It was another busy and meaningful week at MLWGS. Our campus served as a polling site for the state-wide election, and it was good to see a steady turnout throughout the day. As a government and international studies school, there is something especially fitting about civic engagement taking place right here on our grounds.
We also celebrated Earth Day with a visit from the mounted unit of the Richmond Police Department. “Toby” and “Banjo” quickly became favorites. Students enjoyed meeting the horses, and it also gave the police department an opportunity to connect with our young people in a different setting.
We had many reasons to spotlight student success this week. We welcomed our State Debate Champions and recognized our nationally ranked We the People program, currently number two in the nation. We also honored students inducted into National Foreign Language Honor Societies and had students out on Spanish Walk field trips. Our students continue to impress in so many different ways, and we should all be proud.
Our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner was another highlight. It was a lovely evening that reminded us how many people quietly give their time and heart to support this school. Mrs. Valenta Williams put all the finishing touches on the event and made sure it felt warm and special.
As we close out the week, we look forward to One Acts and the Moore Street Project, where student talent is matched by generosity and the proceeds are used to support others. It is one more example of our students using their gifts with purpose.
It was also Administrative Professionals Day and National Library Week. Strong schools depend on people who keep everything moving, while libraries open doors through stories, ideas, and opportunity. During National Library Week, I found myself thinking about the books that shaped my own life and the lives of my children. Few feel more fitting this week than The Lorax, with its Truffula trees and enduring reminder that progress without care comes at a cost. It also calls each of us to leave things better than we found them, which feels especially appropriate on Earth Day.
Thank you to everyone who helped make it another strong week at Maggie Walker.
Go Dragons!
Warmly,
Kristin K. Janssen, Executive Director
Additional Announcements below:
The Mech Tech Dragons are one of 20 Chesapeake district teams traveling to Houston, Texas, for the April 29-May 2, 2026, FIRST Championship – the world’s largest K-12 robotics event.
FIRST Chesapeake District includes teams from Virginia, DC, and Maryland. FIRST Championship will provide the opportunity to meet, talk, work with, as well as compete with and against teams from all over the world.
Live stream information will be found on The Blue Alliance or the FIRST Championship Webpage
The Blue Alliance (Match Schedules and results)- https://www.thebluealliance.com/event/2026cmptx
The Mech Tech Dragons are working hard on fundraising, as all operational and travel costs are funded through team fundraising, sponsorships, and student fees. If anyone is interested in supporting the team for their trip to Houston, team operations, or special projects, please reach out to the MLWGS Foundation or to Mark Sailer, [email protected]
Go, Dragons! We celebrate your many accomplishments this year, the result of your hard work. Have a blast in Houston.
Mu Alpha Theta is sponsoring an after-school presentation by MLWGS alumna Dr. Finale Doshi-Velez on Friday, April 24, from 3:30-4:45 pm in the Forum. Here is the tentative title and description:
Foundations of Reinforcement Learning in Forty Minutes: There will be symbols and equations and hopefully students will come away with “I’ve seen many of these mathematical pieces in my classes but not put together in this way before — my brain feels expanded in a technical way.”
Finale Doshi-Velez is a Herchel Smith Professor in Computer Science at the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She completed her MSc from the University of Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar, her PhD from MIT, and her postdoc at Harvard Medical School. Her interests lie at the intersection of reinforcement learning, interpretability, and probabilistic methods to improve human+AI discovery and decision-making.
The Vault, Maggie Walker’s newly renamed Yearbook, will be available for pickup and purchase at lunch in the Commons on Thurs, May 7 (seniors only), and Fri, May 8 (all others). Distribution and sales will continue on May 11-13, also at lunch in the Commons. If you can’t remember whether you purchased a book, please email Yearbook Adviser Michael White at [email protected]. All pre-orders must be completed by May 1; go to www.yearbookordercenter.com, and either enter our job number (it’s 14632) or search for Maggie Walker. After May 1, only walk-up purchases (for $60 in cash or check, payable to MLWGS) will be accepted.
On August 10-12, MLWGS counselors Dr. Rachel Loving and Ms. Kim Forquer will host a College Application Boot Camp for rising MLWGS seniors. Registration is now open, and spots are limited. Juniors can find links to both a SignUp Genius and OSP in the “College Information for the Class of 2027” Schoology group. (To reserve a spot, a student must select the morning or afternoon session on the SignUp Genius and pay the $75 fee via OSP no later than May 29th.)
Senior Group Photo: Lifetouch is coming to photograph the senior class in their caps and gowns on the front steps of Maggie Walker on Monday, April 27, during lunch. The line-up will take place on the 2nd floor hall by the auditorium at 11:40 AM. The cost is expected to be $18, and information about how to order a copy will be distributed this week. Unfortunately, no pictures may be purchased after April 27. FYI: These photos may not be delivered until AFTER graduation, so you may need to come to school to pick up your copy.
Social Studies AP Assistance: The TJ History Honor Society will host AP prep sessions during lunch for all Social Studies AP courses every Monday in Room 313, as well as on Tuesday, May 5, until AP exams begin. Please see your class pages and the MLWGS Social Studies Instagram for a schedule of tutoring focus areas. See Ms. Lee or Ms. Voight if you have questions.
Senior Survey via Naviance: April 17th through May 1st. The Senior Survey will be available on Naviance starting April 13th and must be completed by May 1st as a part of the official check-out process. This survey will give the senior counselors information about each student’s post graduation plans. The final college decision each senior reports by May 1st will be printed in the graduation program. Any scholarship offers that students report they will be accepting will be featured in the Senior Awards Bulletin (program). Students should also share any scholarships they are declining so that counselors can stay abreast of institutions’ awarding trends.
To access the Senior Survey, students should go to Naviance, click the arrow by their initials, and then click “Surveys from My School.” When completed, select “Save and Finish.” If a student changes their college decision or receives/chooses to accept a scholarship after submitting the form, please notify Counseling via the Google “College/Scholarship Change Form” that will be available in Schoology under the College Information for the Class of 2026 group. Counselors will make every effort to have the final college decision reflected in the graduation program, which goes to print on May 11th to be ready by graduation. Similarly, late scholarship awards may not be able to be recognized at the Senior Awards Assembly, but please report them so they can be documented and shared in other ways. Please contact Ms. Forquer or Dr. Loving if you have questions.
Senior Recognition Night: As our students prepare to leave MLWGS, we look forward to celebrating their accomplishments and reflecting on their four years of growth, friendship, and achievement. Senior Recognition Night is a meaningful evening for students and families alike, and we warmly welcome family members to join us for this special occasion.
Please note that seating in the auditorium is limited, so we encourage families to plan accordingly and arrive early.
Students need to report to the gym by 6:00 PM for the line-up (the actual event starts at 6:30 PM), where they will also receive the letters they wrote themselves as freshmen. Students should wear professional/business attire; caps and gowns are NOT worn for this event.
Direct any questions regarding Senior Recognition Night to Kara Love at [email protected].
SOL Testing Information for Parents
Math SOLs will be held on April 29th and April 30th. All freshmen in Geometry and Algebra 2 are required to test, along with select sophomores who will be notified by Friday, April 17th.
The End-of-Year SOLs will be held during the last week of May. Students attending only their testing window must have a parent notify the school of their late arrival and/or grant permission for early dismissal. The tentative schedule is below, but students will receive the final schedule in May.
Schedule:
- Morning Block: 8:40 am – 11:30 am
- Afternoon Block: 12:30 pm – 3:10 pm
Test Schedule:
- May 26th – Biology (ALL 9th graders)
- May 27th – US History (select 10th graders) & Reading SOL (ALL 11th graders)
- May 28th – World History 2 (select 10th graders)
- May 29 th – SOL Makeups
*Notifications about who needs a history SOL will be communicated on Friday, April 17th.*
Contact Kelly Ndayizigiye at [email protected] for any questions.
Senior Parents–Celebrate Your Dragon and Leave Your Mark @ MLWGS
The Governor’s School Foundation invites families of seniors and alumni to commemorate their time at Maggie Walker by purchasing a custom-engraved paver. These permanent tributes honor your student’s achievements while supporting the Foundation’s ongoing work.
Choose the location that’s most meaningful to you:
- Bluestone paver inside the school lobby
- Brick paver on Walker Plaza along Lombardy Street
Order Deadline: June 1, 2026 (All pavers will be engraved over the summer.)
- $1,000 — Bluestone Lobby Paver
Up to 6 lines, 13 characters (including spaces) per line - $500 — Exterior Brick Paver (Walker Plaza)
Up to 3 lines, 13 characters (including spaces) per line
Your purchase is more than a tribute—it’s a long-lasting investment in our beloved school. (All funds exceeding engraving costs are tax-deductible.)
Senior Parent Send Off Party–Friday, May 1, Brambly Park
The MLWGS Foundation will be hosting the annual Senior Parent Send Off on Friday, May 1, from 5:30-7:30 pm at Brambly Park. Come join other parents of our soon-to-be graduates to celebrate this milestone–and know that you’re not alone during this bittersweet time of sending your Dragon on to their next adventure. Grandparents Welcome! No RSVP needed.
Senior Showcase Invitation to all Senior Parents and Guardians:
On May 20, 2026, all senior students at Maggie Walker will be taking part in our Senior Showcase. This day is designed to allow all seniors to share presentations of research generated in their Senior Seminar classes or in their Mentorship. All students at MLWGS will be invited to register to attend sessions throughout the day. Parents and Guardians of Seniors are also invited to attend their student’s session on May 20. Please use the link below to see the schedule for the day. There is no need for Parents/Guardians to RSVP or register for sessions. We hope you are able to attend. More information will be coming regarding overflow parking in a future message.
Senior Showcase Schedule: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18Hl6i9meg3gnw5TrLx0ZQKboBy5MmHIx/view?usp=sharing
