Week of May 13, 2020

ATTENTION SENIORS









Interested in performing for graduation or Senior Night? We are looking for singers (groups or soloists) and/or musicians. In order to be considered for one of these two events, you will need to record yourself/yourselves performing something appropriate for the event. If you have a group who would like to perform together, there are numerous platforms that will allow you to virtually produce your audition:


Most of these have restrictions on the number of participants. While they could work for smaller choruses, they may not work for larger ones.

In order to be considered, please submit your audition using THIS LINK by May 15. The class officers and I will then work through the performances and select the ones to be included in one of the events.

Please remember, that we need someone or a group to perform the National Anthem for both events.
Don’t forget to sign up to write comments about your fellow seniors! We are collecting these for our Senior Night, and we need your help!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15w9bsz_SfVO_OB_hZP2WbhmF_v0OPwzicc0oqJFr5RM/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you for your efforts! I know this is not the graduation or Senior Night we imagined, but your contributions will help make our versions of these events special. Please reach out to your class officers or Ms. Sheppard if you have any questions! 




JOIN AUTHOR KAREN CHASE!








Join Richmond author Karen A. Chase on May 21 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Zoom for an engaging talk about her award-winning novel Carrying Independence. During the QA she invites questions about her novel, the writing process, and her recent webinar How to Research Women Like a Historical Novelist. Readers, history buffs, writers, researchers, teachers, parents, and genealogists are encouraged to attend this event! Sign up HERE

NEHS members who attend earn 1 hour.




SUMMER CLASS INFORMATION














Because many families have had summer plans altered by Covid 19, the Maggie Walker counseling department has seen an increase in requests for online summer Economics and Personal Finance classes. We have increased the course enrollment maximums to 200 students so that more students may register for the classes.

If you are interested in enrolling in these free summer online courses, please do Send an email to your counselor by May 22.


Make sure to specify whether you would like both classes for this summer (most students take both classes if their schedules permit). 

Please do not send an email to register for these classes if you already requested the classes previously. You can double check your registration status by going through the Powerschool portal and clicking on the Class Registration icon. Economics and Personal Finance classes are listed separately in the Alternate Hours Requested list. If you see the courses listed here you are registered and will be getting an email from the instructor Ms. Hamilton sometime in late May/early June when the class begins. 

The classes will be filled in the order of requests. Please note: these courses are not available for incoming students. Rising 9th graders may wish to consider taking these courses through their home school division if the student is eager to complete the requirement ahead of schedule.

Dates for the classes are available on the school website summer assignments page. Students may be able to start the economics class in early June once rosters are set up but the minimum pacing will not begin until June 15. Please note that in order to accommodate the increased demand, grade updates and transfers of the current course grade from Virtual Virginia to PowerSchool for parent updates will occur only at the interim or halfway point of each quarter’s course progress and the final grade for each quarter. However, students can always see their current updated grade in the Virtual Virginia Portal and can certainly share that progress with their parent or guardian. In a fast paced online course, it is important that students keep up with due dates for lessons and assessments. Late penalties of 10% deduction per day will automatically be applied to late completions.



SPELLING THE DREAM 

We are happy to share that the world premiere of the documentary Spelling the Dream will be on Netflix on May 23. This is a documentary that follows one of our students, Tejas Muthusamy (Henrico '21) and three other spellers through their spelling journey. The spelling bee has been cancelled this year, so this would be a good watch for bee enthusiasts!




PROJECT ENGAGERVA

As recently featured on CBS News and in the Richmond Times-DispatchProject EngageRVA is a nonprofit recently founded by four juniors, Ria Bakshi (Henrico), Bella Grace Finck (Goochland), Justin Goldman (Chesterfield), and Shreya Malani (Henrico) for the dual purposes of engaging and enriching elementary-age children and raising money for the fight against COVID-19.

Due to these financially uncertain times and to reach and serve those most in need, ALL CLASSES ARE FREE. NO DONATION IS EXPECTED OR EVER SOLICITED; however, those in a position to make a donation of any amount are welcomed with great appreciation. 100% of the net proceeds (net only by Zoom and website for instruction and hosting fees) are donated to the Central Virginia COVID-19 Response FundProject EngageRVA has raised over $1,000 and received over 150 registrations in their first two weeks!

The reason Project EngageRVA chose the elementary age group is because they fear these girls and boys are feeling especially lost and isolated. Unlike older kids, most of them don't have phones with which to connect with their friends for comfort and distraction. Project EngageRVA'S teaching model is fun and game-based with the primary goal of engaging participants in happy enrichment and fostering a sense of community. No quizzes! No tests! No papers! The course roster now includes:
  • Book Club (three levels by grade)
  • Trivia Games
  • Quick Math (three levels by grade)
  • Youth Yoga

Courses will be added wherever there is interest! MLWGS students who wish to teach as Project EngageRVA's reach grows should contact the founders.