Week of January 19, 2016

AUCTION SEEKS CORPORATE SPONSORS


Corporate Sponsorship opportunities are now available for this year's Night of the Dragon Auction, “Game of Dragons.” “Game of Dragons” will be held on Saturday, February 27, at the Short Pump Hilton. Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to reach the wider MLWGS community while giving back to the Governor’s School.

There are four levels of sponsorship - $500, $1,000, $2,500 and $5,000 - and corporate sponsors will be recognized in the electronic parent newsletter, in the auction catalog, on the auction website, and on signage at the event.

The sponsorship deadline is January 23. To learn more, or to refer an organization, please contact:

Peggy Feldmann at 804-517-8957 or auctionmlwgs@gmail.com.




SAVE THE DATE—PTSA MEETINGS

 Please “Save the Date” so that you are able to attend the upcoming General PTSA meetings at MLWGS.  These meetings are open to parents of all students, but will be particularly beneficial for parents of Freshman and Sophomores.  The MLWGS Counseling Department will be hosting the events to provide introductory information for parents on a few key topics.  Please know that parents of Juniors will be invited by the Senior Counselors to attend “College Kickoff” prior to the March 16 college overview meeting.

  • January 20 at 8:00 a.m. in Room 153 – Ms. Sharon Parker will provide an overview of the Senior Seminar and Senior Mentorship Programs offered at MLWGS.
  • February 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Commons – Mr. Zweerwink will provide information on AP and Dual Enrollment courses.
  • March 16 at 8:00 a.m. in the Auditorium (this may change) – Dr. Loving and Ms. Deck will provide an overview of the College prep and application process at MLWGS.




COLLEGE KICKOFF FOR JUNIORS AND THEIR PARENTS


College Kick Off for Juniors and parents will be held on February 9 from 12:45 – 2:25 p.m. in the MLWGS auditorium. Admissions representatives from University of Pittsburg, University of Richmond, University of Virginia, University of South Carolina, and Washington & Lee will discuss:

  • The College Search and Campus Visit
  • How Colleges Select Their Potential Freshman Class
  • The Application Process
  • Honors and Specialty Programs
  • The Role of Interview and Recommendations
  • Financial Aid Overview

Junior attendance is required; parents are strongly encouraged to attend. A parent “meet and greet” sponsored by the PTSA will follow this program from 2:45 - 3:15 p.m.




KEEP YOUR STUDIOUS DRAGON ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED WITH A
MLWGS MID-TERM SURVIVAL KIT 

Each kit includes items such as ... whimsical stress-relieving toys, yummy study snacks, gum and much more … make it personal with a note to your student!

  • Kits will be distributed Tuesday January 26 during lunch.
  • Orders accepted through Friday, January 22.
  • $15 per kit
  • All profits go to benefit MLWGS Music Program.
  • Click here to ORDER NOW (www.maggiewalkermusic.com/).  If viewing on a cell phone, scroll down to see the order information.




YEARBOOK NEWS AND DEADLINES

Senior Ads are due Friday, January 22. That means that all materials and payment must be submitted. Late submissions and payments risk incurring a $15 late fee OR being excluded from the book. Space is limited, so reserve your spot with a check NOW while you gather photos for the January 22 deadline. For more information, please contact Michael White, Yearbook Adviser, at mwhite@gsgis.k12.va.us.





YEARBOOK CLUB PICTURES SCHEDULE 2015-16

ALL PICTURES TAKEN IN THE GYM AT LUNCH.
PLEASE BE PROMPT.

Your club MAY but is NOT REQUIRED TO create a sign identify the club’s name to hold up in the picture.

Club sponsors are encouraged but not required to attend.

Tuesday, January 19
11:40: The Fringe
11:45: Pugwash; Women Matter (separate)
11:50: LiNK
11:55: GSMA
12:00: SAT Prep; Investment (separate)
12:05: Creative Writing; Earth and Mind (separate)
12:10: Richmonds of the World

Wednesday, January 20
11:40: Young Progressives; Dance Team (separate)
11:45: Literary Magazine; Women Matter (separate)
11:50: Space Club; Sage (separate)
11:55: Music Orchard
12:00: Global Citizen Corps
12:05: Voice International




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PSAT SCORES NOW AVAILABLE

At the end of last week, College Board sent emails to students that contained information on how to view their PSAT scores online. College Board released these emails in waves, with preference give to Juniors. By now, we hope that all students have received this email but a few students may still be waiting. The emails were sent to the email addresses students indicated on their registration forms when they took the test back in October. The email provides an access code as well as directions on how to create a College Board account.

Students must create an account in order to access their scores. The MLWGS Counseling Department will not be able to access online score reports for students or parents. Students/parents should contact College Board directly for assistance accessing scores if needed. Paper score reports will be mailed to Maggie Walker by the end of January, and we will distribute these to students after exams and provide students with guidance on how to interpret the score reports and utilize free resources such as Khan Academy which will help them prepare for the SAT. We will post resources on the School Counseling website as they are made available.

College Board released this You Tube video which may be helpful to watch while reviewing the score report: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzCSIilL3WQ&feature=youtu.be.

Sincerely,

The MLWGS Counseling Department





Night of the Dragon Invitations are Out!
Saturday, February 27, Short Pump Hilton, 6-11 p.m.

Everyone should have received their Night of the Dragon auction invitation.  The website is live to buy your tickets online. 
Go to www.nightofthedragon.com/tickets to purchase tickets, drink tickets, and Heads or Tails Raffle tickets.
The catalog will be online in mid-February but here are just a few of our wonderful “Ticket” items to plan your bidding.

  •  4 tickets, 2016 UVA / U of Richmond football game
  • 2 tickets, VCU vs Davidson Founders Club Basketball Tickets, March 2 (Section 4, Row H)
  • 4 tickets, Philadelphia Phillies baseball
  • 4 tickets, Virginia Repertory Theatre to see "Summer and Smoke" (April 22 – May 15)
  • 4 tickets, Richmond Symphony's tribute concert to Frank Sinatra, as part of their Genworth Symphony Pops series (April 30)





Governor's School Foundation Supports
Foreign Language Program

In November, Dr. Ainslie McLees attended the annual American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages conference in San Diego thanks to a generous grant from the Governor's School Foundation.  Choosing from more than 600 sessions, Dr. McLees focused on three areas: project-based instruction and assessment, interactive language apps, and Pre-AP and AP French approaches to composition.  “All three areas are intertwined in various ways and complement the current MLWGS emphasis on interdisciplinary curricula.  Learning how universities and school around the country are incorporating the latest research in these areas in order to maximize student leaning was fascinating.  With over 60,000 apps out there, it’s really helpful to learn which have been proven to enhance student outcomes,” said Dr. McLees on returning to school.  “Attending conferences of this caliber is always inspiring, and I believe they are particularly important for us at MLWGS because in many ways we are isolated from the broad exposure to ideas and trends that teachers in large school districts have on a regular basis.”

The Governor’s School Foundation’s Annual Fund Campaign supports programs for students, grants for teacher continuing education, and special projects for facilities and equipment. To donate online, please click here.




SHOW SCRIP SOME LOVE


It's not too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day. SCRIP orders turned in to the SCRIP box in Ms. Williams' office off of the Bluestone Lobby by next Tuesday, January 26 will be delivery the following Tuesday, February 2, just in time to include with those special flowers and chocolates you're getting for your Valentine. Questions? Contact Karen Murtha at k.murtha@comcast.net or Lori Bekenstein at lori.bek@verizon.net.




Future Leaders Forum for Young Women

Capital One is pleased to offer 12th Future Leaders Forum for Young Women on Saturday, March 19, 2016. This full-day event welcomes 300 young women in grades 9 through 12 to their Richmond campus, where they will participate in activities designed to inspire, encourage and build their leadership skills. Students can see Ms. Davis to pick up an application. Applications are due by March 4, 2016.




Free FAFSA assistance available through GRASP
(GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc.)

GRASP (GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program, Inc.) will hold its Saturdays at the Library FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) events on January 23 and February 27, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Richmond Public Main Library, 101 East Franklin Street.  GRASP advisors will provide FREE college financial aid counseling and assistance with completing the FAFSA, by appointment.  Call (804) 527-7743 to schedule your hour-long appointment.  More information is available at the GRASP website,www.grasp4va.org.

Free FAFSA assistance is also available from GRASP advisors at these times/locations:


Henrico County Library Evening Events:  January 12 at Libbie Mill (5-8 p.m.), February 3 at Fairfield (5-8 p.m.) and February 11 at Twin Hickory (5-8 p.m.) –1 hour appointments made by calling particular branch library

Belmont Library in Richmond: A GRASP Advisor is available Mondays from 6 - 8 p.m. – Appointments can be made by calling GRASP at 527-7743