Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label newsletter. Show all posts

Week of April 26, 2016

MLWGS DRAMA CLUB PRESENTS
2016 SPRING ONE-ACTS FESTIVAL
An Evening of Student-Directed Short Plays
APRIL 28, 29 and 30


This year's One-Acts Festival will be held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 28-30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. This year’s festival includes four student-directed short plays and one student-directed short musical.  Additionally, three of these productions will be premieres as they are original scripts written by MLWGS students. Tickets will be available at the door for $8/students and $10/adults. Please join us for the following productions:

Some Sort of Parable
written and directed by John Libby ('16, Hanover)

Diversions
directed by Brannon Linder ('16, Henrico)

Play
directed by Evan Heiter ('16, Hanover)

Debate 101: Who Cares?
written by Shannon Colson ('17, Henrico) and Naomi Vickers ('17, Richmond); directed by Shannon Colson

MLWGS: The Musical
written and directed by James Caven ('17, Richmond) and Quan Chau ('17, Chesterfield)

Poster artwork by Nicoleta Gavris ('18, Chesterfield)




ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR SENIORS

Senior Group Photo:  Thursday, April 28, 11:50 a.m.


A group photograph will be taken of all seniors in their caps and gowns standing proudly on the front steps of Maggie Walker.  This panorama style photograph measures approximately 10”x30”, and the cost is $15.00.   Order forms were distributed in English classes and additional forms will be placed in the Senior Commons for any student interested in purchasing a copy of the photo. Students need to remember to bring their caps and gowns that day.  
Contact Ms. Sheppard with any questions (804-354-6800 ext.  3304ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us

Unfortunately, the Class of 2016 graduation announcements were delivered last week with an error indicating the wrong location for this year's commencement ceremony (Graduation is at Altria Theatre on June 17th at 3:00).  Herff Jones has assured MLWGS that the printer is responsible for this mistake, and they are quickly reprinting everything and expecting to have new announcements delivered in just a couple of weeks.  If you did not order announcements back in November, you can contact the vendor directly:  www.vagrad.com or 804-598-0971.  Please also feel free to call or e-mail Ms. Sheppard (804-354-6800 ext. 3304/ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us) with any questions or concerns.  




TO THE CLASS OF 2017 AND THEIR FAMILIES

Senior Pictures

Senior Pictures will be taken by the contracted school photographer at MLWGS on a date to be determined. Details will be provided in the coming weeks. If you’d rather be photographed for your formal Yearbook portrait at a studio of your choice, be sure that your portraits adhere to the following specifications: formal dress (the drape for women, a tux top for men); "midnight blue" or other standard, dark blue background (shouldn't cost extra) photo should be head & shoulders, w/ bottom of frame hitting mid-chest level. Any size from Lifetouch [2-15/16" x 2-3/16" OR 2-3/16" x 1-5/8" OR 1-15/16" x 1-7/16"] is OK.

Photographs from other studios are due no later than
Friday, November 18.

If we do not have your picture by November 18, you risk exclusion from the senior section.  Please give Mr. White a copy of the photo if it’s not from the contracted school photographer. Digital images must be at least 300 dpi and can be emailed to mwhite@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 and make sure Mr. White received the email. Sometimes, big files don't make it through, and Mr. White may need to provide a different email address that can handle larger images.

Strawbridge Studios is MLWGS's new contracted school photographer. For senior portraits, you may patronize any photographer you choose, but Strawbridge will be at MLWGS on July 11 and 12, August 8, September 19, and October 12 to photograph seniors for their formal portraits. If you wish merely to get the formal yearbook portrait (tux or drape), your session is free! If you choose to add various poses, outfits and backgrounds, there is a $25 sitting fee. The studio will send you further information over the summer (if you get photographed on July 11-12, you'll need to sign up for a time slot), or you can call them at 800-326-9080.

Senior Ads

Every year, families buy Senior Ads—personal tributes to their favorite graduates to tell them how proud they are of them. Yearbook pages measure 8-1/2" by 11". Ads may be purchased to cover a full page ($220), 1/2-page ($140), or 1/4-page ($80). Please make checks payable to MLWGS.

To purchase a Senior Ad, send picture(s), along with any text you’d like to include, to Mr. White’s attention, at MLWGS. We accept prints (please keep them loose; don’t use tape or staples) and digital files (300 dpi minimum). We can’t accept digital layouts that you’ve done yourself, as they tend to yield low-quality and hard-to-manipulate results. Also, please do not cut-and-paste pictures and copy to a sheet of paper; the results will not be of optimal quality.

The Yearbook staffers will use your photos and text to design an attractive ad. Please indicate the size you prefer the ad to be, your name, the name of the senior being honored, and your address and phone number or email. Submissions may be mailed, delivered to Mr. White’s mailbox in the front office, or dropped off at his desk in workroom 330. Digital images can be emailed to mwhite@gsgis.k12.va.us, but if you have large files, your best bet is to send them to Mr. White on a CD or flash drive.

Space is limited, and submissions are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with the final deadline for submissions on Friday, January 20, 2017. Ads missing the deadline may be subject to a $15 late fee and may risk exclusion entirely.




FOR THE CLASS OF 2019


The new contracted school photographer, Strawbridge Studios, has an exciting opportunity for members of the Class of 2019. Strawbridge will offer a photography internship to one rising sophomore. In this program, the lucky student will acquire valuable photographic training, skills, knowledge, experience and valuable equipment, and will photograph school events.

Here’s how Strawbridge describes it: “This student will be provided with a high quality Canon DSLR camera (including rechargeable batteries and charger), professional photographic lens, and a high quality protective carrying case (over a $1500 total retail value). In addition to this equipment, each intern will receive hours of photography training from our local professional photographers, to include basic photographic elements, photographic equipment tutorials, equipment care and maintenance, lighting, posing, portrait composition tips, and much more. Once this student reaches his or her senior year, we propose that another sophomore intern be added, giving the school two students learning the art of photography. As an intern reaches the end of his or her senior year, the photographic equipment supplied then becomes property of the intern, as compensation for the services provided.”

This is a great way to acquire a marketable skill and valuable equipment, and your contributions will enhance the content of the 2017 Yearbook. (You need not be on the Yearbook staff to accept this internship.) See Mr. White for more information or to receive an application.




SCRIP STILL AVAILABLE!


For SCRIP for the rest of this school year, the PTSA has decided to sell the remaining gift cards it has in stock, first come - first served, and to not take any more special orders. If you would like to purchase any gift cards, please email Karen at k.murtha@comcast.net or Lori at lori.bek@verizon.net and they will make arrangements to get you the cards. Our current stock includes:

  • Arby's ($10)
  • Barnes and Noble ($10 and $25)
  • Build-a-Bear Workshop ($25)
  • Chili's ($25)
  • Coldstone Creamery ($10)
  • Martin's ($100)
  • Panera ($10)
  • Red Robin ($10)
  • Starbuck's ($10 and $25)
  • Walmart ($25)

For many of these, we have multiple cards. Please think of supporting the PTSA by purchasing gift cards for end of year gifts for teachers and other occasions.




PROPOSED CALENDAR FOR 2016-2017



Use the following link to view Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School proposed operating calendar for 2016-2017. The community is encouraged to view this proposal and offer feedback prior to calendar adoption on May 19.





SIGNUP TO RECEIVE THE NEW LIBRARY NEWSLETTER


The MLWGS Library is now offering an email newsletter to be delivered twice a month. Useful for both parents and students, it will include information about upcoming library events and will spotlight new, interesting, or timely materials in the library’s collection. To sign up, simply enter your email in this Google Form (http://goo.gl/forms/mxEa5B4onu).




KEY CLUB SPONSORS DRIVE FOR SYLVIA'S SISTERS


In cultures all over the world, practicing healthful methods of feminine hygiene is almost impossible.  As a result of the unreasonable taboo of the subject, it is almost impossible to know when a student here in Virginia is struggling to contend with basic and natural female processes.  Food insecurity runs rampant both here and all over the world.  Families often prioritize dealing with the basic needs of food, water, and shelter over hygiene requirements and regiments.  Girls in this situation commonly wear hygiene products longer than they should; this risks personal health concerns and possible social issues.  To help combat this issue, MLWGS will be partnering with Sylvia’s Sisters, a non-profit organization to hold a sanitary napkin drive from May 2 to May 6.  The donation boxes will be located in the Bluestone Lobby and the Guidance Suite; both boxes will collect packages of disposable sanitary napkins to distribute to local Richmond and Chesterfield schoolgirls in need.  Lauren Taylor (’19, Hopewell), Olivia Willis (’19, Chesterfield), and Leyah Owusu (’19, Richmond) are leading this initiative. For more information about this issue and what you can do to help please visit http://www.sylviassisters.org/ 




VOTE FOR THE MLWGS DRAGONS!



Team 422 is participating in a video contest for Dow Chemical, which gives out $5,000 grants for robotics teams going to the World Championship next week in Saint Louis. The top eight videos with the most votes will receive the award. Below is the link for to see the video and go to the voting page. http://bit.ly/1XDG7Lv




CALTECH-MIT-POMONA-YALE INFORMATION SESSION

Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 02:00 PM at Maggie L Walker Governor’s School,
admissions representatives from Caltech, MIT, Pomona, and Yale will discuss academic programs, campus life, selective college admissions and financial aid. Please bring your friends and family.


The session will be held in the auditorium.

Week of September 16, 2014

2014-2019 MLWGS PTSA BYLAWS




The 2014-2019 MLWGS PTSA bylaws were approved by the Board and are available HERE for general membership review and comment. A vote for adoption will be held at the next MLWGS PTSA meeting on December 2, 2014. Any questions please contact Elizabeth Wong, PTSA President:  
mew.mailbox@gmail.com.


  

MLWGS Fall Festival Seeks Corporate Sponsors


Save the Date: Friday, October 10, 4-8pm, raindate October 17

Fall Festival is about fun, but it is also about raising money for school clubs and organizations. Students have the chance to reach a wide audience and be creative in how they compete for attention by offering a variety of wares: (nonalcoholic) butterbeer, a do-it-yourself s’mores station, turkey drumsticks ... even written-to-order haikus.


The MLWGS PTSA makes Fall Festival possible by underwriting the expenses that come along with such a massive undertaking. Last year, some festival expenses were covered by corporate sponsorships from Patient First, State Farm recruiter Jessie Bell, Finance for Churches, and Lewis and Clark Leadership Camps. These cash donations mean more money all around.



Please contact festival committee member Paula Chambers, 
ppcmail@yahoo.com, with suggestions for businesses that would be willing to offer a corporate sponsorship. All sponsors receive logo placement on a display board by the stage and in the festival brochure (containing the festival map). Additionally, emcees will thank sponsors from the festival stage. Plus, all donations are tax-deductible!


RELEVANT FESTIVAL UPDATES

Booths
The 2014 Fall Festival Booth Participation Form is a fillable PDF document that can be filled out and submitted electronically. Questions? Contact booth coordinator Geneva Briggs, genevabriggs1@gmail.com. If submitting an application in hard copy, visit the main school office and drop the form in the Fall Festival box, located near the mailboxes. All clubs must be administration-approved and have a faculty sponsor. Friday, September 26 is the deadline for booth entertainment applications.




Visit the Fall Festival Facebook page (www.facebook.com/MLWGSFallFestival) for necessary forms.

Entertainment
This year, the 2014 Entertainment Sign-Up form is a Google doc, which is only submitted electronically. With a limited number of times available, consider applying before the September 26 deadline. Visit the Fall Festival Facebook page for necessary forms. Questions? Contact Cara Metz, carametz@me.com.


Volunteers
Fall Festival needs a veritable army of volunteers. Please consider contributing time either through time or donations. New this year: a Sign-Up Genius form details all volunteer needs. Visit the MLWGS Facebook page for the link. Questions? Contact volunteer coordinator Samantha Mier,
sdmier@verizon.net, (804) 754-0905.


“Like” the Facebook page to see all festival updates.




MLWGS Business Partnerships
September 15 marks the start of signups for Martin’s Rewards. This program gives the school cash based on how much MLWGS Parents, Friends, and Family Members spend on groceries at Martin’s. Anyone can sign up.

* Participants in previous years do not need to take any action.

* New participants, can sign up by logging on to 
www.martinsfoods.com/aplus and designating MLWGS with the school ID #03112 as their BONUSCARD number.


No time to register? No problem. Interested participants should send their Last Name, Phone Number and the 11-digit BONUSCARD number (starting with 48) to mlwgspartners@gmail.com and the MLWGS PTSA will update the information appropriately.




Annual MLWGS Richmond Alumni Service Project Sunday:  September 21


The Governor’s School Foundation Richmond Alumni Chapter is pleased to announce the annual service project this month.

WHEN: Sunday September 21, 1-5 pm

WHERE: Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, Bluestone Entrance

Volunteers will be replacing the edging around the Bluestone entrance as well as participating in general upkeep and beautification of the campus. Friends and family are welcome and encouraged to attend. Students will earn four hours of community service towards their required hours. Donuts will be provided by Sugar Shack for hungry volunteers.

Please RSVP for head count purposes by emailing Madelaine Spangler Class of 2009, Richmond MLWGS Alumni Chapter Service Chair at madcspangler@gmail.com by Friday, September 19th. Alternately, RSVP by indicating attendance on the Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/541455006000102/?ref=br_tf.




School Pictures

School pictures of Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors will be taken by Lifetouch/Prestige in the Black Box on Tuesday, September 23. These pictures are students’ opportunity to get their portrait in the yearbook. (Make-up photographs will be taken on Wednesday October 22.) Order forms will be distributed through English classes, but students may also see Mr. White (Room 330) for order forms. If students plan to order pictures, they must bring the form and money on picture day. (Students are not required to order pictures, but MLWGS Yearbook Staff encourages students to be photographed for the yearbook.)

Senior portraits will be taken by Lifetouch/Prestige in the Black Box on Monday, September 22. These pictures are an opportunity to get a free formal portrait for the yearbook’s Senior Section. Sign up for a time slot outside Mr. White’s workroom, Room 330 where additional information is posted.





MLWGS Holds Zinio Workshops for Access to Digital Magazines


Students, parents, faculty, and staff are invited to attend a lunchtime workshop in the MLWGS Library to learn how to set up access for free full-text, full-color digital magazines available from Virginia Public Libraries with an email address and a current public library card.

On September 17, 18, 19, and 24 from 11:45am to 12:05pm workshops demonstrating how to set up access to Zinio on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch.


Magazines available include:

  • The Economist,
  • National Geographic,
  • Newsweek, Discover,
  • Popular Mechanics,
  • Popular Science,
  • Apple Magazine,
  • MacWorld,
  • PC Magazine,
  • PC World,
  • O (Oprah) Magazine,
  • Rolling Stone,
  • Seventeen,
  • National Geographic Traveler,
  • Reader’s Digest,
  • Smithsonian,
  • Bloomberg Business Week,
  • Forbes, and
  • Kiplinger’s.


Additional titles are available through county-wide libraries systems. Representative samples include:

  • Chesterfield – Astronomy, Atlantic Monthly, Cooks Illustrated, Field and Stream, Outside, PC Gamer, and Thrasher
  • Henrico – Astronomy, American Craft, Field and Stream, Guitar Player, Mac User, Linux Format, Organic Gardening, Outside, Poets & Writers, and Utne Reader
  • Pamunkey Regional – Astronomy, American Craft, ARTNews, Digital Photo, Electronic Musician, Field and Stream, Foreign Policy, Guitar Player, Organic Gardening, Outside, Poets & Writers, and Utne Reader
  • Richmond – American Craft, ARTNews, Digital Photo, Field and Stream, Foreign Policy, Organic Gardening, Outside, Poets & Writers, and Utne Reader

Individuals unable to attend but interested in setting up access can download instructions from the related post on the library blog.




Meeting For Trip to Italy

A meeting for anyone interested in going to Italy with Steve Ross and Susan Hefty on a non-school sponsored trip on will be held on Tuesday, September 16 at 6:30 pm in Room 339. Individuals interested but unable to attend the meeting or with additional questions, please contact Steve Ross at


Week of September 9, 2014

MLWGS PTSA Back-to-School Night


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Join the MLWGS PTSA for Back-to-School Night on September 11, 2014, at 6:30pm. Be sure to arrive early. Program details and overflow parking information can be found HERE.




Academic Boosters Seeks Parent Reps and Volunteers


The Academic Teams Boosters Club is recruiting parent reps and volunteers for the various academic teams it supports. A passion for the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School and its students is the only requirement. The Academic Teams Boosters Club supports the broad range of activities of the MLWGS Academic Teams by providing the teams with monetary and volunteer support to attend programs and competitions near and far at local, state, national, and international levels. MLWGS Academic Teams include

  • Academic Quiz Bowl (BoB Squad),
  • Academic WorldQuest,
  • Chess,
  • Debate,
  • Forensics,
  • Future Problem Solvers,
  • History Bowl,
  • LifeSmarts,
  • Model Congress,
  • Model UN,
  • Robotics, and the
  • Technology Student Association.

Parents interested in participating and volunteering should contact Bill Benos at bbenos@williamsmullen.com.

Proposed Fall Meeting Schedule:
  • Thursday, September 11, 2014 – 5:30 PM (Before Back-to-School Night)
  • Monday, October 6, 2014 – 6:00 PM (Before the PTSA Meeting which starts at 7:00 PM)
  • Monday, November 17, 2014 – 6:00 PM (Before the PTSA Meeting which starts at7:00 PM)
  • Monday, December 8, 2014 – 4:00 PM (Before the Foundation Meeting which starts at 5:00 PM) (Tentative)



MLWGS Music Boosters Meeting – September 10TH



The MLWGS Music Boosters will meet on Wednesday, September 10th, at 6:00 p.m. in the Music Room. Interested parents should attend the meeting. The Freshman Music Parent Meeting will be held in October.
Please contact Leslie Hausser, MLWGS Music Boosters President at lahmeems@comcast.net with any questions.







Green means Go! To the Dragon's Lair



“It's not easy being green” said Rana pipiens once upon a time. But without it there wouldn’t be envy, dollar bills or cruciferous vegetables. Get into the green groove at the Dragon's Lair with the *new* Maggie Walker sweatshirt, now just $18.

Follow the crowds to the Dragon's Lair every Tuesday and Friday during lunch, and before/during/after Back to School night on Thursday, September 11, this week. Browse 24/7 at mlwgsdragons.weebly.com; greenbacks and checks gladly accepted at the store.







Varkey GEMS Foundation Global Teacher Award


Nominate a MLWGS Teacher for the Varkey GEMS Foundation $1,000,000 Global Teacher Prize. Deadline October 5, 2014.

The Varkey GEMS Foundation launched the Global Teacher Prize to celebrate the best teachers around the world, those who inspire their students and the communities around them. The Global Teacher Award seeks to do for education what the Nobel Prize has done for science, literature, and peace. The focus is to uplift the valuable contributions that teachers make every day to establish a flourishing global society. Click HERE to nominate a MLWGS teacher today.





“Running for Katie”



Katie Anderson, a MLWGS Dragon, lost her battle with leukemia and passed away last March. Her mother, Carolyn McKann, will be running a marathon in her daughter’s memory on November 9 in Athens, Greece. Her goal is to raise $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. To learn more about Mrs. McKann’s efforts or make a donation, visit her webpage HERE.




Two MLWGS Students participate in 2014 VCU Medical Science Internship Program


Two MLWGS students, Aman Kapadia (Chesterfield,’15) and Purnima Ghosh (Henrico, ’15) were accepted into the selective VCU Medical Science Internship Program (MSIP). VCU MSIP, a six-week summer program (June 23 through August 1), provides high-school students the opportunity to work in a research lab at VCU with a scientist. Students have a chance to shadow doctors including neurosurgeons, orthopoedic surgeons, and pediatricians in the MCV hospital.

Kapadia worked with Shobha Ghosh, PhD, assisting with her project "Diet versus de novo synthesized cholesterol - Role in development of cardiovascular disease." Ghosh worked with Ramesh Natarajan, PhD, on his "The role of Vitamin C supplementation on wound healing."