopes to work from home January-March while he recovers. Let’s all wish him a speedy recovery!
Best Wishes,
Dr. Smith
[email protected]
(804) 354-6800 x2120
Security Corner:
Reminder: Leigh Street will be closed to parking from November 18-27! Plan accordingly!!
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].
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]
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.
Club Pictures will be taken Dec. 2-17, during lunchtime in the Gym. Consult the schedule shared through the four class Schoology groups. Get your officers and members together and be on time. See you there!
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]).
MLWGS Drama Presents: The Crucible
In a distant time of distrust and disarray, the people of Salem, Massachusetts, took out their frustrations and fears by accusing their friends, neighbors, and family of witchcraft. Follow the accused and the accusers through the Salem Witch Trials on November 21-23, as 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/alumni, $12 for adults
Tickets available at the door or online: https://gofan.co/app/school/VA7818?activity=Performing%20Arts
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.
Mu Alpha Theta is proud to announce their first guest presentation of 2024-25: Dr. Richard Hammack of VCU will be at MLWGS on Thursday, November 21, 3:30-4:45 pm, in the Forum.
Title: The Hypercube Pop-Up Book
Abstract:
Dr. Hammack will explain and demonstrate (with video clips) his latest project, a pop-up book about how to visualize the tesseract and other n-dimensional cubes. He will also discuss the mathematics that underlies some of the book’s pop-up mechanisms.
Biosketch:
Richard Hammack is a mathematics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. His research interests include graph theory and combinatorial topology, as well as mathematical visualization and art. Hammack holds a BFA in painting from Rhode Island School of Design, a MS in computer science from Virginia Commonwealth University and a PhD in mathematics from UNC-Chapel Hill.
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 Monday, November 18th. 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].
Senior Regional Orchestra
Congratulations to Peter Yanovitch, Ally Lichtman, Serine Oh, Amy Sun, Candice Santos, Minha Ahn, Geunyoung Chung, Cathleen Liu, Reese Wu, Fielding Teague, and Peize Wang who auditioned and participated in this year’s Senior Regional Orchestra this past weekend in Charlottesville!
National PTSA 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 Choreograph, 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.
Questions? Email [email protected] and [email protected] with your questions.
Your Foundation Donation Makes 2X the Impact Between Now and Giving Tuesday, December 3
The MLWGS Foundation needs your help unlocking TWO matching gifts of $10,000 each by Giving Tuesday, December 3.
Thanks to a generous alum family and an ‘07 grad, any donation made to the Foundation between now and Giving Tuesday will be matched, up to $20,000.
Meeting these challenges would mean an extra $20,000 in much-needed support for our students and teachers, which makes this the perfect time to make your ANNUAL FUND gift of support for our students and teachers.
So mark your calendar and 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!
Questions? Reach out to Executive Director Ginger O’Neil at [email protected] about the Foundation’s work any time.
Have a great evening and GO DRAGONS!
“Be the person your dog thinks you are.” -J.W. Stephens
