Week of October 16, 2019

MLWGS NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTION CEREMONY

MLWGS National Honor Society Induction Ceremony Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 6:30 p.m.

National Honor Society (NHS) is a national organization for high school students that seeks to honor students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, leadership, service, and character. This year, 158 Maggie Walker juniors and seniors will be inducted into The Patricia E. Taylor Pioneers of Excellence Chapter of NHS. The National NHS Council requires that induction ceremonies be appropriate and impressive.

Eligible members are Maggie Walker juniors and seniors with at least a 3.5 weighted, cumulative, unrounded GPA who have earned the required number of service hours (70 for juniors, 105 for seniors) and abide by the MLWGS standards of honor. The students selected for induction met these criteria and completed an application in September where they discussed their experience with or aspirations for leadership and completed an essay on either honor or service.

The induction ceremony itself will include: a keynote address from Mr. Aaron Montgomery, Harvard alum and co-founder and COO of CarLotz, a candle lighting ceremony, the presentation of certificates, and a statement of the NHS Pledge. A reception will follow in the Student Commons.




HOMECOMING DANCE THIS SATURDAY 

Each year, the Junior Class hosts the MLWGS Homecoming Dance. The dance will be held at the school on Saturday, October 19 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. The dance is open to all MLWGS students and their dates if they choose to bring one. Tickets for the dance will be sold during school next week. Tickets must be purchased by the end of lunch on Friday, October 18 as they will NOT be sold at the door. Again, tickets will NOT be sold at the door. The ticket price is $10.

The dress code is semi-formal this year.

If students plan to bring a guest who is not a student at MLWGS, a form must be completed in advance and requires a signature from an official at the guest’s school. Forms can be found in room 100.

AP EXAM ORDERS

The online payment system for AP exams is now available on the MLWGS website as of October 15. MLWGS AP Exam Order Forms were distributed through Advanced Placement classrooms last week. This form will allow students to officially indicate their testing plans and calculate a total amount of AP exam fees due by October 25 ($94 per exam). Students must turn in their MLWGS AP Exam Order Form to the Counseling Office between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., October 21-25 with cash/check payment or online payment receipt.

Students may also take an AP exam for a course they are not enrolled in or is not taught at MLWGS, by indicating their preference on the form. If the course is not currently being taught, there must be at least three requests for the exam to be administered and additional proctor fees (not to exceed $20) may apply. AP Statistics is pre-approved and students may see their teacher to obtain the join code for their “exam only” section.

IMPORTANT: All students enrolled in AP courses should have already “joined” the correct section(s) on the CollegeBoard website (myap.collegeboard.com) with a unique access code for each course. See Dr. Loving in the counseling office immediately if you have not completed this step.

The timeline for the next few weeks is as follows:

• October 7-8: AP Exam Order Forms distributed to AP testers through AP classes
• October 15: Online payment system opens
• October 21: If you would like to inquire about a fee waiver/reduction, please do so by this date (see your counselor for a confidential form)
• October 21-25: Form collection/payment window (October 25 will be the on-time registration deadline)
• October 26-November 14: A late fee of $10 per exam will apply
• November 15 and beyond: The College Board add/drop fee of $40 will be instituted (NEW COLLEGE BOARD POLICY)
• January 17: Deadline to apply for College Board accommodations for a documented disability (see Ms. Cobb)
• March 13: Deadline to add an exam (even with the late fee)
• November 15-April 13: Students who choose not to test can get a refund of $54
• April 13: Last day for students to get a refund of any kind

Contact Rachel Loving AP Coordinator, with questions.

ATTENTION JUNIOR PARENTS

Les Cook, the Senior Seminar/Mentorship Coordinator, will be holding sessions at three different times to provide information to junior parents regarding registration for Senior Seminar/Mentorship. Parents are invited to attend either on Tuesday, October 29 from 6-7:00 p.m. in the Forum, Monday, November 4 from 9-10:00 a.m. in the Auditorium, or Monday, November 4 from 6-7:00 p.m. in the Forum. Students will be invited to sessions held during the school day starting the first week of November to receive information and ask questions about the application process. Information will also be provided to all junior students through their Schoology accounts.

SCRIP

Next order due date is Friday, November 8 at noon for plastic cards. Don't forget you can purchase "Scrip Now" products which arrive digitally to your computer or phone ANYTIME you need them! Amazon, Walmart, Starbucks, Target, Panera, Chipotle, Petco, Zappos, Best Buy, Lowe's, CVS, Barnes and Noble, Krispy Kreme, Sam's Club, and Uber are just a few you can get immediately, no waiting for due dates! To get the Scrip Wallet app on your phone go to myscripwallet.com. To enroll or shop go to www.shopwithscrip.com. Enrollment code: C43669E564L28. 

Questions? Your coordinator is happy to explain how it all works: scrip@mlwgsptsa.org. Let those retailers you already shop give back to Maggie Walker!

STUDENT DIRECTORIES

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and to reduce costs, MLWGS now publishes the Student Directory online in PowerSchool. We do plan to print a limited number of paper copies for those families who are not able to access or print the directory from home. Updates and corrections to the directory are still rolling in, but as soon as we feel confident that the data is as up to date as possible, we will have them printed and available for pickup in the main office.

How to Access the Student Directory

From Your Computer:
1. Open up your web browser
2. Navigate to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School website (https://mlwgs.com)
3. Click on the Power School link located towards the bottom left-hand side of the page
4. Login to PowerSchool
5. Click on Directory Information located on the left in the Navigation window panel

Feel free to save the Directory to your computer or print it, if desired.

From Your Mobile Device:
1. Open your web browser (it does not currently work on the Power School app)
2. Navigate to the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School website (https://mlwgs.com)
3. Click on the Power School link located towards the bottom left-hand side of the page
4. Login to PowerSchool
5. On the main page, you will see your student's name in the upper left-hand corner
6. Under your student's name, there will be two arrows- one up arrow and one side arrow. Click on the side arrow.
7. A navigation window pane will open and the Directory Information button will be located towards the end of the list next to the school bus icon 

Once you have successfully opened the directory, the file can be bookmarked or saved to your mobile device.

If your contact information is incorrect, please contact Megan Perez.

FOUNDATION PHONE-A-THON

Hello parents! The Foundation is gearing up for our fall Phone-a-thon, scheduled for Tuesday, October 22 and we are looking for callers! We will host a brief training from 6-6:30 p.m. and will be making calls from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Dinner will be provided!

We also wish to invite you to bring your student along. Students who participate in the phone-a-thon can earn 2 hours of community service.

Please contact Suzannah Stora if you are interested in participating. The Phone-a-thon is a great opportunity to showcase the work of the Foundation and to directly connect with our supporters and friends. It is so vital to the Foundation's success and we appreciate your participation!

Opt out of the Phone-a-thon by making your annual fund gift now!

Plans are well underway for the 2020 Night of the Dragon Auction Event-SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020!

The Night of the Dragon Auction is one of the highlights each year for Dragon parents (past and present), staff, and alumni. The evening includes live and silent auctions, dinner, drinks, student entertainment, Heads and Tails, and more. This fun-filled event is also MLWGS’ single largest annual fundraising event.

Here’s how you can help make the upcoming 18th Annual Night of the Dragon the best ever!

1. Save the Date (Saturday, February 29) and get your tickets when they become available on January 1, 2020.
2. Donate an item(s) for the Live or Silent Auctions. Popular items include unique experiences hosted by MLWGS families and friends, event tickets, vacation home rentals, artwork, local adventures—GET CREATIVE!
3. Become a Sponsor. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available at many levels.
4. Lend a hand. Join the Night of the Dragon Planning Committee.

Stay tuned for more information about this wonderful event in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you want to get involved in any way, contact the Foundation office!

Week of October 9, 2019

FALL FESTIVAL UPDATE

Thank you MLWGS community for a great Fall Festival last Friday.  A big THANK YOU to all our volunteers who helped make this year’s Fall Festival another great success! We had over 100 parents volunteer their time, labor, and supplies and we couldn’t have done it without your help. Thank you for making Maggie Walker a wonderful community. Over $12,000 was raised for the MLWGS clubs to fund their activities!

Thanks also to the Richmond City Police, MLWGS administration, security, and facilities personnel from the PTSA- Craig Martin and Christina Murray.  

Thanks to all of the volunteers:
Gopal Bhagavatula, Dena Neuwirth, Dia Flora, Laura Goodman, Jody Schorr, Susan Cave, Kimber Crumlish, Gloria Amoako, Mike and Carla Winters, Kathleen Staley, Susan Warner, Jessica Lai Perez, Harsh Purohit, Kristi Turner, Amy Franco, Suzanne Lamberth, Martha Kapitanov, Izola Coleman, Paige Hawkins, Suzannah Stora, Kaya Lee, Evan Wolff, and the day of festival Lead volunteers: Amanda Yanovich, Vidya Subramaniam, Dana Starkes, Tonya Kern, John Ringer, and Jay Logan.
_______________________________________________________________

There was a great turnout for the mural dedication and signage unveiling at the Fall Festival. Mr. Doyle Sapp, the Superintendent of the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site and Richmond Battlefield Park gave a talk. Dr. Johnny Mickens, Maggie Walker’s great grandson spoke about how much the project meant to his family and Maurice Hopkins discussed how the alumni appreciated being included in the project. Dr. Mickens said that the project was a sign of love and respect for his great grandmother and helped created a bridge between the old and new school.  The event was covered by NBC12 and was seen on the 11 p.m. news with a rerun the next day. The link will be posted once it becomes available. 

HOMECOMING KICKOFF EVENT

Kick off Homecoming on October 14 from 5-8:00 p.m. with field hockey and volleyball.  Carytown Burgers and Fries and RVA New York Style food trucks will be at the chain link fence parking area near the field. This event is the only time folks are allowed to take food into the gym. 

THERAPY DOGS VISITING OCTOBER 15

Therapy dogs from Caring Canines have been visiting our school since the spring of 2018. These visits are coordinated by the Counseling Department and are very popular with our students. The dogs and their handlers will be visiting our school on October 15 and will come again in the spring.

Students must have a parent permission form to present to staff prior to entering the area where the dogs will be available (either the field or the gym depending on the weather). Students may also pick up a copy in the Counseling department. Questions? Contact Lisa Ebeling, School Psychologist, at lebeling@gsgis.k12.va.us or 354-6800 x 3260.





ATHLETIC BOOSTERS MONTHLY MEETING 




The Maggie L. Walker Athletic Boosters Club will hold its monthly Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15 in room 105. All members of Athletic Boosters and anyone interested in becoming involved with Athletic Boosters are welcome to attend. 





STRESS MANAGEMENT GROUP FOR STUDENTS



Stress is something that every high school student experiences and there are effective ways to manage it. Lisa Ebeling, MLWGS School Psychologist, and Natalie Finn from the VCU Anxiety Clinic are pairing together to run a small group on dealing effectively with this common issue. Students will be given the opportunity to learn and practice stress management techniques. They will be also be able to learn new ways to approach and solve problems. It is also designed to address any topics that are of special interest to the students. The group will run for a minimum of six weeks and could be offered for up to twelve weeks depending on interest. It will start on October 23 during lunch and will run consecutively on Wednesdays until it is complete. If you like to have your child participate, please contact Lisa Ebeling or call 354-6800 x 3260. 




ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAM ORDERING

MLWGS AP Exam Order Forms will be distributed through Advanced Placement classrooms this week. This form will allow students to officially indicate their testing plans and calculate a total amount of AP exam fees due by October 25 ($94 per exam). Students must turn in their MLWGS AP Exam Order Form to the Counseling Office between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., October 21-25 with cash/check payment or online payment receipt.

Students may also take an AP exam for a course they are not enrolled in or is not taught at MLWGS, by indicating their preference on the form. If the course is not currently being taught, there must be at least three requests for the exam to be administered and additional proctor fees (not to exceed $20) may apply. AP Statistics is pre-approved and students may see their teacher to obtain the join code for their “exam only” section.

IMPORTANT: All students enrolled in AP courses should have already “joined” the correct section(s) on the CollegeBoard website myap.collegeboard.com with a unique access code for each course. See Dr. Loving in the counseling office immediately if you have not completed this step.

The timeline for the next few weeks is as follows:

• October 7-8: AP Exam Order Forms distributed to AP testers through AP classes
• October 15: Online payment system opens
• October 21: If you would like to inquire about a fee waiver/reduction, please do so by this date (see your counselor for a confidential form)
• October 21-25: Form collection/payment window (October 25 will be the on-time registration deadline)
• October 26-November 14: A late fee of $10 per exam will apply
• November 15 and beyond: The College Board add/drop fee of $40 will be instituted (NEW COLLEGE BOARD POLICY)
• January 17: Deadline to apply for College Board accommodations for a documented disability (see Ms. Cobb)
• March 13: Deadline to add an exam (even with the late fee)
• November 15-April 13: Students who choose not to test can get a refund of $54
• April 13: Last day for students to get a refund of any kind

Contact Rachel Loving, AP Coordinator, with questions.




SCRIP


Thank you to the 36 families who have already enrolled in our new Great Lake Scrip Program! Our next due dates for physical cards are November 8 and December 6. Start thinking about your holiday gift giving, shopping, and dining. It's a great way to support MLWGS while spending no more than you already would. Let those retailers give back to us! You can order Scrip Now products anytime and receive them instantly on your phone by paying with a credit card or Presto Pay. Shop at your convenience and benefit our school. Look for the letter "S" under card type on the attached list of retailers. I personally ordered Lowe's, Target, and Starbucks and handed the cashier my phone to pay all in the same day! Go to shopwithscrip.com to enroll and shop (enrollment code: C43669E564L28). 

Want to know more about on-line ordering and payment? Watch this short video: https://shop.shopwithscrip.com/Support/promotional-tools/videos

Have questions or need extra help? Contact your Scrip Coordinator at scrip@mlwgsptsa.org.

Retailers LIST

CRAYOLA COLORCYCLE 

Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society) is once again sponsoring Crayola ColorCycle at MLWGS. This is the program where we will collect dry markers during the school year. At the end of the year, we pack and ship to Crayola; Crayola recycles ALL brands of markers including Expo dry erase markers and highlighters. Here is an excerpt from their website:

Crayola ColorCycle is an amazing program devised to re-purpose used markers rather than sending them to landfills! The ColorCycle program has re-purposed more than 70 tons of expended markers in the United States and Canada since 2013, and uses the most advanced plastic conversion technologies available today to make wax compounds for asphalt and roofing shingles as well as to generate electricity that can be used to heat homes, cook food, and power vehicles.

If families want to participate, just send in dry markers to school with your student, and he/she can deposit them in a green ColorCycle collection box in room 100 or in any math classroom.

Contact Lynn Foshee Reed with any questions.

There is no deadline for collection. Mu Alpha Theta will collect, pack, and ship at the end of the school year.

Week of October 11, 2017

The HOMECOMING PICNIC is TODAY!

The HOMECOMING DANCE is Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

DOCUMENTARY FILM THIS SUNDAY

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Do stories of those overcoming great adversity inspire you? Would you like to understand the challenges of poverty and violence that plague our Central American neighbors?   Do you wonder what it would be like to live and go to school in a compound surrounded by concrete walls and serpentine wire? Are you curious about poetry writing as a means to healing? If you answered yes to any of these, then check out the documentary, Voices Beyond the Wall: Twelve Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World showing at the Byrd Theatre this Sunday, October 15. This moving documentary follows a priest and poet who travels to Our Little Roses Home for Girls (OLR) in Honduras to help orphaned girls find their voices in poetry, heal traumas of their past, and prepare for an uncertain future.

Grace Locke ('19, Richmond) has been going to OLR in Honduras for three years. “When I went the first time I was overwhelmed by the poverty in Honduras and nervous about meeting the girls at OLR.  I had been given so much relative to these girls who had been abused and abandoned.  What could we possibly have in common?”  She soon found out: love. “These girls mean the world to me. They are full of strength and hope, and are part of my family now."

When Grace returned from Honduras last year, she decided she wanted to do more for her friends at OLR, so she is bringing Voices to RVA as a fundraiser on Sunday, October 15 at 4:30 p.m.  Tickets to the film are only $12, and all sales and donations go to OLR’s post-high school education fund. For more information, including the film trailer, you can click on the Eventbrite link below or visit the Facebook event page.

www.eventbrite.com/e/voices-beyond-the-wall-love-poems-from-the-murder-capital-of-the-world-tickets-37669922753

MLWGS PTSA MEETING

Please join us at next week's General PTSA meeting, to be held on Tuesday, October 17 at 8 a.m. in room 153. The meeting will be hosted by Maggie Walker's Senior Counselors and GRASP Financial Aid Advisor Susan Teerlink, presenting important information about applying for college financial aid. With the FAFSA recently released, it is a great time to learn about the process and have your questions answered. The presentation will be geared toward Junior and Senior parents, but is open to all. We hope to see you there! 

CONGRATULATIONS CHESS TEAM

Congratulations to the Maggie Walker Squad- John Corson ('20, Chesterfield), Trey Johnson ('18, Richmond), Varun Natarajan ('20, Henrico), Kevin Ren ('20, Chesterfield), and Nicholas Xie ('20, Henrico) for going 5-0 against Deep Run in our first Greater Richmond High School Chess League match today! Follow our team's progress at http://www.grhscl.org/  Go Dragons!

ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

All seniors should plan to meet with their senior counselor within the next month if they have not done so already. If there are no timeslots available on the sign-up sheet in the Counseling Center, students should reach out directly to their counselor to schedule a meeting.
  

A description of all scholarship opportunities sent to MLWGS can be found on Naviance. Please note that this list is not exhaustive- students are still encouraged to do their own scholarship research. See the “Scholarship and Financial Aid” page of the School Counseling website for tips. All deadlines listed in Naviance are subject to change- MLWGS is not always notified of annual date changes; therefore, it is important that students confirm all deadlines on the scholarship organization’s direct website. Please contact Kierstin Streitel in the School Counseling Office with any scholarship questions.

Teacher Recommendation Request forms are due at least two “school” weeks prior to the college/program deadline (winter break not included). Extra forms are in the School Counseling Office.

Transcript Request forms for deadlines November 15 or earlier were due last week. A Transcript Request Form is due to counselors by 3:30 p.m. on November 15 for any deadlines November 16 or later. Extra forms are in the School Counseling Office.

Students are allowed four excused absences for college visits per year. Students must get and turn back in a pre-approval form to Ms. Bowman in advance. Students should let their teachers know ahead of time that they will be missing class and it is up to them to inquire about and complete any missed work.

NEWS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOUNDATION

The Governor's School Foundation Board of Directors has approved $20,000 worth of student aid for use in the 2017-18 school year.  Student aid can be used to pay for everything from semester fees to class-related travel expenses to SAT/ACT reporting fees for students in financial need.  If you are interested in accessing student aid funding, contact Dr. Wendy Ellis, Associate Director of Curriculum and Instruction.  The administration screens all requests for student aid, and the identity of the student is always kept anonymous.  Please do not hesitate to ask Dr. Ellis if you believe your student could benefit from student aid funding.  It is there to open up opportunities at MLWGS!

FALL FESTIVAL RECAP

The 21st MLWGS Fall Festival was a huge success, raising over $16,000!  The weather was beautiful! The club booths were incredibly innovative and clever.  Our students created delicious culinary delights.  It truly was a feast! The performances were outstanding. We have incredible talent at Maggie Walker... from standup, a cappella, orchestra, jazz, dance, and solos to name a few. Our emcees kept the crowd laughing throughout the Fest.

Special thanks to all the parents and students who came early and stayed late to make our festival happen. We could not have pulled it off without you.

A big thank you goes out to the generosity of our sponsors. We surpassed our goal allowing for more tents, more booths, and many other incidentals.

Gold Sponsors:

Ashby

Patient First

Silver Sponsors:

Louis Reed, CPA, PC 

MLWGS Parents in support of ASK Childhood Cancer Foundations 

Moran Reeves Conn, Attorneys at Law 

Spectrum Wise- College consulting for students with ASD/Asperger

2018 Class Sponsor:

Nyfeler Associates

Another big thank you to the organizations that provide everything from the stage, the tents, supplies for the kidzone, and their time. Again we could not have had such an amazing Fall Festival without them!

• Henrico Parks and Recreation
• James River Transportation
• Container First Services
• Richmond City Police
• Charles Aldridge
• Dr. Robert Lowerre, Max Smith, and Barbara Marshall
• Governor’s School Foundation
• MLWGS Security and Maintenance
• MLWGS Parent and Kid Zone Volunteers

Finally, the festival could not have happened without the hard work of our committee.  Our committee has been meeting and planning for six weeks.  They did an incredible job.

Co-chairs: Samantha Mier and Debbie Taminger

Logistics: David Hanzlik and Mike Winters

Setup: Liz Vantre and Dena Neuwirth

Booths: Michelle Hobbs and Sarika Malani

Entertainment: Elizabeth Brady and Ingrid Hale

Tickets: Gopal Bhagavatula, Deepthi Kalluri, and Raquel Watson

Drinks: Amy Franco and Kristi Turner

Clean Up: Peggy Feldman and Mary Johns

Publicity/Sponsors: Debbie Taminger and Kathleen Staley

Signage and Kidzone: Jennifer DiMattio

Kidzone: Gloria Amoako

T-shirts: Ashar Manisha

Food Safety: Martha Kapatinov and Izola Coleman

Faculty Representative: Paige Hawkins

Foundation Representative: Suzannah Stora

PTSA Treasure: Christine Pimblett

PTSA President: Anthony Taylor

Student Representatives: Rachel Zhao ('18, Henrico) and Thomas Green ('18, Henrico)

Week of September 27, 2017

NINE DAYS UNTIL THE FALL FESTIVAL!

Come one, come all to the 21st annual MLWGS Fall Festival on October 6 from 4-8:00 p.m! It is an international event sponsored by the PTSA to directly showcase and financially support MLWGS student organizations! Held on the front steps and lawn of the school facing Lombardy Street, the Fall Festival offers a wide variety of activities, entertainment, and food.

The Festival is open to all- current students, their families, younger siblings, former students and families, neighborhood residents, and friends of the school!

There is no admittance charged for the festival and all the entertainment, provided by our very talented students is free! Tickets are sold to purchase all items for sale- crafts, games, entrees, desserts, drinks, and more!

Be sure to “Like” the Fall Festival Page on Facebook to get the latest information about what is planned and what volunteer opportunities exist MLWGS Fall Festival Facebook.

Sponsorships needed - Deadline Wednesday, September 27!
To keep costs down- and keep more money in the coffers of MLWGS student organizations- the MLWGS PTSA is looking for corporate or individual sponsors. The goal this year is $2000. Each year our Fall Festival grows, and with that growth new tables and tents are purchased. Funds from sponsors go to purchasing these items. Gold sponsorship is a donation of $500 and Silver Sponsors donate $250. Smaller donations are also accepted and greatly appreciated. If you would like to make a donation, please email Kathy Staley at Kathleen.staley@comcast.net.

Thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors, we are almost at our goal of $2000.

GOLD SPONSORS
Patient First

SILVER SPONSORS
Louise W. Reed, CPA, PC

MLWGS Parents in support of ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation
Spectrum Wise College consulting for students with ASD/Asperger's

SENIOR CLASS BOOTH SPONSOR
Nyfeler Associates

If your organization would like to become a sponsor, the deadline is quickly approaching!

We need you to volunteer! The Festival relies on volunteers to help with the many jobs including set up, booth support, PTSA drink sales, crowd control, ticket sales and counting, and tear down. Parent support is critical to the success of the Festival and students can earn community service hours. Parent volunteers will be needed on October 6 starting at 9 a.m. before the Festival for setup, during the Festival, and afterwards for clean up. The PTSA also needs to borrow some items to help keep the cost down. More information about volunteering and donating items is posted on the Fall Festival Facebook Page MLWGS Fall Festival Facebook and will be posted next week in Smoke and Scales.


Pre-purchase Tickets! Last year lines to buy tickets were long, but picking up pre-ordered tickets was fast and easy! The Committee strongly encourages everyone to pre-order tickets using the form below! Although we recommend 15-20 tickets per student, 10 tickets will buy a good meal and pay for a one or two of activities or yummy treats. Also remember, except for Dragon's Lair, booths only accept tickets and only cash is accepted for tickets the day of the festival!

Ticket Order Form

MIDDLE SCHOOL VISITS

Remember going to information night in middle school to learn about Maggie Walker? If you or your student would be interested in sharing your Maggie Walker experience with future Dragons and their parents, please consider signing up for Middle School visits. MW administrators visit with many of the area middle schools and would love to add parent and student perspectives. No presentation skills needed, just have to show up and be ready to talk one-on-one to parents and students about Maggie Walker! 

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/70A054FAAAE2C7-volunteers

CHECK OUT MLWGS GEAR

Finding it difficult to stop by the Dragon's Lair on Tuesdays or Fridays during lunch? Then you need to check out the Dragon's Lair online store: mlwgsdragons.ourspiritgear.com. The Dragon's Lair will also have a booth at the October 6, Fall Festival. Make sure you stop by and pick up a new cellphone card carrier, sling bag, long sleeve tee shirt, and more.




HOMECOMING PICNIC

There is more than one way to keep up with the Governor's School Foundation. You can either like our Facebook page to see regular updates or check our website. You will see posts about our alumni, like recent Fulbright recipient Eileen Wang ('12), Spelman College junior Bre'Anna Vinson ('15), and attorney Kate Lipper Garabedian ('99), who is running for office this November. You will also see posts about the enhancement grants we fund every year, and our events for alumni and parents. We are looking forward to a great year, so we hope you will stay tuned!

ATTENTION SOPHOMORES AND JUNIORS

Do you want to learn more about Japanese language and culture? Make new friends from across the nation and around the world? Spend part of your summer at Princeton University? Have the best 10 days of your life? Then apply to the High School Diplomats cultural exchange program! All current sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. This is a truly unique and unforgettable experience. Participants share American culture and learn about Japanese culture through festivals, discussions, and classes (don’t worry- there are no grades involved and you don’t have to know any Japanese). They also get to room with a Japanese student and form a lifelong, cross-cultural bond.

The online application can be found at www.highschooldiplomats.com and is currently open. The deadline for application submission is January 8, 2018. Selected applicants will be notified by mid-February to schedule an interview. Interviews (in-person or Skype depending on location) will take place between late February and March. Final application status will be given by mid-April 2017. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Celine Zapolski, the American Director of the program. She can be reached at (571) 234-5072 or celinezapolski@highschooldiplomats.com.

SENIOR PORTRAITS
Due to overwhelming demand, in-school senior portraits have MOVED to Monday, October 9. New, additional time slots are now available. Seniors wishing to be photographed should sign up outside Room 330. Seniors' time slots from the old October 11 sheet have been preserved, EXCEPT for those who signed up between 12 and 12:30 or after 3:00 p.m. Those seniors have new time slots, so please check the new list. Seniors who cannot make their assigned time slot may change it or swap with a classmate. See Mr. White mwhite@gsgis.k12.va.us if you have any questions. These free portraits are tux and drape only; additional poses, outfits and backgrounds involve fees.

If you would rather be photographed for your formal yearbook portrait at another studio, be sure that your portraits adhere to the following specifications:

a. formal dress (tux or drape)
b. "midnight blue" or other standard, dark blue or black background
c. photo should be head and shoulders, with the bottom of frame hitting mid-chest level. Any size from Strawbridge [2-15/16" x 2-3/16" OR 2-3/16" x 1-5/8" OR 1-15/16" x 1-7/16"] is fine.

Photos from other studios are due no later than Friday, November 17. If we do not have your picture by November 17, you risk exclusion from the senior section. Please give Mr. White a copy of the photo if it is NOT the contracted school photographer. Digital images must be at least 300 dpi and can be emailed tomwhite@gsgis.k12.va.us or delivered on a CD or flash drive to Mr. White. If you email an image, please send a separate email to follow up to make sure we received the email as we may need to provide a different email address for larger images.

ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

The September Senior Newsletter is available on the School Counseling website. This newsletter contains important college and scholarship-related reminders and deadlines.

The In-House Selective Scholarship Application is open in Naviance and is due by midnight on October 1.  Completion of this in-house application will make seniors eligible to be nominated for these specific scholarships by our MLWGS Scholarship Committee. Detailed information about each scholarship can be found on Naviance. Students chosen to be nominated for a scholarship will need to complete all scholarship application requirements by the specific scholarship deadline.

· Washington University St. Louis: Danforth Scholars Program

· VA DAR Good Citizen

· UVA: Jefferson Scholars

· Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

· Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership Award

· Davidson College: Belk Scholars

· Interfaith Council Brother/Sisterhood Award

· Comcast Leaders & Achievers Scholarship Program

· VA Tech: Pamplin Leaders Award

· Virginia Interscholastic Athletic (VIAAA) Awards

· VHSL Scholarships

· Executive Women International Scholarship Program

· Pogue Scholarship (requires an additional application available in March)

· Civitan International Honor Key

A description of all scholarship opportunities sent to MLWGS can be found on Naviance. Please note that this list is not exhaustive- students are still encouraged to do their own scholarship research. See the “Scholarship and Financial Aid” page of the School Counseling website for tips. All deadlines listed in Naviance are subject to change- MLWGS is not always notified of annual date changes; therefore, it is important that students confirm all deadlines on the scholarship organization’s direct website. Please contact Kierstin Streitel in the School Counseling Office with any scholarship questions.

Teacher Recommendation Request forms are due at least two “school” weeks prior to the college/program deadline (winter break not included). Extra forms are in the School Counseling Office.

A Transcript Request form is due to counselors by 3:30pm on October 2nd for any deadlines November 15 or earlier. A Transcript Request Form is due to counselors by 3:30pm on November 15th for any deadlines November 16 or later. Extra forms are in the School Counseling Office.

Students are allowed four excused absences for college visits per year. Students must get and turn in a pre-approval form to Ms. Bowman in advance. Students should let their teachers know ahead of time that they will be missing class and it is up to them to inquire about and complete any missed work.

The Liberty University Helms School of Government invites interested students to attend College for a Weekend (CFAW) Open House on Friday, September 29 from 2:30-5:30pm. To register: http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=16415