Week of April 21, 2015

PTSA Programming – Ethics Pro and MLWGS Senior Team Up!

Raising Children to be Ethical Leaders
May 5, 2015 • 5:30 p.m. MLWGS Auditorium

Local author Linda Fisher Thornton will discuss ethical leadership, the morals and principles inherent to good business practices, and raising children to reflect these values. Senior Reed Canaan (Henrico), student chairperson of Maggie Walker’s honor council, will discuss the important role of the honor council at Maggie Walker and introduce Ms. Thornton.

The author of  7 Lenses: Learning the Principles and Practices of Ethical Leadership, Ms. Thornton is a leadership consultant who teaches ethics at University of Richmond, and speaks and writes about the future of ethical leadership.   




Good Luck, We the People Team!

The Governor’s School Foundation wants to wish the MLWGS We the People team good luck in the national tournament this weekend!  Along with their teacher, Sam Ulmschneider ’02, the twenty-four member team travels to George Mason University and the U.S. Capitol to compete against teams from around the country. 

This is the seventeenth time since 1998 that the Governor’s School team has won the state championship and competed in the national tournament.

The Governor’s School Foundation is pleased to support our We the People team, along with the following corporate sponsors:  the New Market Foundation, the MeadWestvaco Foundation, Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP, and Tailored Touches.




PLEASE JOIN THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOUNDATION FOR ITS LAST MAILING OF THE YEAR, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

The Governor's School Foundation needs volunteer help in preparing the final mailing of the year on Wednesday, April 29, starting at 9:00 a.m. in the MLWGS Boardroom. This last postcard mailing usually goes pretty quickly, so if you have a couple hours to spare, please join us! It is a great time to meet up with other parents to have coffee and great conversation!

No RSVP is necessary, but for questions or to be added to the Foundation's volunteer list for future bulk mailings, please contact Laura Lewis at 354-1566 or Laura.Lewis@GovernorsSchoolFoundation.org.

Thanks!




MLWGS Drama Club Presents 2015 SPRING ONE-ACTS FESTIVAL

An Evening of Student-Directed Short Plays


The One-Acts Festival will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 30 - May 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. This year’s festival includes five student-directed short plays. Tickets will be available at the door for $5. Please join us for the following productions:

  • A Human Write directed by Taylor Hawkins ('15, Chesterfield)
  • Variations on the Death of Trotsky directed by John Libby ('16, Hanover)
  • Red Nose Floppy Shoes directed by Emma Bilski ('16, Chesterfield)
  • What If I Told You directed and written by Genna Markee ('17, Chesterfield)
  • Admissions directed by Shannon Colson ('17, Henrico) and Naomi Vickers ('17, Richmond)




STUDENT Travel Opportunity
International/Interdisciplinary trip To Costa Rica

MLWGS students have an exciting opportunity to participate in the international/interdisciplinary trip to Costa Rica during Spring Break 2016. MLWGS has chosen to offer this opportunity because of Costa Rica’s unique history, vibrant culture, and robust ecological diversity. Students will spend nine days exploring the ecology, geology, history, and culture of Costa Rica. In Tortuguero students will discover eleven different habitats, including nesting ground for sea turtles. Then students will enjoy a unique perspective of the rainforest while whitewater rafting and zip-lining in Sarapiqui. The next stop will be the Arenal region, where students will study volcanic geology. The Arenal volcano serves as a watershed for the lake, powers the hot springs, and supports the majestic La Fortuna waterfall. The final destination is Guanacaste, where students can explore Pacific beaches. They will also visit a cloud forest and snorkel in a marine ecosystem. Of course, they will also have some free time to experience local culture.
           
MLWGS has chosen to work with Education First (EF), an accredited international travel company, because it is a leader in international education, with more than 45 years of experience in 50 countries. EF will provide transportation, accommodations, food, insurance, and an experienced tour guide. The tentative cost of the trip is $2635 plus $80 for tips.
  
Questions can be directed to David Barnes at dbarnes@gsgis.k12.va.us, or 354-6800 ex 3060. More information is also available at http://www.eftours.com/1713827WP .


MLWGS (Required) Summer Reading Books

There is no frigate like a book . . . . 

Emily Dickinson was absolutely right!  The PTSA is taking orders for the Maggie Walker required summer reading selections.  The titles are available at a discounted, tax-free price - - convenient for families, a benefit to MLWGS, and best of all, those books will get into eager hands before the summer begins (certainly a bonus in getting started on the tale of the whale)!

Order forms will be distributed to rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, and the form can also be downloaded here on the MLWGS home page.

Orders are due by Tuesday, May 19.  Please leave them in Valenta Williams’s office off the Bluestone Lobby.  Make checks payable to MLWGS PTSA.  The books will be distributed to students through the English Department.  Students needing financial assistance in obtaining any of the required titles should contact Karl Zweerink at 354-6800, ext. 3210, kzweerink@gsgis.k12.va.us.  For questions or more information, please contact Susan Creasey at creaseys@verizon.net.




Calling All MLWGS Families:  Show an Outpouring of Appreciation for MLWGS Faculty and Staff

Send in $10 Gift Cards by May 1, 2015!


The MLWGS PTSA is asking all parents to send in one, two, three or more $10 gift cards so during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-8, MLWGS can show its genuine appreciation to MLWGS teachers for all they do.

Please purchase $10 gift cards from Kroger, Target, Martin’s, Barnes and Noble or Starbucks, then bring (or send with your student) the gift cards to Room 100 (Mrs. Valenta Williams’ office, which is to the right through the Bluestone lobby entrance). There will be a drop box labeled TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT CARDS for the cards. 
These gifts of $10 gift cards are a terrific way to show collective appreciation and support for the amazing faculty and staff at Maggie Walker. The cards will be given to the faculty and staff at the Teacher Appreciation event on Thursday, May 7.  

Deadline to send in gift cards is Friday, May 1.  The cards will be presented to the teachers and staff as a gift from all parents and students of MLWGS; no individual names of families who donated gift cards will be provided. During Teacher Appreciation Week, May 4-8, parents and students are also encouraged to send a personal note or email to faculty and staff expressing support and appreciation of their dedication to MLWGS students.




ATTENTION CLASS OF 2015!

Here are some senior events coming up in the next two weeks.

Senior Survey via Naviance
April 14 through May 8
The senior survey will be available on Naviance starting April 14 and must be completed by May 8 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 will be used in the graduation program, and the scholarships accepted will be reported in the Senior Awards Assembly program.  To access the survey, go to Naviance and click the senior survey link to the left under "About Me."  When complete, select "Save and I am finished" on the survey, and also mark it "Complete" on the Naviance Checklist.  If a student changes his/her college decision or receives a scholarship after submitting the form, please notify his/her senior counselor in person or by e-mail.  A brief demonstration and question/answer session about this survey will be provided during AP “Bubblefest” on Tuesday, April 21 and Wednesday, April 22.  Please contact Ms. Deck or Dr. Loving with questions.

Caps, Gowns, and Announcements
Wednesday and Thursday, April 22 and 23, during Lunch
Caps, gowns, announcements, and other items ordered from Herff-Jones will be distributed on April 22 and 23 in the student commons during lunch.  If a student does not pick up his/her order at that time, s/he should contact Ms. Sheppard (class sponsor/graduation coordinator) in Room 330.   Questions about or problems with the order placed should go directly to Herff-Jones directl at  804-598-0971.  Additional announcements are available for purchase ($1.35 each); students who need to order extras or who forgot to place an order should contact Ms. Sheppard by email (ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us) or by phone (354-6800 ext. 3304). 

Senior Graduation Ticket Distribution
Wednesday and Thursday, April 22 and 23, during Lunch
Please note that these are tickets for admission to the graduation exercises and are not the announcements you would have ordered from Herff-Jones.  Anyone planning to come watch a graduate receive their diploma must have a ticket to gain entrance into the theater.  Ms. Sheppard will be at a table in the student commons (next to the Herff-Jones tables) where seniors can pick up their tickets.   Each student will receive 13 tickets, and more tickets may be available on a case-by-case basis.  If tickets are lost, they are not replaceable.  Please keep them in a safe place until June 15. 

Senior Group Photo
Wednesday, April 29, 11:50 a.m.
A group photograph will be taken of all seniors in their caps and gowns standing proudly on the front steps of Maggie Walker.  This panorama style photograph measures approximately 10”x30”, and the cost is $15.00.   Approximately a week before the photograph is taken, order forms will be placed in the senior commons for any student interested in purchasing a copy of the photo.   Students need to remember to bring their caps and gowns that day.