Snowing Slowing Down
This week at MLWGS has been full in the very best way. I recently bought a “magic” ring that offers small insights throughout the day, including a gentle reminder of when it might be time to slow down. My wellness tool has been buzzing steadily all week, which feels fitting given the beautiful hum of activity across our campus.
We began with a shortened week honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and then stepped straight into our new semester. There is a particular energy that comes with beginnings, and it is felt everywhere right now. Classrooms are alive with new units, fresh ideas, and the quiet confidence that comes from settling into meaningful work.
Across campus, learning is unfolding in many forms. Mech Tech Dragon robot building is underway, our spring production has begun to take shape, our Quiz Bowl team briefly vanished for a taping at the WTVR Channel 6 newsroom, and our filmmaking students move thoughtfully through the building, capturing moments as they go. It is a joy to watch creativity and curiosity intersect in so many spaces at once.
Our athletes continue to give us moments worth lingering in. I just came home from three basketball games, each one excellent, and we were fortunate to win all three. At one point, I heard families say, “We should really go home,” followed almost immediately by, “But this is too good not to stay.” That sentiment felt like a perfect reflection of the spirit in our gym and the community that fills it.
We will close the week by welcoming our eighth graders to campus for testing. Our counseling office is preparing with great care and flexibility, ready to support both eighth-grade testing and College Day in whatever form is needed should the forecast hold true. As a parent who has learned a great deal along the way, I carry a deep appreciation for the weight these moments can hold for students and families. I have always viewed MLWGS as a gift my family was given, and times like these are a reminder of how meaningful that opportunity is for so many.
We also paused this week to celebrate excellence among our faculty. Our very own art educator, Coach Jeff Hall, was named the recipient of the Taylor Teaching Award. What a gift it is to work in a school that values learning so deeply that it creates opportunities for its educators to travel, grow, and be inspired. Our sincere thanks to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Foundation for making experiences like this possible.
As we head into the weekend, we are watching the weather closely. If the forecast is accurate, what my ring gently encourages me to do each day may actually happen. Snow has a way of slowing us down, quieting the noise, and inviting us to pause, reflect, and take care of one another. If needed, we will transition to virtual learning and continue moving forward together.
Please stay safe, stay warm, and enjoy the quiet moments when they find you.
Warmly,
Kristin K. Janssen, Executive Director
Attention All Parents and Legal Guardians! It is time for the parents of students in 9th-11th grades to complete the annual “Intent to Return Form” to secure your child’s spot for the 2026-2027 Academic Year. BY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, a parent/legal guardian for each student is required to submit this form, affirming their student’s plan to return to MLWGS next year. This form also aims to capture any address changes and re-affirm students’ commitment to the academic, attendance, behavioral, and community service standards of MLWGS for the 2026-2027 academic year. Only one response per student. This form should not be completed for students in the Class of 2026. Note: This is a change to the process used the last couple of years, and a response for EVERY student– not just those with changes– is once again required.
Coming Soon: National School Counselors Week, February 2-6, 2026. School Counseling Week at MLWGS recognizes the essential role our school counselors play in supporting students’ academic success, well-being, and future planning. Celebrated during the first full week of February, this week honors the dedication and care counselors provide every day.
Nominations opened today for the 2026 R.E.B. Awards for Teaching Excellence, The Community Foundation’s yearly awards that identify, recognize, and support outstanding teachers in the area. Through your efforts, Connie Hill, Math Department Chair, was a 2025 award winner. Through a nomination process, approximately 15 outstanding teachers are selected each year to receive cash grants to support professional development activities. Award recipients have earned graduate degrees, climbed mountains, traced their ancestors, and met peers from around the world – all to reignite their passion for learning and to pass it on to their students.The Community Foundation invites nominations from students, parents, colleagues, school staff, and administrators (except for the school principal), and the community at large. Nominations must be made online and be accompanied by a letter in support of the nomination, written by another individual, and submitted online with the nomination. Nominations and letters of support must be submitted through the Community Foundation’s website by February 17, 2026, by 5 p.m.
Recipients will be announced in November 2026. For a link to the nomination portal visit here.
Parents of 10th and 11th graders–save the date for College Kick-Off: Thursday, January 29th! From 10-11:30 AM, parents of sophomores are invited to join their students in the MLWGS Auditorium for a rich discussion about the college search and admissions with panelists from Old Dominion University, George Washington University, UVA,the University of Alabama, and Davidson College. Parents of juniors are invited to attend an assembly on college-related topics designed just for the Class of 2027 from 1-3:10 PM (followed by a parents-only Q&A session from 3:10-3:30 PM). Please keep checking your email for more details throughout the month from senior counselor Kim Forquer ([email protected]).
NASA’s Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) is thrilled to announce that the application window for Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST)—our FREE summer residential STEM program for Virginia 8th and 9th-grade students—opens December 1st!
BLAST gives students a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore their passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through immersive learning and career exploration. The program is designed specifically for students who have not yet had significant STEM experiences (such as afterschool programs, electives, or camps), offering them a first chance to dive into engaging, hands-on sessions.
Selected students will spend three days and nights on campus at one of Virginia’s top universities: Old Dominion University (ODU), Radford University (RU), University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Tech (VT), or William & Mary (W&M). Led by university faculty, participants will:
- Take part in interactive STEM activities
- Attend demonstrations, tours, and guest speaker sessions
- Gain valuable insight into college life and STEM careers
📅 Application Window: Opens Monday, December 1, 2025 and closes Saturday, February 1, 2026
🎥 Short Informational Video: Watch here
🎥 YouTube Channel: Click here
📄 Flyer & More Details: https://vsgc.odu.edu/blast/
- Attention Seniors! It’s time to confirm the spelling of your name for your diploma using the following form: https://forms.gle/5sPHe4k15i3Tb8qRA
This form is due February 2nd, 2026, as the diploma order will be placed in early February. Seniors are directed to complete this form, but are encouraged to have a parent review the spelling of their full name (first, middle, last, and any suffixes or accent notes) before they submit.
