Week of February 26, 2020

NEWS FROM THE ART ROOM

Today, February 26 at 11:45 a.m., the Fine Arts Department will be hosting its second “Lunchtime Lecture” of the year in the Black Box. Our speaker will be Twyla Kitts from the VMFA who will be giving a lecture title "The Fabergé Obsession: Romance, Revolution, and Russian Decorative Arts." Even though we have just finished the Global Cycle focus on Europe and Russia, please encourage students you feel might be interested to attend this event. These lectures are sponsored by the Visual Arts Boosters in cooperation with the VMFA Statewide Programs.

MLWGS DRAMA PRESENTS: THE ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL




Inspired by the Charles Addams cartoons, THE ADDAMS FAMILY musical explores the most unthinkable nightmare ever faced by this spooky, kooky, and ooky family: Wednesday Addams falls in love with the sweet, smart, “normal," Lucas Beineke. With secrets kept and potions concocted, both the Beineke and Addams family must attempt to accept their children’s love for one another even if it means breaking traditions. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

Drama Club Sponsor Leigh Glatt and the Maggie L. Walker Drama Department are thrilled to announce their production of the high school version of the Broadway musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY, directed by our very own English teacher Leigh Glatt, Producer Devon E. Mattys, Musical Director Shellie Johnson, Choreographer Daniel Hurt, Set Designer Mercedes Schaum, Technical Director Matt Osier, and Set Construction Lead Dan Giorgis. This show features a talented cast and phenomenal technical crew of Maggie Walker students.

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCES: February 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. and February 29 at 2 p.m. Maggie L. Walker High School auditorium, 1000 N. Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220.

Tickets for The Addams Family can be purchased with cash at the door or in advance with a credit card at https://mlwgs-addams.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults, but there are a few exclusive online offers that can save you money.

TICKET DEALS for Thursday night— adults can take advantage of the Opening Night Special ticket, available online only, for $12 plus fees. Families of 4— 2 adults, 2 students— can enjoy the Family 4-pack online for just $10 per ticket (plus fees). Alumni can enjoy student pricing both at the door and online with the special code distributed by the Foundation.

RIGHTS and RECOGNITION: The Addams Family is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036.

Book by MARSHALL BRICKMAN and RICK ELICE, Music and Lyrics by ANDREW LIPPA, Based on Characters Created by CHARLES ADDAMS





ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

The February edition of the Senior Newsletter is now available. Please read thoroughly for important deadlines and updates.

Susan Teerlink, our GRASP Representative, is available to assist with financial aid information. Ms. Teerlink is here on Mondays and students and/or parents can sign up for an appointment in the School Counseling Office.

YOUTH ART AND MUSIC MONTH DINNER AND PERFORMANCE

The Maggie Walker Fine Arts Department is highlighting Youth Art and Music Month (March) with a pasta dinner, concert, and art show on Wednesday, March 4. The Music Boosters are sponsoring a pasta dinner beginning at 5:15 p.m. followed by a concert and art show in the auditorium from 6:30-8:30 p.m.  We hope to see you at the dinner and concert!

Where: MLWGS Cafeteria

When: Wednesday, March 4, Dinner- 5:15-6:15 p.m. followed by Youth Art and Music performances from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

What: Joe’s Inn lasagna (vegetarian or meat), salad, and bread with student performances to accompany the meal

How much: $6.00 for students, $10.00 for adults

How: Using the signup link below, reserve a spot for your party. Payment options are available through Paypal, Venmo, and by check. You must have a reservation to be served. All reservations are due by Friday, February 28.

Please read payment details carefully when signing up on the Google Sheet!

CLICK HERE TO RESERVE SEATS FOR THE PASTA DINNER




SCRIP ORDERS DUE MARCH 6


Scrip orders are due Friday, March 6 on line, or paper orders and checks made payable to MLWGS PTSA in room 100 (Valenta William's office). Orders will arrive the following week. We hope you will consider doing some of your everyday shopping with Scrip to benefit our PTSA, but it's not too early to start thinking about Spring Break travel and dining, graduations, and Mother's and Father's Day. If you aren't in to giving gift cards, don't forget you can use Scrip to shop at stores for your gifts. Shop anytime with Scrip Now and receive available retailers digitally. Don't forget if you use Amazon Scrip Now certificates at check out, and shop through Amazon Smile, you benefit MLWGS PTSA twice! Thank you for your support. Questions? scrip@mlwgsptsa.org. On-line Scrip Shopping: www.shopwithscrip.com.

SCRIP Hard copy order form

Week of February 19, 2020

PLEASE READ AND ACT TODAY

The need for an RN is on the MLWGS school board agenda for the next school board meeting on February 20. In Virginia, ONLY a Licensed Registered Nurse (“RN”) can train medically unlicensed staff in emergency medication administration and treatments (i.e. recognizing symptoms of problems as well as administering medications such as insulin, EpiPens, etc). Having an RN at MLWGS is essential in the management of all types of student health challenges. Without an RN, MLWGS cannot properly manage the medical needs of its students. In Virginia, counseling and teaching are also nursing tasks that cannot be delegated (18VAC90-19-280. Nursing Tasks That Shall Not Be Delegated.). Because we lack access to an RN, there is no process at MLWGS in place to take care of the training of a student’s teachers. Please contact your MLWGS school board representative TODAY, as the meeting is tomorrow to express our need for an RN at MLWGS. Please find your MLWGS school board representative and contact information here: Regional School Board

BACCALAUREATE LETTER AND SURVEY

Please read the LETTER from MLWGS PTSA President, Craig Martin regarding Baccalaureate.  We would then love to get your feedback through one of the surveys. Your responses are highly appreciated and valued and we would love to have your input by February 23.

Thank you to everyone who has given feedback related to the Baccalaureate event. Your input is extremely helpful. We will report back what is decided from our deliberations. I hope to see you all at The Night of the Dragon on February 29!

Parent survey

Student survey

MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS

SOS SECOND ACT

SOS Second Act is a mental health program that is being implemented by Lisa Ebeling, School Psychologist, for our juniors. SOS Second Act will be presented through the English classes starting on February 20. This program helps students to understand the signs of depression and potential suicidal thinking and provides information on how to support themselves or a peer when experiencing an emotional concern. This program is a designed as a booster for a similar program implemented to the students when they were freshmen. It reminds the juniors of the resources that they have available now and the ones that they can access when they have graduated from Maggie Walker. Questions?  Call Mrs. Ebeling at 354-6800, ext. 3260 or email her at lebeling@gsgis.k12.va.us.

WINTER GROUP OFFERING FOR PARENTS
Anxiety and stress are common issues seen with adolescents and these concerns can impact students at home as well as at school. Lisa Ebeling, MLWGS School Psychologist, is facilitating a group for parents on this very important topic. She will be coordinating the group with Jasmine Coleman who is a graduate student in the VCU Clinical Psychology Department. We will discuss the characteristics of anxiety along with practical ways that parents can support their children. The group will meet from 6-7:00 p.m. starting on Tuesday, February 25 and will run for four weeks. Please let Mrs. Ebeling know if you’re interested in the group and she will let you know the meeting location after verifying the number of participants. You can reach her at 354-6800, x 3260 or by email at lebeling@gsgis.k12.va.us

SPRING SPORTS

Spring Sports start February 24. Please check the school website for the VHSL physical form and dates/times/locations of tryouts.

Spring Coaches and Parents meeting is March 4 at 6:00 p.m. in the Forum. 

Physicals for the 2020-2021 School year will be performed May 18 at 3:30 p.m. in the athletic hallway. All forms need to be completed and signed by a parent or guardian to be seen. Click the link to sign up and the print off forms. We are not doing time slots this year- just sign up here, first come, first served. Please contact Christy Turnbow,ATC for any questions. 

MLWGS DRAMA PRESENTS: THE ADDAMS FAMILY

Inspired by the Charles Addams cartoons, THE ADDAMS FAMILY explores the most unthinkable nightmare ever faced by this spooky, kooky, and ooky family: Wednesday Addams falls in love with the sweet, smart, “normal”, Lucas Beineke. With secrets kept and potions concocted, both the Beineke and Addams family must attempt to accept their children’s love for one another even if it means breaking tradition. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents.

TICKETS AND PERFORMANCES: February 27 and 28 at 7 p.m. and February 29 at 2 p.m. at the Maggie L. Walker High School auditorium, 1000 N. Lombardy Street, Richmond, VA 23220.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the door- cash or check only.

Drama Club Sponsor, Leigh Glatt and the Maggie L. Walker Drama Department are thrilled to announce their production of the high school version of the Broadway musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY, directed by our very own English teacher Leigh Glatt, Producer Devon E. Mattys, Musical Director Shellie Johnson, Choreographer Daniel Hurt, Set Designer Mercedes Schaum, Technical Director Matt Osier, and Set Construction Lead Dan Giorgis. This show features a talented cast and phenomenal technical crew of Maggie Walker students.

RIGHTS and RECOGNITION: The Addams Family is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036.

Book by MARSHALL BRICKMAN and RICK ELICE, Music and Lyrics by ANDREW LIPPA, Based on Characters Created by CHARLES ADDAMS.



MUSIC BOOSTERS FUNDRAISER DINNER

Come enjoy an Italian dinner provided by Joe's Inn with music provided by Maggie Walker musicians on Wednesday, March 4 from 5:15-6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria and Commons. MLWGS student meal price is $6.00 and guests are $10.00 each. Vegetarian options available. All proceeds go to the MLWGS Music Boosters. Directly following the dinner, stay and enjoy the Youth Art and Music Celebration from 6:30-8:00 p.m., including student artwork exhibitions and musical performances.

Online payment options to be announced shortly!

COURSE SELECTION FOR 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR

Course selection for next year is underway! The Counseling Department held grade-level assemblies during the last week of January with students regarding course options for next year. During the month of February, counselors are meeting with students to discuss academic plans and distribute course registration forms to bring home to parents. In addition, teachers are discussing course options and sequencing in their departments with students. On Friday February 14, Course Catalogs were distributed during 8th period.

Course registration will take place on March 5 during 2nd period. Students must have their Course Registration Form completed with all signatures at that time, as well as, the three VCU forms if registering for VCU Dual Enrollment classes (rising juniors and seniors only). Students are allowed to submit a schedule change request up until the end of this school year, though some classes may fill up based on initial registration requests.

Parents can find specific details about course registration and course options on the school counseling page on course scheduling.


PERISA ASHAR FINALIST FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Perisa Ashar (Henrico '21) is one of five Distinguished Finalists for the Prudential Spirit of Community awards. She is member of Henrico County 4-H and started STEMinate- coding, robotics, and chemistry workshops for elementary and middle school students. She has started several fundraisers, volunteers for organizations like the Richmond Peace Center, Women of Connections Ministry, MathScience Innovation Center, and Chippenham Hospital. She also won the Virginia State and National Women in Technology Aspirations in Computing Award. 

Link to Prudential Spirit of Community Award State Honorees and information.

Week of February 5, 2020

PLEASE READ AND ACT! 

The need for an RN is on the MLWGS school board agenda for next school board meeting on February 20. In Virginia, ONLY a Licensed Registered Nurse (“RN”) can train medically unlicensed staff in emergency medication administration and treatments (i.e. recognizing symptoms of problems as well as administering medications such as insulin, EpiPens, etc). Having an RN at MLGWS is essential in the management of all types of student health challenges. Without an RN, MLWGS cannot properly manage the medical needs of its students. In Virginia, counseling and teaching are also nursing tasks that cannot be delegated (18VAC90-19-280. Nursing Tasks That Shall Not Be Delegated.). Because we lack access to an RN, there is no process at MLWGS in place to take care of the training of a student’s teachers. Please contact your MLWGS school board representative BEFORE February 20 to express our need for an RN at MLWGS. Please find your MLWGS school board representative and contact information here: Regional School Board

SCRIP DUE DATE FEBRUARY 14

The next Great Lakes Scrip gift card due date is next week, Friday, February 14. Consider doing some of your everyday shopping with gift cards or buy them for the NOTD Auction and let those retailers you already shop give back to MLWGS! Those enrolled can shop Scrip Now anytime and receive digital certificates instantly. To receive the enrollment code, or if you have questions, contact Laura. Go to shopwithscrip.com for a full list of retailers.

If anyone is interested in being a shadow Scrip coordinator for the 2020/2021 school year, with the idea that you would take over in 2021/2022 (current coordinator's child will be graduating that year), please contact Laura at scrip@mlwgsptsa.org. It's an easy way to get involved and raise some money for MLWGS PTSA!

UPCOMING EVENTS

• February 14: Valentine's Dance 7:30-10:30 p.m.
• February 15: Battle of the Brains: CBS TV 6 MLWGS v Goochland 10 a.m.
• February 24: Spring sports begin! Support our Baseball, Outdoor Track, Tennis, Soccer, and Softball teams! 
• February 27-29: MW Drama presents: The Addams Family Musical (various times)
• February 29: Night of the Dragon 2020: Quantum Leap 6:30 p.m.

MUSIC NEWS

The following students participated in Central Regional Orchestra at Atlee High School on January 24-25. 

• Chloe Biggs- violin (Henrico '23)
• Sean Fang- cello (Chesterfield '23)
• Ella Forlin- cello (Henrico '23)
• Sarah Hendricks- cello (Hanover '23)
• Mariam Jafari-Nassali- violin (Richmond '23)
• Mark Janssen- viola (Chesterfield '23)
• Shreyas Muthusamy- viola (Henrico '23)
• Abhishek Satpathy- cello (Henrico '23)
• William Taylor- cello (Henrico '23)

On January 25, six Maggie Walker students participated in VCU Jazz Day, an annual event where students compose, improvise, and perform a jazz concert in collaboration with VCU Jazz Faculty.

• Delaney Cotton (Hanover '21)
• Ryan Eklund (Richmond '22)
• Catherine Garrison (Hanover '22)
• Jessica Hendricks (Hanover '23)
• Helen Hopkins (Chesterfield '21)
• Vishnoy Vadakkancheri (Henrico '23)

On February 1, MW students performed with the 2020 District Band at Godwin High School. The District Band was conducted by Ryan Addair (composer, band director) and Stephen Bolstad (Director of Bands, James Madison University). 

• Ryan Eklund (Richmond '22)
• Helen Hopkins (Chesterfield '21)
• Devon Jebo (Henrico '22)
• Rahul Ramesh (Henrico '21)
• Amar Srinivasan (Chesterfield '22)
• Carson Wang (Henrico '23)

2020 Night of the Dragon tickets are now on sale! Purchase tickets online HERE. You can purchase tickets, sponsor a table, and enter seating requests in the special requests section. Don’t know who you would like to sit with? No worries. We will assign you to a table with other great folks so you can make new friends in the Dragon Family. Either way, be sure to order your tickets soon so you can be part of the fun! Tickets are selling fast and we do anticipate that we will sell out.

This year’s NOTD items include long-time favorites and many exciting new items:

• Perennial favorite multi-course, in-home Italian Dinner for 10
• MLWGS 2020 graduation seating
• Vacation homes and adventure packages
• Rooftop wine tasting in the Fan
• Original art and one of a kind jewelry
• VIP “Behind the Ropes” tickets at the Dominion Classic
• College gear and class baskets
• Event tickets and unique outings
• And so much more!

NOTD FAQs

What happens during NOTD?
Everyone has loads of fun and we make lots of money to support our amazing school. The evening looks something like this:

• 6:30 p.m. Check-in begins
• 6:30-7:30 p.m. Hors d’oeuvres, complimentary welcome cocktail, cash bar, mingling
• 6:30-8:15 p.m. Auction items on display
• 7:30-8:15 p.m. Dinner buffet and carving stations open
• 8:15 p.m. Silent Auction ends
• 8:30 p.m. Welcome from Dr. Lowerre
• 8:45 p.m. Live Auction begins with Head and Tails
• 9 p.m. Dessert and coffee served
• 9:30 p.m. Student performance

Will I have fun even if I don’t know very many people at Maggie Walker yet?
ABSOLUTELY! There’s plenty of time to mingle and meet folks during the evening. And when dinner time comes, if you don’t request specific folks to sit with, we will do our best to assign you to a table with other parents from your students' class. It’s a great way to meet other Dragon parents.

What is the dress code?
The dress code is “festive.” Not a lot of help, right? The idea is for everyone to feel as special as the event is to our school but no need to special order a designer dress or dust off the tux- unless you want to! Wear whatever makes you feel ready to have some fun for a great cause, whether that’s a cocktail dress or your fave pants or anything in between. On second thought, wear what

makes you most want to bid lots of money on lots of items.

What does the money from NOTD support?
All proceeds for the Night of the Dragon support the students and faculty at MLWGS! Last year’s event yielded more than $70,000! Proceeds benefit the enhancement initiatives of the Governor’s School Foundation as well as the efforts of the Athletic, Music, Visual Arts, Drama Boosters, and the PTSA.

Is there parking available?
Yes, we have arranged for complimentary parking at 13 N. 5th Street- a lot adjacent to the John Marshall.

What is Heads and Tails?
It’s a fun, interactive coin toss game. Each person who has paid to play ($10 in advance or at the event) receives a set of beads to wear. At the beginning of the Live Auction, everyone with beads stands and places their hands on their head or their tail. The auctioneer then flips a coin. Anyone who guessed the coin toss correctly, as evidenced by where their hands are placed, remains standing. This continues until only one person is standing and wins the prize.

Will NOTD use mobile bidding again this year?
Yes, and we are very excited! Mobile bidding was a huge success last year and will be used again this year and in the future. Mobile bidding allows you to input your credit card into a secure system when you buy your tickets or at the event. No more check-out lines at the end of the evening. No more running from silent auction bid sheet to bid sheet. You can set your initial bid and a maximum bid on as many silent auction items as you like and the system will automatically adjust your bid in increments until your max is reached or you win; you can manually enter new bids each time you get a text that you’ve been outbid. You’ll be getting more easy-to-follow bidding info after ticket sales close. Special thanks to Dominion Energy for serving as our Mobile Bidding Sponsor.

Will drink tickets be pre-sold again this year?
No. Guests can use cash and credit cards at the John Marshall to purchase drinks so we will not be pre-selling drink tickets this year.