Dear MLWGS Families,
November is a month filled with gratitude, recognition, and growth at Maggie Walker Governor’s School. As we move through this busy season, I want to take a moment to highlight several special celebrations and recognitions in our community.
First, congratulations to our own Ms. Connie Hill, recipient of the prestigious REB Award for Teaching Excellence. This recognition honors teachers who inspire curiosity, ignite learning, and transform the classroom experience. We are incredibly proud of Ms. Hill and grateful for the creativity, care, and commitment she brings to our students each day. Her recognition reflects the very best of the Walker Way with courage, compassion, community, and collaboration.
This week we also pause to honor our veterans. On Veterans Day we extend our deepest appreciation to the men and women who have served our nation with courage and integrity. Their sacrifices safeguard the freedoms we enjoy each day. We are especially thankful for the veterans within our own MLWGS community including students, families, and staff members whose service reminds us that leadership begins with selflessness and purpose.
In addition, November marks several important national observances.
National Career Development Month encourages students to explore their strengths, interests, and future pathways.
National Scholarship Month reminds seniors to stay connected with GRASP and our counseling office for scholarship opportunities and financial aid resources.
American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month celebrates the rich histories, diverse cultures, and lasting contributions of Native peoples.
As always, thank you for supporting the work and spirit of our school. Whether it is in classrooms, performances, athletic competitions, or community outreach, our Dragons continue to make us proud every day.
Looking ahead to the upcoming week:
We wish our students participating in the Boys Volleyball Tournament, Senior Regional Orchestra, and the Richmond Marathon the very best. Thank you to all who continue to represent MLWGS with dedication and heart.
With Dragon pride,
Mrs. Janssen, Executive Director MLWGS Governor’s School
| The TJ History Honor Society’s second round of applications are due on Monday, November 10th by 3:30 p.m. Please see your class pages for links to the application. Additionally, see Ms. Lee or Mrs. Voight if you have any questions. |
| Attention Class of 2029: UPDATE re: Half Step event scheduled for lunchtime today has been rescheduled to avoid conflicting with an NHS event. Instead, the One Small Step organizing team will hold two Half-Step events on Monday, Nov. 17, and Wednesday, Nov. 19. Join us for one or both! No pre-registration necessary. |
| On Monday November 10, our very own Bring Change 2 Mind is hosting a “Connection Cafe” in the COSE Commons on the third floor at lunch – come have tea, hot chocolate and cookies in a safe and supportive environment to talk about mental health and build community! We will share meaningful discussions, share personal experiences, and listen to one another as we normalize conversations about mental health and challenge the stigma associated with it. Be well always, in all ways |
| 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] ProgramsAcademic Programs: Humanities; Mathematics; Science and Technology; Agriculture; Life Sciences and Medicine; Engineering (NASA) (must be 16 by June 18, 2026 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 16, 2026. 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 AcademiesAcademies: 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 February 6, 2026. Visual and Performing Arts ProgramAreas 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, 2025. The final application is due February 6, 2026. |
| Put Your Dragon’s Class Ahead in the Foundation’s Parent Participation Competition!Each year, the Annual Fund Parent Participation Campaign recognizes the class with the highest percentage of parents/guardians making gifts to the MLWGS Foundation annual fund. All donations of any size count, and the winning class gets bragging rights and a sweet treat party in May. All classes are within a few donors of one another right now so your donation can put your class ahead. Show your support for MLWGS and your Dragon’s class by making your gift online today. Current standings are: 1st place: Seniors (Class of ‘26); 2nd place: Sophomores Class of ‘28); 3rd place: Freshmen (Class of ‘29); 4th place: Juniors (Class of ‘27) |
| Attention Dragons. We know you all have stories to tell, so don’t keep them to yourself! DragonLore is an Instagram page that posts stories about cool stuff happening around MLWGS. Right now, we’re looking for stories about “Moments at Maggie”, fun stories about a day in the life of a student at MLWGS. Got a story to share submit your photos and stories to DragonLore at //bit.ly/dragon-lore, that’s “bit dot L Y forward slash dragon dash LORE” , //bit.ly/dragon-lore |
| Do you have creative words to share: a poem, song, microfiction, micromemoir, or excerpt from something longer (4-minute max)? Reserve your spot in the lunchtime Open Mic in the library on Monday, Nov. 10. Would you rather listen and affirm Dragons with the courage to share their work? Join us! A supportive audience makes a big difference—and there will be cookies.Do you enjoy reading? Join the next lunchtime reading roundtable in the library on Wednesday, Nov. 12 to share insights with classmates about whatever you’ve been reading lately. Hear about a wide range of books, eat cookies, and connect with other book lovers! |
| It’s time to order your student’s cap and gown for graduation! Herff Jones is accepting orders at a discounted price through December 5. All cap and gown orders will be shipped directly to the school. Any other graduation-related items will be sent to your home. Seniors 2026- Maggie Walker HS.pdfYou can reach out to Ms. Sheppard or Ms. Love with any graduation-related questions. |
| This Friday, on November 7th , 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. One of the goals of our art curriculum is to have the students “become aware of and participate in the local arts community”. 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! This event is for the entire family!To begin the evening, our wonderful Visual Arts Boosters will be hosting a reception from 5:30pm – 6:00pm. 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….https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4AA4A92DA0F85-60103136-mlwgsWe will give everyone maps of the galleries and Coach Hall will take 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 the Main St. galleries to Broad St. 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: November 7th, 2025, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pmWhere: Meet in the “adjunct classroom”, room #153, near the Maggie Walker mural to enjoy snacks and refreshments.RSVP: by Thursday Nov. 6th – https://evite.me/72qqfA8kSu |
