Being away from school for multiple days is challenging. No matter how much you try to keep up, there is always a stack of work, emails, and decisions waiting when you return. The amount of “catching up” sometimes makes you seriously question whether the state updates and training are worth being away.
But then you come back and see all the incredible things that have happened while you were gone.
We have had ninth-grade trick-or-treating, a PTSA luncheon, staff pumpkin decorating, and hallways filled with bubblegum pink for breast cancer awareness. Our students have participated in VCIC’s Diversity Dialogue Day, attended the Humanitarian Awards, and received wonderful orchestra feedback for their participation in a string conducting workshop. Our department chairs and pillar leads also came together for a joint meeting. Our teachers and counselors are wrapping up those recommendation letters for November 1st, which is right around the corner. And that is just some of what has been happening!
I ended my Thursday with a walk organized by Georgianne Stinnett and the Wellness Committee. We spent a beautiful fall afternoon at Hollywood Cemetery, walking and learning about its history on a guided tour. It was a nice respite from the pace of the week and a chance to spend time with colleagues.
There is so much happening here every day, and it takes a lot of people to make it all happen. Sometimes I think we are moving so quickly from one thing to the next that we don’t really stop to appreciate it. Coming back after being away was a good reminder of that.
Monday is a student holiday for virtual parent/teacher conferences, and Tuesday is a school holiday for Election Day. I hope everyone enjoys the change of pace!
Go Dragons!
With Pride,
Dr. Kristin Janssen
Executive Director
Additional information below…
The annual MLWGS Community Service Fair will be held on November 12th. Maggie Walker requires 140 hours of community service by the 3rd quarter of every student’s senior year. Each year, the school holds a community service fair sponsored by the PTSA, to help bring organizations and students together. Hours: 10:45 am – 12:30 pm.
Grades 9-12: Parent/Teacher Conferences:
Fall Conferences will be held on Monday, November 2, 2026, over two sessions:
Noon to 3 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm
Parents will have access to book a conference starting at Noon on Monday, October 26, through Noon on Friday, October 30, 2026. Once a conference is booked, parents will receive a confirmation email with details to join the Teams meeting on the conference date. Conference windows are 15 minutes (10-minute conference, 5 minutes for teachers to transition to their next appointment). Please note that some teachers will not be available during the scheduled conference window. Those teachers will provide alternative meeting dates/times and share them directly with their parents.
Stay tuned for PowerSchool communications with updates, reminders, and the conference booking link.
Seniors! Time is running out to sign up for your last-chance, FREE, Yearbook-only, in-school senior portrait session, with CADY, our official school photographer. The photo session will be held from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm on Fri., Nov. 6, in the Commons. Tuxes and drapes will be provided. Here’s the sign-up link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0E4CACAE28A0FD0-66268006-senior
As always, you’re not REQUIRED to be photographed by CADY; you may go to another studio to get your senior portrait done. But that studio must adhere to our specs. Contact Yearbook Adviser Michael White at [email protected] for details.
Mark Your Calendars for the 25th Annual Night of the Dragon–
Saturday, February 20, at the Altria Theater
Mark your calendar now for this highlight of the year for the Dragon family. The entire MLWGS community is invited to celebrate 35 years of Maggie Walker during this special evening featuring performances by beloved alumni musicians, our iconic live and silent auctions, dinner, and more. Hosted by the MLWGS Foundation, this is the largest social event of the year, with all proceeds benefiting our Dragons and their teachers.
This 2026-2027 Parent Participation Competition is Officially Underway!
Help Your Dragon’s Class (and all of MLWGS) Win
The Foundation’s Annual Fund supports the amazing academic and extracurricular experiences that set MLWGS apart, including our award-winning academic clubs and teams, mind-broadening student travel, cutting-edge teacher professional development, vital student aid, and more. The Parent Participation Campaign is a friendly (but fierce, lol) competition that recognizes the class with the highest percentage of parents making annual fund donations each year. Every donation counts. And the winning class gets bragging rights and a sweet treat in May courtesy of the Foundation!
Who will take the early lead this year? 2027? 2028? 2029? 2030? We’ll see. Support your Dragon’s class by making your gift online today.
Join Your MLWGS Parent Teacher Student Organization for 2026-2027!
Click HERE to join your family to the PTSA and donate!
Click HERE for the Volunteer Interest Form
Let’s Go Dragons! We loved meeting so many new families at MLWGS orientation. The Dragon magic is alive and well, and we’re excited for another amazing year!
Join Now! Your family belongs! Our PTSA is 100% inclusive, welcoming everyone who supports our students and school. Membership is for one school year, so it’s time to join for 2026–2027!
All In! We encourage parents/guardians and students to join together. Grandparents, relatives, and alumni are welcome, too! Our community is one of the largest PTAs in Virginia because we all invest in our Dragons.
Support MLWGS & Your Student! Our PTSA relies entirely on family donations. With our work powered by volunteers, every dollar goes toward supporting students and teachers. Suggested family donation: $50.
All Means All! If membership fees or donations are a challenge, please contact a PTSA officer or school counselor. We will make sure your family can join. Everyone belongs! Want to sponsor another family? $31 covers two adults and a student.
Our goal: 1,000 Dragons strong! Let’s Go Dragons!
This is going to be our best year yet! —Dr. Ben Pearson-Nelson, MLWGS PTSA President
Join your family to the PTSA and donate today!
Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society) offers free Math Tutoring every Monday and Thursday at lunchtime (11:45-12:15) in Room 201 and every Tuesday and Wednesday after school (3:30-4:30) in Room 202. Students are welcome to just drop in – no appointment is necessary!
National English Honor Society
National English Honor Society also offers tutoring in the Dragon Lit Lab in Room 228 during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students are welcome to drop in, and no appointment is necessary! Our current focus is parts of speech and sentence patterns for 9th and 10th graders!
WINTER SPORTS are just around the corner. Basketball, Swimming, Indoor Track and Wrestling will start on November 10th. Please send the completed required VHSL paperwork https://mlwgs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VHSL-Forms-25.pdf to [email protected] as a PDF file to be eligible.
From the Yearbook staff:
1. Juniors, sophomores, and freshmen! Remember Picture Day? Want to see your Yearbook picture and maybe even order copies? Just click on this link to get to the CADY portal and see how great you looked. In related news, makeups/retakes will be on Wed, Nov. 4. Questions? Contact Yearbook Adviser Michael White at [email protected].
2. Yearbook prices go up on Oct. 1, but right now you can pre-order your book at the low price of $50. Here’s how to buy the 2027 Vault directly from our publisher, Varsity: click HERE, then follow the prompts to pay via credit card, debit card, PayPal, or e-check. You may also mail a traditional check directly to Varsity. Sadly, Varsity doesn’t accept Venmo or Zelle, and we can’t accept payments at Maggie Walker. Pre-orders will not be accepted after May 1.
Annual Fall Art Walk
On November 6th the MLWGS Visual + Performing Arts Dept. and the MLWGS Visual Arts Boosters (VAB) will be hosting our annual Fall Art Walk event, in conjunction with Richmond’s First Fridays. First Fridays RVA is the monthly event when art galleries on Broad St. all open to the public for the evening. There will be much artwork to enjoy! Students, parents, family, friends, and staff are all invited!
To begin the evening, our wonderful Visual Arts Boosters will be hosting a reception from 5:30 pm to – 6:00 pm. Please join us for snacks and fellowship prior to heading out to the galleries. If you are willing to help out with food and set up for the reception, please sign up here….
Everyone will receive a map of the galleries, and Coach Hall will guide anyone who would like to join him around to some specific exhibitions.
To help you avoid having to park downtown, we will be providing a school bus which will run a circuit from Broad St. galleries and back to school all evening. The bus will continue this circuit throughout the evening until the last pickup at 8:30 pm. This way you may stay for as long (or as short) as you like. Details will be discussed that evening.
If you’ve never had the opportunity to participate in a First Fridays Art Walk – or even if you have – we’d love to see you at our event! It’s always a very fun evening. All are welcome (students, parents, family members, & faculty)!
When: Friday, November 6th, 2026, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Where: Meet in the “adjunct classroom”, room #153, near the Maggie Walker mural to enjoy snacks and refreshments.
Please RSVP: by Thursday, Nov. 5th – https://evite.me/MnaKFxTPwD
Calling all current sophomores and juniors!
Imagine spending part of your summer at the University of Virginia, living and learning alongside students from Japan, exploring another culture, and building friendships that could last a lifetime!
The High School Diplomats (HSD) U.S. Program is offering an incredible, fully funded cultural exchange experience at UVA from July 22–31, 2027.
Only 20 American students will be selected to join 20 students from Japan for an experience that includes:
- Cultural exchange and international friendships
- A Japanese roommate and opportunities to learn about the Japanese language and culture
- Engaging discussions, presentations, and learning experiences
- Japanese festivals, sports, karaoke, and other activities
The best part? The program scholarship covers housing, meals, and activities! Transportation is not included, but financial assistance may be available.
Students who complete the U.S. program may also have the opportunity to participate in the High School Diplomats Japan program the following summer.
Application Deadline: January 19, 2027
This is a wonderful opportunity for Maggie Walker students who are curious about the world, enjoy meeting new people, and want to experience something beyond the traditional classroom.
Learn more and apply: https://www.highschooldiplomats.com/apply
Don’t miss the chance to make your summer an international experience! Apply now.
Jabberwock, the MLWGS student press, is now offering ad space!
- Celebration/Birthday Ad for Current MLWGS Student = $10 per issue
- 1/8 Page = $25 per issue
- 1/4 Page = $35 per issue
- Half Page = $75 per issue
- Full Page = $100 per issue
Fill out this interest form, and a member of the editorial staff will be in contact for particulars.
Help Stock the Library’s New Games Cabinet!
Are any of the 15 games listed below gathering dust in your home? Contribute gently used games to help stock the library’s new games cabinet! Miss playing games on your phone at lunch? Once the games cabinet is stocked, you can stop by the library and borrow a game to take to your favorite hangout spot on campus. Applying the earth-friendly practice of reuse, let’s see how many of these games we can gather without anyone buying them. The list below is based on a survey conducted last month about which games students would like to borrow, focusing on those that can be played in 30 minutes or less (i.e., during lunch). Asterisks* mark the top three requests for which stocking multiple decks would be great. Questions? Stop by the library or email Ms. DeGroat at [email protected].
- Apples to Apples
- Bananagrams
- Connect 4
- Exploding Kittens
- Heads Up! (board game version)
- Jenga
- Mancala
- Monopoly Deal
- Phase 10
- Playing cards – 52-card standard (French) deck*
- Playing cards – 48-card Spanish deck
- Sorry!
- Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza*
- Uno*
- Who Knows You Best?
Applications are now available for the Summer Residential Governor’s Schools.
All sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. These programs are run by the Commonwealth and provide opportunities for high school gifted students to explore professional and university environments through mentorships and academic enrichment. Information and applications can be found at: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/teaching-learning-assessment/specialized-instruction/governor-s-schools/summer-residential-governor-s-schools.
Maggie L. Walker students are grouped together and are not viewed as applicants from their respective school divisions. Applicants should be committed to attend; our school loses a slot if a student is accepted and does not participate. Questions about the programs or application process can be addressed to Joy Cobb, sophomore and junior counselor, at [email protected].
Academic Programs
Academic Programs: Humanities; Mathematics; Science and Technology; Agriculture; Life Sciences and Medicine; Engineering (NASA) (must be 16 by June 18, 2027, and a U.S. citizen); Marine Science.
We can send a total of one nominee for this entire area, with two slots for the School for Agriculture. Students should submit applications to Joy Cobb in the counseling department by January 11, 2027. Please do not submit teacher recommendations at this time. This will give us enough time for our school selection committee to choose which students to nominate, and in turn solicit teacher recommendations for these nominees.
Governor’s Foreign Language Academies
Academies: Full-Immersion Academies in French, Spanish, German; partial-immersion in Japanese Language; and Latin Academy.
Each academy allows one nominee from our school. Interested students should talk directly with their language teacher soon. Our foreign language department determines who is nominated from our school. If interested, please contact your language teacher. The deadline for completed application forms is January 31, 2027.
Visual and Performing Arts Program
Areas of Study: Dance, Theatre, Visual Art, Instrumental Music, Vocal Music.
We can send a total of five nominees for this program, one per area of study. Interested students should talk directly with their fine arts teacher so that we have time to submit the Applicant Report for Site Adjudication form by November 19, 2026. The final application is due February 6, 2027.
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