Sometimes I forget exactly when we spring forward, but the end of this week was a good reminder that warmer weather and longer days are upon us. Daylight Saving Time arrives this weekend, Sunday, and it certainly feels like the season is beginning to shift.
We were also happy to welcome our Japanese exchange students this week. Their teacher kindly presented me with a beautiful plate for our archives featuring cranes, a symbol of hope and renewal. It felt like a nice reminder as we move into this busy part of the school year.
10th-grade students completed the SOL Writing test this week, so most now only have the reading test remaining. (I almost forgot about the reading test. Thank you to Mr. Coleman for the reminder.) On Wednesday evening, we celebrated our Mu Alpha Theta inductions and recognized students who have worked hard in mathematics. Our students also shared their talents during the Youth Art and Music event, and we celebrated new members joining the Thomas Jefferson Honor Society, which recognizes students for their achievement and dedication to the study of history and the social sciences.
We also took time this week to recognize members of our community who support our students every day.
During School Social Worker Week, we are proud to recognize Ms. Erin Ortiz for the care and support she provides to students and staff at MLWGS. A Dragon alumna, she also serves as a Foundation Board member and SCA sponsor. We are grateful for the many ways she continues to give back to this community.
Today, we also thank Troy Mitchell and Sonny Banes for the work they do every day to keep MLWGS running smoothly. Their care for our building and the many things they handle behind the scenes help create a safe and welcoming environment for our students and staff.
Looking ahead, the Governor’s School Foundation will host Maggie Walker’s annual Grandparents and Special Adults Day on the afternoon of Friday, May 1. Grandparents or other special adults of our Dragons are invited to campus to hear a bit about our programs, enjoy some sweet treats, and take a tour with their student at the end of the day.
I am fortunate that my own students have their grandparents nearby, and those relationships mean so much.
The weather cooperated, allowing us to finally roll into the start of our spring sports season as we wrapped up the third nine weeks.
We also hosted our Future Dragons, and it is always energizing to see the next class visit campus while our current students continue to grow and take on new opportunities.
Additional announcements are listed below. There is a very important senior newsletter attached that includes mandatory dates and meetings for both families and students. Please print the document and keep it somewhere visible. When my own child was in school, it became a mainstay on our family fridge. Here’s to March and warmer weather.
Go Dragons!
Warmly,
Kristin K. Janssen, Executive Director
Senior Letter. This document will carry our seniors and their families through the end of the senior year. Please take time to place the important dates on your personal calendars. The team has thoughtfully organized everything in chronological order and included helpful descriptions to guide you along the way.
This letter kept my own active family afloat during senior year, and I hope it does the same for yours.
I look forward to seeing you at one of the mandatory commencement ceremony Zoom meetings. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
A special thank you to Ms. Sheppard and Ms. Love for their work on this document and for helping support our seniors and families through this exciting time.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VrqpGNescc82wLsRQQNE5f7kQKLBjWimKZ1tkyb2fSs/edit?usp=sharing
Grandparents’ and Special Adults Day is May 1–Invitee Info Wanted. On the afternoon of Friday, May 1, the Governor’s School Foundation will host Maggie Walker’s annual Grandparents’ and Special Adults Day. Grandparents or other special adults of all current Dragons are invited to come to campus, hear a bit about our wonderful programs, enjoy some sweet treats, and take a tour with their grandchild(ren) at the end of the day.
If your Dragon would like to invite their grandparents/special guest, please fill out the Google form linked here TODAY so we can send invites before break. This year you can have the invite sent via email, snail mail, or picked up and delivered by your Dragon.
The event will begin at 2:30 pm with a short presentation in the auditorium, followed by a reception with guests’ students at around 3:15 pm. Students are encouraged to show their guests some of their favorite spots around the school once the halls clear. The final shuttle will depart for the parking lot at 4pm.
Important Parking Info: Because parking is very limited, we will be running a shuttle from a satellite lot tbd. Please consider dropping off and picking up your guests if this is problematic. More details about the location will be provided closer to the event.
Seeking Public Comment on the 2026-2031 Strategic Plan Proposal. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Regional Board meeting on February 19, 2026, will include a public hearing for the 2036-2031 Strategic Plan proposal. The executive director will present her proposal for the 2026-2031 strategic plan. The public will have opportunities to comment before the board finalizes or changes the proposal in March. Comments regarding the 2026-2031 Strategic Plan proposal will be accepted until 10:00 am on March 18, 2026.
Seeking Public Comment on the AY2027 Proposed School Operating Budget. The Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Regional Board meeting on February 19, 2026, will include a public hearing for the AY2027 proposed operating budget. The executive director will present her proposal for the AY27 operating budget to the board and the public. Mrs. Janssen will be asking for an additional $697,284 in spending to cover teacher and staff pay raises and facility maintenance. The public will have opportunities to comment using this form or during the public comment section of the board meeting before the budget is finalized in March. Comments regarding the AY2027 budget proposal will be accepted until 10:00 am on March 18, 2026.
Last Chance to Add an AP Exam for May 2026
Students may still add an exam with a late fee ($139 total) until March 12th. Students should check their MyAP accounts prior to this date to ensure all planned exams appear in their accounts. Additions cannot be made after this date. Students may cancel an exam for a $59 refund until April 15th using the AP Exam Cancellation Form posted on Schoology in the AP Testing group. This gives seniors Spring Break to determine whether their college choice may impact their plans to take AP exams (seniors are encouraged to check their college’s AP exam transfer policies and their personal standing with special state seals for their diploma–one requires at least nine transferable college credits–prior to this date). Any cancellations after April 15th will not be eligible for a refund.
Remember that afternoon exams run past the end of our school day, so please plan transportation and work schedules accordingly. AP Exams will be mostly digital or hybrid this year. Exams with listening portions will use the same format as previous years. See the AP Testing Schoology Group for additional details about what to bring and not bring to your exams and exact room locations once they are determined.
Dual Enrollment Notice for Students with Disabilities:
Students with disabilities are eligible and encouraged to consider dual enrollment courses through our higher ed partner, Virginia Commonwealth University, and are eligible to register their plan with the Office of Academic Support Services. Please read the following notice: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1byQ3Tc3kSFVQzBeGUgSsWmLGPFBqc7WT/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107178821893099947385&rtpof=true&sd=true
HB 1892 (§ 22.1-215.3) requires school divisions to provide written notice to parents/guardians of students with disabilities prior to their 11th- or 12th-grade year that they are eligible to participate in dual enrollment. This notice must clarify rights under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and American Disabilities Act (ADA) and provide clear next steps.
Dragon results from SABR Competition in Phoenix. The annual SABR Analytics Diamond Dollars Case Competition, February 27-March 1, in Phoenix, Arizona, brings together college teams from across the country to compete in a rigorous case study focused on sabermetrics, which is the advanced analysis of baseball statistics. In 2014, MLWGS made history as the first high school ever to compete in this university-level event.
Judged by analysts from Major League Baseball organizations, the competition showcases some of the nation’s top collegiate teams. This year’s field included teams from Rice, Vanderbilt, Tufts, Syracuse, Elon, Arizona State, Texas A&M, and the University of the Pacific. Once again, MLWGS was the only high school represented, maintaining our status as one of the most successful programs in the history of the competition.
This year’s challenge asked teams to develop a method for evaluating a player’s individual statistics in relation to overall team success, particularly when those measures may conflict. MLWGS sent four teams (20 students in total) to Phoenix to take on this demanding task.
Our Dragon teams delivered an outstanding performance and represented our school with excellence.
GSMUN XXVIII successfully raised $10,000+ for charity. Congratulations to GSMUN XXVIII for raising over $10000+ for Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia!
This past Friday and Saturday, February 20–21, the Maggie Walker Model United Nations club hosted over 300 visiting students from more than 25 partner schools for our 28th annual conference, GSMUN XXVIII. School delegations traveled from as far away as Charlottesville and Chantilly to participate in 17 geographically and temporally diverse committees, ranging from historical simulations like the Estates General and Pazzi Conspiracy to contemporary committees facing recent issues like the Syrian Civil War or the effects of atomic radiation (SPECPOL).
Fundraising at this year’s GSMUN conference supported Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia, which works to provide children fighting critical illnesses with life-changing experiences that spark hope within communities. As of Saturday evening, GSMUN XXVIII raised over $10,000 to support Make-A-Wish.
We welcomed a visit from Jennifer McClellan, U.S. representative for Virginia’s 4th congressional district, who delivered an exciting keynote address about the importance of open-minded and cooperative debate. She emphasized the need for young, emerging leaders to continue working towards the Constitution’s ‘pursuit of a more perfect union.’
Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School extends its thanks to the GSMUN XXVIII Secretariat: Secretary-General Deepanshi Kumar, Director-General Sanaya Bothra, Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Short, USG for External Communications Alina Laraway, USG for Logistics Ethan Roerink, USG for Crisis Simulations Ari Johri, Director of Charitable Giving Ousmane Dieng, Director of General Assemblies Rewa Totey, Director of Specialized Agencies Amy Sun, Director of Press and Publications Anushri Ramesh, Director of Technology Anish Aruru, and Deputy USG of Crisis Priya Kumar. We also hasten to recognize the dedicated and talented GSMUN staff of over 100 students and our numerous volunteers, who all contributed their efforts to create a successful conference. GSMUN’s faculty sponsor, Jaelyn Szerokman, is extremely proud of her impressive club!
Help Restock the Library’s Gratitude Box! Do you have spare unused cards cluttering a desk, catch-all basket, or kitchen drawer? The MLWGS Library welcomes donations of blank cards, thank-you cards, get-well cards, thinking of you cards, sympathy cards, and birthday cards (with envelopes, please). Donated cards help restock the library’s gratitude box, from which students and staff can select a card whenever they’d like to send kind words to someone in their life. This is an opportunity to freecycle unused spare cards; please do not purchase cards. For students who prefer to make their own cards, card-making materials like partially used packets of construction paper, cardstock, stickers, or rolls of washi tape are also welcome. Thank you for helping spread gratitude, cheer, and caring in our MLWGS community!
