Week of January 15, 2020

REMINDER: MONDAY, JANUARY 20 IS A HOLIDAY

School is closed next Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. 

FROM THE YEARBOOK STAFF

1. Monday, January 20, is the last day to order a personalized 2020 Yearbook. Get a name stamp, name plate, or autograph supplement. Want more info? Pick up an order form outside room 123.

2. Senior ad submissions are due on January 17. Contact Mr. White for more information, or check the 2020 Parents Facebook page.





SCRIP UPDATE

Great Lake Scrip gift card orders are due this Friday, January 17 by 3:00 p.m. If you plan to purchase any gift cards for your class auction basket, please consider using Great Lake Scrip to benefit MLWGS times two! Consider using Scrip cards for some of your everyday purchases such as pharmacy, gas, Target, Walmart, dining out, Starbucks, home improvement, clothing, and more. There are over 750 retailers, you are bound to be shopping at many of them. Let those retailers give back to our school at no extra cost to you! 

If you have an account, you can purchase Scrip Now digital certificates and receive them immediately on your computer or phone. If you don't have an account, you can always order with a paper form (available below) and a check made payable to MLWGS PTSA delivered to room 100 (Valenta Williams' office) by the deadline. A full list of retailers is available at www.shopwithscrip.com. If you have an account you can order on line and use credit card or Presto Pay (a PayPal equivalent) for your purchases. Please contact Laura Dysart at scrip@mlwgsptsa.org for our enrollment code if you would like to create an account or have questions. Thank you for your support, families have raised over $900 this year! Monthly orders will continue through the end of the year.

SCRIP order here





COLLEGE KICK-OFF AND COLLEGE JUMP-START INFORMATION

Attention Junior Parents!

On Tuesday, February 4, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. all Juniors and their parents are invited to attend “College Kick-Off 2020” in the auditorium at Maggie Walker. We will hear presentations from college admissions officers representing University of Mary Washington, University of Richmond, University of South Carolina, University of Miami, and Virginia Commonwealth University, followed by a time for general questions and answers about college admissions. After the program, students and parents are invited to continue the conversations with the college representatives who will be available to talk throughout the lunch block. See 

below for information on how to RSVP.


Attention Freshman and Sophomore Parents!
On Tuesday, February 4, from 1:30-3:10 p.m. all Sophomores and their parents are invited to attend “College Jump-Start 2020” in the auditorium at Maggie Walker. Senior counselors, Dr. Rachel Loving and Ms. Kierstin Streitel, will present on various topics including how students can identify their unique goals, what colleges consider important, and “zen” ways to approach the college admission process. College admissions officers representing University of Mary Washington, University of Richmond, University of South Carolina, University of Miami, and Virginia Commonwealth University will participate in a Q&A session with students and parents following the presentation. This program is for sophomores only; however, parents of Freshman are also welcome to attend if they wish to do so. See information below on how to RSVP.

Students do NOT need to RSVP. Parents have the option to RSVP, but it is not mandatory in order to attend.

Reminder for parents
Visitors to Maggie Walker must scan their photo IDs the first time they enter the building during school hours. During subsequent visits, visitors must type their names into the system upon entering the building and receive a printed visitor's badge with their photo. In an effort to maintain heightened security measures during these programs, all parents must sign in prior to reporting to the auditorium. To streamline the process, we are asking that parents WHO ARE ALREADY IN THE SYSTEM please RSVP using this program so that Ms. Valenta Williams can have your ID badge already printed for you in the Bluestone Lobby when you arrive. If you have NOT had your ID scanned into the system before, please arrive at least 15 minutes in advance to allow time for this process. You may RSVP until 7:30 a.m. the morning of February 4 and an RSVP is NOT mandatory in order to attend. We are hoping that this process will assist parents in arriving in the auditorium on time. Please plan to utilize off-site parking at the James River Bus lot on Allen Avenue. If you have questions about the RSVP process or you are not sure if you are in the system, please contact Valenta Williams. All other questions about College Kick-Off or College Jump-Start may go to Kierstin Streitel.

Click HERE to RSVP for JUNIOR College Kick-Off.

Click HERE to RSVP for SOPHOMORE College Jump-Start.

JAZZ BAND NEWS

Varun Mandgi (Richmond '21) and Nived Sanjay (Chesterfield '23) were awarded positions with the Greater Richmond High School Jazz Band, a VCU-sponsored auditioned ensemble. The band is comprised of the best high school jazz students from Richmond and surrounding counties. They will be featured in performances throughout the spring, including Saturday, May 2 at the Singleton Center at VCU. Congratulations to these students on their musical accomplishments!

GET YOUR NIGHT OF THE DRAGON TICKETS TODAY!

LEAP DAY! February 29, 2020
The John Marshall Ballrooms
101 N. 5th Street, Richmond
6:30-10:30 p.m.

Night of the Dragon Tickets are now on sale! Purchase yours online HERE. You can also indicate online if there are friends you'd like to sit with during the dinner/live auction part of the evening. 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!

Turn your Night of the Dragon Experience into a Celebration – Become a Dragon Gold Table Sponsor!

By popular demand, we invite you to consider signing on as a Dragon Gold Table Sponsor at this year’s Quantum Leap event! Dragon Gold sponsorships are $1,000 and include 10 tickets and seating at a table in a premier location as well as special recognition signage and listing in the event catalog and online site. This is a great opportunity to plan a fun evening with your friends and also go that extra mile to support MLWGS! You can recognize your company or come up with a fun theme for your table. To serve as a Dragon Gold Table Sponsor, contact Suzannah Stora.

EDITOR NEEDED FOR SMOKE AND SCALES 

We will need a second editor for the newsletter starting with the 2020-2021 school year. A freshman or sophomore parent is preferable. Strong communication and editing skills are required.  Time requirement is 1-3 hours a week on Mondays.  Please reply to smokeandscales@gmail.com if you are interested.

Week of December 9, 2014

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Summer Residential Governor’s Schools for Sophomores and Juniors

Applications are now available for the Summer Residential Governor’s Schools. These programs provide opportunities for gifted high school students to explore professional and university environments through mentorships and academic enrichment. Information and applications can be found at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/governors_school_programs/summer_residential/ for academic and mentorship programs, and http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/foreign_language/language_academies/index.shtml for the foreign language academies. Please see Ms. Davis for additional information about application process and deadlines.

VCU Programs and Opportunities

After-school Program:
Project ACEe - pre-health focus on medicine, academic skills and prep

• Eligibility: Current Juniors and Seniors
• Program Duration: Fridays, starting January - April
• Application Requirements: Online application with personal statement, official transcript, 1 letter of recommendation from science teacher and 1 letter from guidance counselor:  due 12/12/14

Non-Residential Summer Programs:
Open to a variety of grade levels, each program focuses on a specific career field, offering hands-on instruction & information about preparing for these fields now.

• Dental Career Exploration (9, 10, 11, 12 grade), 
• Dental Hygiene Career Exploration (11 & 12 grade),
• Physical Therapy Career Exploration (10, 11, 12 grade)

The High School Diplomats (HSD) program brings American high school students together at Princeton University for a 10-day cultural and educational exchange program with students from Japan. Current sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply and Japanese language familiarity/experience is not a pre-requisite. For more information about HSD, please visit www.highschooldiplomats.com. Application deadline is January 7, 2015.

The Cochrane Summer Economics Institute is a five-week work/study program for rising high school seniors. The program provides an introduction to economics, business, networking, and a variety of job/career choices through a combination of classroom work, community service, and internship experience. Applications will be available at www.powellinfo.org starting on December 1, 2014. Application and essay must be submitted by January 16, 2015.

MLWGS GRADS RECEIVE TOP AWARDS FROM VIRGINIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Founded in 1831, the Virginia Historical Society is the fourth oldest institution in America dedicated to the collection, preservation, and interpretation of history. Its mission includes service to a wide range of scholars, educators, genealogists, and “life-long learners” interested in any topic, period, or group found within Virginia history. Each year the society honors individuals for historical scholarship or service to the larger historical community. This year, two MLWGS graduates were recognized for their work.

Daniel Yoo (MLWGS ‘14) received the Bobby Chandler Student Award, which recognizes the top research submission from a Virginia high school student. Daniel’s award was based upon his oral history project on the HIV/AIDs epidemic of the 1980s and its intersection with the hemophilia community, federal blood screening protocols, and numerous drug approval obstacles. The project was part of Daniel’s Historiography seminar in the 2013-14 school year.

Adrianna Scheer-Cook (MLWGS ‘09), a recent graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, won the Undergraduate History Paper of the Year for her paper on the Vietnam War activism of Phyllis Galanti, whose personal papers reside at the VHS. As a senior in the 2008-09 school year, Miss Scheer-Cook was enrolled in an advanced seminar on Korean and Vietnam conflicts offered by the Social Studies Department.

Daniel is currently enrolled as an undergraduate at the University of Richmond. Adrianna is in her first year of law school at the University of Virginia.



SOL TESTING WEEK OF MONDAY, JANUARY 5

SOL Testing for freshmen who attended private middle schools will take place during the week of Monday January 5th. Specific testing times and locations were distributed to students last week.

All students at Maggie L. Walker are required to pass nine SOL End of Course tests in order to qualify for a Virginia Advanced Studies High School Diploma. MLW students typically earn SOL verified credits for biology, chemistry, World History II (given at the end of 10th grade), US History (10th or 11th grade), English writing (10th grade), English reading (11th grade), Algebra I, geometry, and Algebra II.

Students who attended private middle schools need to verify earned credit through SOL tests for Algebra I, geometry, and/or Algebra II classes taken.

Students are encouraged go to the Virginia Department of Education site http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/practice_items/index.shtml to review materials to prepare for the tests. In addition, students may ask their current math teacher for additional help. Finally, the math tutoring lab is open after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays for help with specific content.

Students will have a practice opportunity to use the online math tools during lunch on Monday, December 15th in Lab 201. It is highly recommended that all students attend this practice session since it is important to be able to use the tools effectively during online testing. 

SOL tests are scored as fail, pass/proficient or advanced/college path. If a student fails the SOL, he or she is permitted to take an expedited re-take if the score is between 375 and 399. This re-take will be scheduled within a couple of weeks of the initial testing date. Otherwise, the student can take the test again in May. If a student fails the re-test, he or she will have an opportunity to retake the test in May. The scores are not used for college admissions purposes and are only used for verifying credits.

Please contact Karl Zweerink at kzweerink@gsgis.k12.va.us or 804-354-6800, extension 3210 if you have any questions.



COME SUPPORT MUSIC AT MLWGS!

WINTER JAZZ CONCERT – Monday, Dec. 15th, 7:00 pm
WINTER CHORUS/ORCHESTRA CONCERT – Wednesday, Dec. 17th, 7:00 pm

• Cost is $5 at the door.
• Concert Reception immediately followS each performance.
• Mark your calendar NOW!

Please contact Leslie Hausser, Music Boosters President, at lahmeems@comcast.net, with any questions.



ATTENTION SENIOR PARENTS

The December Senior Newsletter is now available on the School Counseling Website (https://sites.google.com/a/gsgis.k12.va.us/mlw-school-counseling/2011-2012-newsletters). This newsletter contains college-related reminders and a listing of scholarships with approaching deadlines. The newsletter was distributed to students in their English classes last week. Scholarship information for seniors is also available on the School Counseling website (https://sites.google.com/a/gsgis.k12.va.us/mlw-school-counseling/college-admissions-information-1/scholarships-financial-aid) and in Naviance (https://connection.naviance.com/mlwgs). Contact your child’s counselor if you would like to view the Naviance scholarship database and need your registration code.

Scholarships are still being added to this database on a monthly basis, most with direct links to the applications. Hard-copy applications are scanned and attached to the scholarship description as a PDF. Please note that all deadlines posted on Naviance or in the Newsletter are subject to change as organizations are still sending us updated information for this school year. Check the organization’s website for the most current information. Please contact Rachel Loving in the School Counseling Office with scholarship questions.



AUCTION DEADLINE THIS WEEK

Last chance for donations! The 13th Annual Night of the Dragon Auction team will accept donations of auction items through this Friday, December 12. 

1. To donate, click here to print a donation form.
2. Fill it out and choose the group(s) that the proceeds from the item should benefit.
3. Drop the form and the item off at school in the auction box in Valenta Williams’ office.
4. All forms received by Friday, December 12 at the end of the school day will be accepted.
5. Due to processing times, donations received after the deadline cannot be included in this year's event.

For donations too big to send to school (or those donations that contain alcohol), pickup can be arranged by marking "to be arranged" in the delivery instructions section of the form – but the donation form must still be turned in by December 12.

Questions?? Contact Karen Akens at karenakens@gmail.com

FUNDING OF MLWGS KEY CONCERN AT BUDGET TOWN HALL MEETING

The Budget Town Hall on December 3 featured a total of 15 parents, PTSA and Foundation leaders, alumni, students and educators who provided public comments. The primary concern was the continued underfunding of MLWGS. The local funding for our students has dropped more than 10% over the past five years while VRS and healthcare costs have increased substantially. In front of a crowd of about 100, these speakers shared heartfelt concerns about the impact of deep budget cuts in recent years including what they felt was outdated textbooks, inadequate technology equipment and staffing, increased teacher workloads, noncompetitive salaries, reductions in field trips and course offerings, and a new proposed cap on participation in the Senior mentorship program.

Several speakers pointed out concerns about the anxiety surrounding the annual budget process. One speaker provided a detailed proposal to stabilize funding through a formula tied to the amounts spent by local school divisions on students in their home schools. Another speaker voiced concerns regarding the Regional School Board’s upcoming decision on a long-term capital improvement contract that will be funded with reserves (savings).

It is a challenge to gain consensus among all school divisions, but the Regional School Board and Superintendents Steering Committee are beginning to look at solutions. In addition to the MLWGS administrative team, Mr. Kevin Hazzard, chairman of the Regional School Board, Dr. James Lane, chair of the Superintendents Steering Committee, and, Mr. John Axselle, Vice Chair of the Regional School Board attended the meeting. One speaker expressed concern regarding the absence of the other 21 superintendents and elected representatives who are responsible for the MLWGS budget and requested that the Town Hall comments be communicated to them. Dr. McGee and Chairman Hazzard assured the audience the issues raised would be taken into consideration.

The PTSA Advocacy Committee will continue to update parents throughout the budget development process including any formal report or minutes for the Budget Town Hall. The budget should be finalized by April or May. The next Regional School Board meeting is Dec. 18, 2014 at 9 am at MLWGS. There is a public comment period at the beginning of each monthly meeting should you wish to share your thoughts. Here is information about the Regional School Board. If you are interested in learning more about government relations and advocacy on behalf of MLWGS, please contact PTSA Advocacy Co-Chairs Marianne Macon, macon4@verizon.net, or, Laura O’Brien, prable@comcast.net.



"AMICABLE COLLABORATORS", MICHELE SURAT AND LYNN REED, PRESENTED AT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Ms. Surat  is seen  ringing a “zenergy” chime as Lynn Reed provided the frequency for the sound in mathematical terms.

“Story as the Landscape of Knowing” was the theme of this year’s National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Conference. Thanks to the generous support of the Governor’s School Foundation, Michele Surat (World Literature) and Lynn Reed (AP Calculus) presented their collaborative work in two separate programs on November 21, 2014.

After NCTE’s acceptance of their original proposal, the National Council of Literacy Education (NCLE) also requested that Ms. Surat and Mrs. Reed participate in an all-morning session of round-table discussions. There the teachers shared their resources and interdisciplinary lessons plans with elementary through university teachers.

Later in the afternoon, Yoko Ogawa's award-winning novel, The Housekeeper and the Professorprovided the primary focus. Ms. Surat and Mrs. Reed each explained how to use the contemporary Japanese novel as a catalyst for increased literacy, close reading, and critical thinking skills. Since the protagonist of the novel was a math professor, students considered the use of the mathematics and baseball as metaphors to describe the relationships among the characters. About 40 teachers attended their animated session.

The Foundation Annual Fund supports grants for continuing education for faculty, programs for students, and special projects for facilities and technology. So far this year, the Annual Fund Campaign has raised $122,774 for the school. Overall current parent participation is 21%, and here is the parent participation by class:

• Seniors: 29%
• Juniors: 23%
• Sophomores: 24%
• Freshmen: 9%

To donate online, please click here.


ATTENTION ALL DRAGON LOVERS!

Karina Kunka (Class of 2015) really needs your support. She is making and selling Dragons of a Different Color (clay dragon ornaments) for her friend Caitlin Haigh from Powhatan County and who is currently battling Mitochondrial Disease, Dysautonomia, and Gastroparesis.  Her debilitating diseases and frequent surgeries and hospitalizations have prevented Caitlin from attending most of high school, although she will still be graduating this spring from Powhatan High.  Last year, her dream to swim with dolphins was fulfilled by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and despite all of her setbacks, she still wears a bright smile.

$5 buys a gift-wrapped dragon in your choice of available colors; designs vary since no two dragons are alike! Every single penny of your purchase goes directly towards Caitlin's medical expenses, so if you are interested in adopting a dragon this winter, contact karina.kunka@gmail.com. They make great holiday gifts, so be sure to snag one before they fly away! For more information on Caitlin, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/caitlinalliehaigh.

DRAGON’S LAIR

‘Tis holiday season

So let us be lyrical!

We’ll change up our sales pitch

(But maintain the satirical).

If gifts you should need

For neighbors or cousins

Come drop by the Lair

We have a few (dozens).

From sweatshirts warm

To pajama pants snuggly

In our spirit apparel

You’ll look sharp, not ugly.

And gifts and accessories

And tchotchkes and bling

All kinds of drink tumblers

Ornaments on green string

Pens, pins and totes!

Stretchy swim caps!

Take your school to the pool

And do a few laps.

Dragon Shirts! Comfy Jackets!

Smart Ties! Cool Gym Shorts!

Our staff will assist you

With all types and sorts

Of purchases which –

By the time you are done –

Will finish your shopping

Before others’ve begun.

So swing by on Tuesday

Or Friday at lunch,

And these special hours

To help your time crunch:

- (after the winter concert)

- (after the winter concert)

- December 19 (ALL DAY BLITZ DAY - shop til you drop!]:   8:30 - 3:30

(Yeah, like I’m gonna try and rhyme all of that.  As if.)

Check our stuff on the web

Mlwgsdragons.weebly.com

Checks and cash are all welcome

If you need some, ask mom.

I’m through with this rhyming.

No more, this I swear.

So Happy Chrismahanakwanzaa!

From The Dragon’s Lair!