It’s been a vibrant week at Maggie Walker! Our Diwali Food Celebration filled the halls with color, culture, and community. A heartfelt thank-you to the vendors, parents, and students who provided the wonderful food and nourishment that made the event so special.
We also enjoyed some Wednesday fun and camaraderie with a donut truck visit, giving our staff a sweet midweek treat! We then wrapped up the week with Halloween festivities and an MLWGS Trick-or-Treat, bringing plenty of smiles, costumes, and school spirit to our community.
We’ve now concluded regular-season play for our fall sports and are rolling into regionals. Please be sure to cheer on our athletes as girls’ volleyball and boys’ volleyball continue their exciting postseason runs!
As we head into November, please note a few important dates:
- Sunday, November 2: Daylight Saving Time ends—remember to “fall back” one hour.
- Monday, November 3: Student Holiday — Teachers will participate in virtual meetings and parent/teacher conferences (12–3 PM & 4–7 PM).
- Tuesday, November 4: Student & Staff Holiday for Election Day.
- November 4–10: National French Week, celebrating student achievements and appreciation for Francophone culture.
Thank you for your continued support of our students and school community. We have so much to look forward to this November!
Go Dragons!
With pride, Kristin Janssen, MLWGS Executive Director
| 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 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) |
| Frustrated by political divisiveness and incivility? RESIST joining the fray. Instead, connect with a classmate and contribute to community-building at MLWGS in a lunchtime Half-Step Conversation designed and facilitated by the One Small Step Organizing Team. Discuss rather than debate one of three policy issues with a classmate, exploring how your values and experiences influence your opinion, AND earn 30 minutes of community service. No prior One Step experience or sign-up necessary. Just show up in the library at lunch on Thursday, Nov. 6. We’ll start at 11:45am. Policy options for this Half-Step relate to education, protest, and climate change. |
| 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. |
| NEWS FLASH from the Yearbook staff! Senior Ads are now available for purchase. Space is limited and will not be increased, due to budgetary and publication requirements. All the info you’ll need is attached. Questions? Email Mr. White at [email protected]. |
| Attention all students: If you are interested in playing a Winter sport, you will need to complete the packet below and send to Ms.Hawkins as a pdf before November 7thhttps://mlwgs.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VHSL-Forms-25.pdf |
| The Honor Council is running a visual art contest for our upcoming Town Hall event. What does honor look like? Answer this question by submitting original artwork that depicts the theme of honor and integrity. The winner will receive a $50 gift card, and their art will be displayed around the school and at the town hall meeting on December 3rd! Please see your class Schoology page for more information |
