Week of December 11, 2019

HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT THE DRAGON'S LAIR

It's that time of year- time to grab your Dragon gear! Apparel, key tags, thumb drives, winter hats, coffee mugs, insulated tumblers, ornaments, sling bags, totes, magnets, stickers, and so much more. We have the perfect holiday gift to please any MLWGS student, parent, faculty member, or alum. The Dragon's Lair is open every Tuesday and Friday during lunch or visit the online store: mlwgsdragons.ourspiritgear.com. 

Look for special store hours the week before Winter Break.

SCRIP UPDATE

Thanks to all of those who have used Scrip gift cards this year; the program has raised $822.52 so far! You can continue to shop at www.shopwithscrip.com for Scrip Now retailers for digital certificates until our next order date of Friday, January 17. If you plan to use Amazon Smile to buy holiday gifts, don't forget Scrip Now. You'll receive your Amazon Smile Scrip Now gift certificate within minutes and you can copy/paste the certificate number right onto the Amazon payment page. Many other retailers work this way as well. Happy Holidays! Questions, contact Laura Dysart at scrip@mlwgsptsa.com.





ORCHESTRA NEWS

Select Orchestra students performed at the Tree Lighting Ceremony at Capitol Square on December 5. After the tree lighting, students performed in one of the ballrooms of the Governor's Mansion while the public toured the mansion and met the Governor.

Select Orchestra students performed at Maymont's Old Fashioned Christmas this past Sunday, December 8.

VARUN NATARAJAN SHARES TOP PRIZE FOR APP

Last week, Varun Natarajan (Henrico '20) split the first-place prize for his self-developed mobile application at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS). The VIMS Crab Trap App Challenge required students to develop a mobile application to track derelict blue crab traps for both iOS and Android. Currently, there are over 145,000 lost or abandoned crab traps in the Chesapeake Bay area in Virginia. To solve this problem using software, students had to address several requirements: auto-dating and auto-locating photos taken of crab traps, allowing the user to submit a form through the app, storing the data remotely, etc. After creating a fully-functional app using JavaScript and much beta testing, Varun was chosen to present his final project to a panel of academic directors and Computer Science experts at VIMS. He and another student split the first place prize; as a result of his efforts, Maggie Walker received a grant of $1,250.

Varun says, “It was the challenge of doing it. I had to make something that was convenient and also serves a very valuable purpose. When I arrived upon React Native (open source framework created by Facebook) and AWS (Amazon Web Services), I knew I had the right tools.” By integrating these services, Varun says there is no limit to how many users can use the app and where the app can be used.  Varun hopes to continue to address pressing issues in innovative ways.

Students split top prize for “Crab Trap App” prototypes

SHOWCASE YOUR BUSINESS AND SUPPORT MLWGS

We invite you to serve as a sponsor for the Night of the Dragon auction event set for Saturday, February 29, 2020. Not only will we recognize your support at the event (attended by 300 guests), but the name of your business will be listed in our online auction offerings, which will be distributed to the MLWGS community network of more than 10,000 alumni families and partners. Sponsorship levels are available from $500-$10,000.

Check out the full listing of sponsorship benefits
To serve as a sponsor, please contact Suzannah Stora, Executive Director of the MLWGS Foundation. All donations are made to the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Foundation, which is a 501(c)3 (Tax ID 54-1608930).

Week of November 27, 2019

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PTSA MEETING DECEMBER 2

Please join us on December 2 at 6 p.m. in room 153! You don't have to be a board member to participate.  If you can't attend in person, we do have a call in option available:

Conference Dial-in Number: (605) 475-4000
Participant Access Code:191682#

SCRIP HOLIDAY NEWS

The last order due date for physical cards before winter break is Friday, December 6. Cards will be available for pick up the following week. The very good news is that for orders placed on December 5 and 6 only, there will be no Scrip fee for using a credit card to shop all 750 plus brands! Please take advantage of this limited time offer to do your holiday shopping. Some retailers are offering $5 and $10 cards in December as well. You can also pay by check made payable to MLWGS PTSA which must be received in the PTSA Scrip Box in room 100 (Valenta William's office) on the due date or with Presto Pay. Hard copy of the order form is available here.

If you are not yet enrolled in Scrip, but want to do some holiday shopping, please contact your Scrip Coordinator, Laura Dysart at scrip@mlwgsptsa.org for the enrollment code. We can no longer post the enrollment code on-line. Go to shopwithscrip.com to see all available retailers or to shop. 

Thanks to all those who have used Scrip to support Maggie Walker. We have already raised $500 in family shopping rebates!





PARENTS OF JUNIORS

Senior Seminar and Mentorship registration information can be found in your student’s Schoology account (in the “Senior Seminar/Mentorship Application Information” group in the resources section). This includes the PowerPoint presentations used at student and parent sessions, handouts, seminar proposals, and the mentorship application. Please look at this information with your student as you help in the decision-making process. The online registration survey will be open until December 9 at 3:15 p.m. The paper Mentorship Application is also due by December 9 at 3:15 p.m. If you have any questions about the registration and application process, please contact Mr. Cook.

AUDITIONS FOR THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL

Auditions for The Addams Family musical will be by appointment from 3:30-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 10 and Wednesday, December 11. Callbacks will be held from 3:30-6:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 12. Audition sign ups will go live Monday, December 2.

CAFETERIA GRAB AND GO LUNCH PILOT

After evaluation of the food service survey that was issued earlier this year where we asked you for your feedback to improve this program, Serve1 is launching a pilot program of pre-ordered boxed lunches called “Grab and Go.” The concept should help reduce lunch lines for students allowing them more time to eat and socialize with friends. Boxes will be labeled by name and placed in a specific area of the cafeteria that does not run through the regular line. The pilot will run the entire month of December and will be evaluated in January.

During this pilot, only cold foods will be available for pre-order to include salads and sandwiches with sides. Attached is a form to print and complete. Submit a completed form to cafeteria personnel by 12:30 p.m. each Friday for lunch the following week. Complete your order for 1-5 days and total the amount due. Payment is due when the order is placed with acceptable payment forms of cash, debit, or MLWGS cash cards.

Use the attached order form or students can pick up extra copies to complete from Reception in room 100. The lunch order form will also be found on the ‘Co-Curricular and Curricular and Activities Fee Payment’ page of this website.

Grab and Go lunches December 2-6: Order due to cafeteria by November 26

Grab and Go lunches December 9-13: Order due to cafeteria by December 6

Grab and Go lunches December 16-20: Order due to cafeteria by December 13

Orders not picked up for any reason will be discarded and cannot be refunded or credited.

BONUS: During this pilot, Wednesday mornings will be smoothie days. More information coming in December.

ORCHESTRA NEWS

Congratulations to the following students who made it into Central Regional Orchestra this past weekend. They will be participating in the event in February 2020.

Chloe Biggs- Violin (Chesterfield '23)
Mariam Jafari-Nassali- Violin (Richmond '23)
Annabel Tang- Violin (Henrico '23)
Shreyas Muthusamy- Viola (Henrico '23)
Mark Janssen- Viola (Chesterfield '23)
Drew Rivas- Viola (Chesterfield '23)
Sarah Hendricks- Cello (Hanover '23)
Abhishek Satpathy-Cello (Henrico '23)
Ella Folin- Cello (Henrico '23)
Sean Fang- Cello (Chesterfield '23)
Will Taylor- Cello (Henrico '23)

THE CUBE IS BACK! 

The MLWGS Cube Club will hold their second annual Cube Speed Competition on Saturday, January 18, 2020. This will be held in the Gymnasium.

See the World Cube Association link for details.

Registration is now open and will close Tuesday, January 14, 2020, 7:00 PM EST, or sooner if participant limit is met.  This event fills up fast! Register soon!




SAVE THE DATE! 2020 NOTD- 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 2020 NOTD: Quantum Leap-will take place on Leap Day, February 29!

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! 

• Save the date and get your tickets when they become available after winter break.
• 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! To donate or help solicit, contact Suzannah Stora.
• Become a Sponsor. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available at many levels. For Sponsorships, contact Suzannah Stora.
• Lend a hand. If you want to help with putting on this amazing event, contact Ginger O’Neil for committee options.

Stay tuned for more information about this wonderful event in the coming weeks! 






Dragon parents continue to battle it out to see which class has the highest parent percentage of Foundation Annual Fund supporters and the competition is fierce! Remember this year the class with the highest parent percentage will receive a student ice cream party at the end of the school year! Help the Foundation meet its goal of raising $330,000 before the end of the school year.

Totals to date are as follows:

Senior Parents (2020) 26%
Junior Parents (2021) 23%
Sophomore Parents (2022) 28%
Freshman Parents (2023) 27%

The Governor's School Foundation Annual Fund makes a huge impact on all students at MLWGS by directly supporting activities like academic competitions and student travel, as well as new technology, and student financial assistance. The support of our parents is critical in these efforts and we are most grateful for your continued commitment. Make your contribution now.

We look forward to all that we can accomplish together for MLWGS!

Week of November 13, 2019

BOYS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME TONIGHT!

Come cheer for our Boys Varsity Volleyball team as they play Patrick Henry in the MLWGS gym tonight at 6 p.m. GO DRAGONS! 




GET READY FOR WINTER SPORTS 


Tryouts started this week for Basketball, Indoor Track, Swimming, and Wrestling. Check the Athletics calendar for upcoming game schedules. 




TODAY: BINFORD MS COME AND PLAY WITH THE MLWGS ORCHESTRA

Ms. Christina Sienkiewicz, MLWGS Orchestra Instructor, is excited to launch “Come and Play” with Dragons featuring orchestra students of RPS’s Binford Middle School today, November 13.

Binford students will be placed into small groups with the Advanced Orchestra Students to prepare them for their Central Regional Orchestra Auditions this Saturday. There will be a mini-concert at the beginning of lunch for all who would like to come. 





ATHLETIC BOOSTERS MONTHLY MEETING

The Maggie L. Walker Athletic Boosters Club will hold its monthly Board Meeting at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 14 in room 105.  All members of Athletic Boosters and anyone interested in becoming involved with Athletic Boosters are welcome to attend. 

ATTENTION FRESHMEN PARENTS

Reminder for freshman parents- depression awareness and suicide prevention training

MLWGS is offering depression awareness and suicide prevention training as part of the SOS Signs of Suicide® Prevention Program. SOS lessons will be implemented in the 9th grade Health and PE classes during the week of November 18. Students not enrolled in PE will attend the lesson on November 21 and 22 from 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.

The SOS program encourages students to seek help if they are concerned about the emotional well-being of either themselves or a friend. A letter was mailed to all freshman parents with more details about the program. An electronic copy is also attached here. It is our hope that all of the 9th graders will participate in the lesson; however, parents do have the option of opting their children out of the lesson. The letter will provide information about doing that. Please feel free to direct any questions to Lisa Ebeling, School Psychologist, at lebeling@gsgis.k12.va.us or call 354-6800 x 3260.

Parent Letter with Opt-Out Option

2020 NIGHT OF THE DRAGON AUCTION EVENT

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: 

• Save the date- Saturday, February 29
• Get your tickets when they become available on January 1, 2020
• 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!
• Become a sponsor! Individual and corporate sponsorships are available at many levels.
• Lend a hand! Join the Night of the Dragon Planning Committee.

Please contact the Foundation office if you want to be involved in any way! 

Week of November 6, 2019

SENIOR REMINDER: ORDER ANNOUNCEMENTS 











Herff Jones returns to MLWGS on November 6 and 7 (during lunch in the downstairs commons area) to accept orders and payment for graduation announcements and other graduation paraphernalia. These two dates will be the only time their representative is in the building. If you forget or wish to order online, visit: www.herffjones.com. Please remember to place your order by December 31 to ensure delivery and avoid an up-charge. Don’t forget…seniors have already paid for their caps and gowns. This was included in their student fees, so no need to worry! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ms. Sheppard or 804-354-6800 ext. 3304.





SCRIP ORDERS DUE THIS FRIDAY


Great Lake Scrip Orders are due THIS Friday, November 8 by noon. You can place your orders on-line or with the attached paper form (a full list of retailers can be found at shopwithscrip.com and you can write in any not on the form). If you pay by check, make sure the check is payable to MLWGS PTSA and reaches the PTSA Scrip Box in room 100 (Valenta William's office) by Friday at noon. It's not too early to start thinking about holiday shopping, travel, and dining plans! Plastic cards need to be ordered either on November 8 or December 6 to receive them before our December break. Cards are delivered the week after the order due date. Of course, you can shop Scrip Now digital gift cards anytime to benefit MLWGS. 

Questions? Contact your PTSA Scrip Coordinator at scrip@mlwgsptsa.org. To order or enroll, go to shopwithscrip.com The MLWGS enrollment code is: C43669E564L28. Let those retailers you already shop give back to MLWGS at no extra cost to you!

Also, there is a ONE day deal on November 21! Earn rebates up to 21% on e-gift cards and reloads.






MLWGS Drama presents: Almost, Maine


Poster credit: Malina Gavris (Chesterfield '20)

Almost, Maine

by John Cariani

Directed by Leigh Glatt

November 7, 8, and 9 at 7:00 pm

Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that's so far north, it's almost not in the United States. It's almost in Canada. And it's not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized- so it almost doesn't exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal and the hearts mend- almost- in this delightful midwinter night's dream. The show runs Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, November 7-9, at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $7 for students and $12 for adults and may be purchased at the door or online at https://mlwgs-am.brownpapertickets.com/.

OPENING NIGHT SPECIAL: Everyone can enjoy student pricing on opening night, Thursday, November 7.

Questions? Please contact maggiewalkerdrama@gmail.com.





MLWGS COMMUNITY SERVICE FAIR THIS FRIDAY


Maggie Walker requires 140 hours of community service by the 3rd quarter of every student’s senior year. Each year the school holds a community service fair to help bring organizations and students together. The fair is this Friday, November 8.

The Freshman Class is being split into two groups with the first group attending from 10:50-11:10 a.m. and the second group attending from 11:10-11:30 a.m. During lunch (11:30 a.m.-noon), the Fair will be open to all interested students.

The following wonderful organizations are planning to attend: Governor’s School Foundation, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Courts for Kids, RampsRVA, Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation, The Doorways, VCU Health, Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site, and Sylvia’s Sisters.




VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR INFORMATION FORUMS




Information Forums will be held on November 11, 12 and 13. Prospective students and parents can meet teachers and students, ask questions, tour the building, and receive an overview of the program and extracurricular activities.

We need volunteers to provide refreshments, help with setup and clean up, and answer questions from prospective students/parents.

Please sign up to either donate cookies and brownies or to help on any of the three nights. All food must be store bought and nut free due to allergies.

Thank you to everyone who has either signed up to help with your time or with cookies donations. We still need more goodies! Last year, the PTSA Hospitality Committee served about one thousand cookies a night!

We will be collecting your donations this Friday, November 8 from 8-9 a.m. in the Bluestone lobby. You can drop off your donations or send them in with your student.

Contact Kim Nguyen for further information.

Prospective Student Night Signup

ATTENTION FRESHMEN PARENTS

Please join the Maggie Walker Class of 2023FACEBOOK parent group to keep you updated on Class of 2023 information. Simply log into Facebook, search for "MLWGS Class of 2023 Parents" and request to join the group. Alternatively, the link will take you directly to the group where you may request to be added.

 




ORCHESTRA NEWS









Congratulations to Minji Cho (Chesterfield '21) who will perform with the All National Orchestra this coming weekend in Orlando, FL. Also, congratulations to Mira Eisenhauer (Henrico '21), Emma Chun (Henrico '20), Sam Lichtman (Henrico '22), Eric Qian (Chesterfield '22), and Joshua Yoo (Chesterfield '22) who will be performing with Senior Regional Orchestra this weekend in Lynchburg, VA.





JENNIFER TODD: 2018-19 BOYS TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR


Jennifer Todd: second to the left with the 2018-19 Championship Team

Jennifer Todd, Science department faculty, has been selected by the Virginia High School League as the 2018-19 Boys Tennis Coach of the Year! The selection to receive this prestigious honor is based upon Jenn’s positive work with the athletes in our program. Congratulations!

VHSL will submit Coach Todd to the National Federation of State High School Associations for further honors at the sectional and national levels.  The VHSL sends its most sincere congratulations! They wish Coach Todd and our athletes continued success in the seasons ahead.




PERISA ASHAR: VA DELEGATE FOR GLOBAL YOUTH INSTITUTE- THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE 














Perisa receiving certificate from 2016 World Food Prize Laureate, Dr. Howarth Bouis.

Junior Perisa Ashar wins Virginia Delegate Position and represents Virginia at The Global Youth Institute of World Food Prize.

Perisa Ashar won the Virginia delegate position to represent the State at Global Youth Institute of World Food Prize, in Des Moines, Iowa. She presented her research on “South Sudan Food Insecurity: Problems and Solutions” in a round table conference to 200 other students from 12 countries, and global leaders such as the 2016 World Food Prize Laureate, Dr. Howarth Bouis, who pioneered the concept of biofortification of crops to prevent micronutrient malnutrition. Perisa researched the political mileu, climate, and causes of food shortage in South Sudan and possible geo-political and scientific solutions at regional and global level. Each year, the World Food Prize Youth Institute convenes around the World Food Day, October 16, and chosen student delegates present their findings with international experts and their peers, connect with other students from around the world, tour cutting-edge industrial and research facilities, and take part in symposium discussions with global leaders in science, industry, and policy in order to explore and solve local, national, and global hunger and food security issues.

Perisa also interacted and attended the Borlaugue Symposium led by World Food Prize Laureates, former U.S. Ambassadors of several countries (Thailand, Senegal, Uganda, Colombia), and world leaders such as the former president of Nigeria, the President of Democratic Republic of Congo, and humanitarian leaders from over 65 countries. In addition, Perisa also attended the ceremony in which the 2019 World Food Prize Laureate, Mr. Simon Groot was awarded the Food Laureate Prize by Mr. Kenneth Quinn (President of World Food Prize and Former Ambassador to Cambodia).

The World Food Prize is an international award recognizing the achievements of individuals who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. It was conceived by 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Norman Borlaugh, and strives for the supply of nutritious food to all people and to fight global hunger and starvation with the theme of Pax Agricultura or Peace Through Agriculture.

Perisa with 2019 World Food Prize Laureate, Mr. Simon Groot, and the President of World Food Prize and Former Ambassador to Cambodia , Mr. Kenneth Quinn.







The Foundation Annual Fund parent competition is well underway! Each year Dragon parents battle it out to see which class has the highest parent percentage of Foundation Annual Fund supporters. And remember this year the class with the highest parent percentage will receive a student ice cream party at the end of the school year! Help the Foundation meet its goal of raising $330,000 before the end of the school year.

Totals to date are as follows:
Senior Parents (2020) 20%
Junior Parents (2021) 15%
Sophomore Parents (2022) 23%
Freshman Parents (2023) 22%

The Governor's School Foundation Annual Fund makes a huge impact on all students at MLWGS by directly supporting activities like academic competitions and student travel, as well as new technology and student financial assistance. The support of our parents is critical in these efforts and we are most grateful for your continued commitment. Make your contribution now.

We look forward to all that we can accomplish together for MLWGS!

Week of October 3, 2018

ONLY DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE FALL FESTIVAL! 

Friday, October 5, 2018, 4-8 p.m.

Come one, come all to the 22nd annual MLWGS Fall Festival! It's the International event sponsored by the PTSA to directly showcase and financially support MLWGS student organizations! Held in the front steps and lawn of the school facing Lombardy Street, the Fall Festival offers a wide variety of activities, entertainment, and food.

The Fall Festival is open to all: current students, 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, entrees, desserts, drinks, and more!

The Festival relies on volunteers to help with many jobs including set up, booth support, PTSA drink sales, crowd control, tickets sales and counting, and tear down. Parent support is critical to the success of the Festival and the students can earn community service hours. Parent volunteers will be needed on October 5, 2018 starting at 9 a.m.- before the Festival for set up, during the Festival, and afterwards for clean up.

Fall Festival Volunteer Sign Up

The following parking options are available:

Elizabeth Street (small lot)

MLWGS lot off Lombardy Street

James River Bus Lines lot off Allen Ave

(across from JRBL building)
*Please DO NOT park on grass.

Fall Festival Entertainment line up:

Time	Name
3:30 p.m.	Pep Band
3:40 p.m.	5 Minute Hamlet
3:50-4:50 p.m.	MLWGS Groups
3:50 p.m.	Chorus
4:05 p.m.	Orchestra I
4:20 p.m.	Orchestra II
4:35 p.m.	Jazz Band 4
4:45-4:55 p.m.	BREAK - Stage Set-Up
4:55 p.m.	ASL Group 1
5:00 p.m.	ASL Group II
5:05 p.m.	Bhangra Dance Club
5:15 p.m.	Paige and Julia
5:25 p.m.	Hannah Smith
5:35 p.m.	Appalachian Heritage Music Club
5:45 p.m.	Maggie Walker Dance Team
5:55 p.m.	Deadbeats
6:05 p.m.	Cole Mier
6:15 p.m.	Reona and Russell
6:25 p.m.	Raghda Labban
6:35 p.m.	Connor Goodwin and Miles Fagan
6:45 p.m.	Bella Grace Finck, Frances McCoy, and Kyra Murphy
6:55 p.m.	Shannen Amoako, Vivian Johns, Anika Kalluri, and Savannah Vonest
7:05 p.m.	Grace and Sam play songs
7:15 p.m.	Bella Stevens
7:25 p.m.	Alexa Will
7:35 p.m.	Sive Lowell
7:45 p.m.	The Fellas

2018 MLWGS HOMECOMING KICK-OFF

Monday, October 8 from 6-8 p.m.

Come out and support your teams!

5:30 p.m.  JV Boys Volleyball

6:00 p.m. Varsity Field Hockey

7:00 p.m. Varsity Boys Volleyball

Giveaways for all students who wear their Green Machine T-shirts!

Two Food Trucks will be on site…

RVA New York Style

https://www.facebook.com/pg/RVANewYorkStyle/photos/?ref=page_internal

RETURN OF THE MAC

http://www.thereturnofthemac.com/home 

PSAT DAY OCTOBER 10

PSAT Day is Wednesday, October 10 with special activities planned for all grade levels.

Maggie Walker will operate under a special schedule on October 10 due to PSAT testing during the morning for sophomores and juniors.  All students should report to school on time at 8:40 a.m. for morning grade-level activities as described below; we will have shortened  5^th and 7^th period classes during the afternoon.

Morning for Sophomores and Juniors

All 10^th and 11^th graders will take the PSAT in the morning after checking in with 1^st period classes for attendance purposes.

The PSAT is a great practice opportunity for the SAT.  For 11^th graders, the PSAT results are used for qualification purposes for National Merit Scholarship Programs.  The counseling department  distributed PSAT Student Guides to all 10^th and 11^th graders during lunch time assemblies during the week of Monday, September 24.  The guides contain information about the tests as well as a full-length practice test.  Students are encouraged to take the practice test before testing day.  More information about the PSAT can be found at www.collegeboard.org/psat.  Score reports will be available online in mid-December and paper copies will be available and distributed in January during lunch-time grade-level assemblies.  Juniors will be encouraged to register for an SAT or ACT date in the spring by visiting the testing agency websites.  Sophomores and Juniors in AP classes will be reminded to register for SAT Subject tests as appropriate.

Students are reminded to bring #2 pencils and calculators for testing.  The College Board does not allow makeup testing for the PSATs so it is important that students arrive at school on time. 

Morning for Freshmen and Seniors

All 9^th graders will split the morning between a community service project offsite (details will be sent out separately with permission form) and an assembly on mental health awareness.

All 12^th graders will be participating in college and transition-related activities in the auditorium, including an assembly on mental health awareness.

The mental health assembly will feature a speaker from Minding Your Mind, a national prevention-based program that educates teens by initiating conversations regarding mental health.   Speakers are young adults who have struggled with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, and give educational talks to reduce the stigma of seeking help. This program is being supported by the locally based Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation, which works with area public and private high schools on mental health awareness.   If you have any questions or concerns about your child attending the assembly, please contact Karl Zweerink (Counseling Department, ext. 3210). 

ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

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

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. All deadlines listed in Naviance are subject to change; 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.

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.

DIRECTORIES AVAILABLE

Thank you all so much for attending Back to School night! We apologize for running out of Student Directories, but we have restocked and now have additional copies of the Student Directory in the front office. Please stop by the front office or send your student to get your copy!

Mindful Mondays — CKG Foundation www.ckgfoundation.org Teaching teens the art of mindfulness. We are proud to offer Mindful Mondays for both High School and Middle School aged teens!

MINDFUL MONDAYS

The CKG Foundation offers mindfulness instruction free of charge for high school and middle school students. Mindfulness is achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and mind/body connection. The practice of mindfulness has proven to be a helpful strategy in handling stress. High School sessions are led by Alex Peavey who is fully trained and certified in Jon Kabat-Zinn's Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction program out of University of Massachusetts.  Mr. Peavey provides strategies and techniques for managing stress and being more mindful no matter your surroundings- the classroom, social situations, or the athletic field.  To obtain more information and to register, use the following link:  http://www.ckgfoundation.org/mindfulmondays/

ORCHESTRA NEWS

Congratulations to the following students for being accepted into Virginia District 1 Senior Regional Orchestra:

Minji Cho, Violin (Chesterfield '21)
Emma Chun, Violin (Henrico '20)
Joshua Yoo, Violin (Chesterfield '22)
William Davis, Bass (Chesterfield '21)
Ada Rose Gill, Harp (Chesterfield '22)

They will participate in the event in November and qualify to audition for All State Orchestra in January.

FOUNDATION VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY 

On Wednesday, October 10 the Foundation is planning to mail out our beginning-of-the-year postcard and we need your help! We need volunteers to help us stuff envelopes. We will get started around 9:00 a.m. or so in room 228 across from the boardroom and Foundation office and will probably stuff until around noon. Drop by for an hour or stay the whole time for this fun opportunity to help the Foundation and get to know some other MLWGS parents. Please contact Suzannah Stora if you are available to help.

Night of the Dragon Planning Committee Meeting

This Night of the Dragon auction event is scheduled for Saturday, February 23 at the Hilton Hotel and Spa at Short Pump. This year, the Night of the Dragon will be collectively hosted by and will raise funds for all of the support groups at the MLWGS: the Governor's School Foundation, the PTSA, and our Booster organizations. We are excited to combine efforts to make this awesome evening a success and we would love your help!

Our first planning committee meeting is set for Tuesday, October 9 from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm in room 153. We welcome all who want to help coordinate this great event. Please contact Suzannah Stora if you are able to be at the meeting or if you wish to help with the planning.