Week of April 18, 2017

PTSA BOARD VOTE MAY 2

The MLWGS PTSA Board will be seeking a vote for the election of the following candidates for the 2017-18 PTSA Executive Board. The vote will be held at the MLWGS General Membership PTSA meeting on May 2, 2017 at 5:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. 

The current MLWGS PTSA Board is pleased to present the following candidates:

President:                                       Anthony Taylor

President Elect:                               Natalie Smith

VP Finance:                                     Rachel Downey

VP Membership and Communications:  Mary Michael Schweiker

VP Events:                                      Sarah Van Dam

Treasurer:                                      Christine Pimblett

Secretary:                                      Jessica Coffey

SENIORS

Graduation Paraphernalia Arrives This Week!

Herff Jones will be at MLWGS during lunch on Thursday, April 20 and Friday, April 21 to deliver caps, gowns, announcements, and any other graduation paraphernalia that you ordered.  Seniors should go to the downstairs commons area to pick up their items.  If there are any errors with the order, please call Herff Jones directly:  804-598-0971.

The class photo taken on the outdoor steps of the school will be photographed by Strawbridge Studios on Tuesday, April 25. Seniors need to bring their cap and gown with them for the picture.  Information to buy the picture will be distributed after Spring Break.  Photos cost $15.00.

If you have any questions, please contact Kerry Sheppard, graduation coordinator, at ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us or 801-354-6800 ext. 3304

SPANISH AND FRENCH STUDENTS NEED HOST FAMILIES IN JULY

Have an amazing experience this summer! Host a student from Spain or France (ages 13-17) in your home for 3-4 weeks. Learn about their culture while he or she learns about living in an American family just being a part of what you regularly do. There are a variety of programs to suit a family’s work or non-working schedule. Families receive stipends to help out with expenses. We can help work out transportation or vacation concerns. This will be a rich experience for your family!

Contact Debbie Hardy 909-3190 or debbiehardy2003@yahoo.com.

UPDATE REGARDING LAPTOP PILOT PROGRAM 

Letter from Jeff Hall, Coordinator of Instructional Technology

In the Fall of the 2017-18 school year, Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School will begin a small one-to-one laptop pilot with a small percentage of incoming freshmen.  The goal of the pilot is to explore the impact that having ubiquitous technology resources and internet access would have on the instruction and learning of our gifted students. Additionally, we are constantly seeking to enhance the learning of students through the effective use of technology.   This letter is meant to provide the community with an update on the status of this initiative.

Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School is a truly unique school designed to meet the special instructional needs of gifted students. As a part of our school technology plan, we are continually evaluating the effectiveness of various instructional technologies. Specifically, instructional leaders have been asked to explore the possibility of providing equitable access to computer hardware across the entire student body (Technology Plan #5.03.08). Therefore, during the first semester of the 2017-18 school year, we have been approved to launch a small pilot to explore what impact a one-to-one laptop program might have on learning at MLWGS.   There is no predetermined outcome of this pilot.  Specifically the pilot is designed to collect data on a variety of hardware, software, and services in order to determine which products best meet those unique instructional needs.  Additionally with our small IT staff of two, we need to determine which products provide the management support that will allow for effective deployment and ongoing maintenance of such a program. Lastly, this pilot will act as a catalyst to deepen the conversation on establishing “clear and concise” instructional goals for a possible proposed one-to-one (1:1) program.    

This pilot calls for the deployment of three different kinds of devices to 45 students, 15 per device. This deployment would take place at the beginning of the 1st semester in 2017-18 school year and end June 2018.  In addition to hardware, this would allow us to pilot the various management systems, updated projector systems, printers, along with ‘on-demand’ high-quality instructional content providers.   

While the deployment of devices will begin with the start of the 2017-18 school year, the process of planning began in the 2016-17 school year in order to ensure a successful outcome. Thanks to the hard work of our Technology Office, we have begun to address the wireless network which has been identified as essential for the success of any such pilot. Under the supervision of the One-to-One Pilot Advisory Committee, which is made up of stakeholders including faculty, students, parents, and administration, we are in the process of procuring the equipment, software, and services needed. Over the course of the next few months, we will continue work with the Technology Office to establish the criteria for determining candidates, specific tools that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the devices, participating faculty and student training, as well as the process of deployment.

It is our goal to engage the entire MLWGS community in this conversation. To that end, there will be multiple presentations about the pilot to the PTSA and with faculty. This letter is meant to bring the members of our current community up to speed on the pilot and its objectives.  We look forward to a productive and collaborative conversation as we initiate and move forward through this exciting process.

Our ongoing instructional technology goal is to “Create. Connections.” for our students by providing them with authentic learning opportunities where they can collaborate both locally and globally.  Members of our community can expect regular communications through the Smoke and Scales newsletter, PTSA meetings, and faculty meetings.  In the meantime, if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact Jeff Hall, the Coordinator of Instructional Technology, at jhall@gsgis.k12.va.

Thank you for your continuing support of our unique school and its mission.

FORMER DRAGON, YA AUTHOR MAKING LOCAL APPEARANCES

Jenny Han (Class of 1998) will be in Richmond soon for a stop on the book tour for her Young Adult novel Always and Forever, Lara Jean (http://www.simonandschusterpublishing.com/alwaysandforever/), the final volume of the bestselling To all the Boys I’ve Loved Before.  Jenny will be at the Chesterfield Towne Center Barnes & Noble on Tuesday, May 2 at 7 p.m.

(http://stores.barnesandnoble.com/event/9780061850596-0).  She would be delighted to see any Governor's School students, parents, and alumni who can attend.

Week of May 10, 2016

STILL A CHANCE TO RUN IN THE KOLOR ME KATIE 5K

The Kolor Me Katie 5K, in memory of Dragon Katie Anderson, is being held on May 21, 2016 at the Goochland YMCA. This year’s race benefits Connor’s Heroes Foundation and the Goochland YMCA Leaders’ Club. Last year’s inaugural race had around 300 runners and raised more than $7,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (last year’s beneficiary).

For more information about the upcoming race, please go to www.kolormekatie.com.

For a moving account by Katie’s mother, Carolyn McKann, please see her recent piece in the Richmond Times Dispatch at

http://www.richmond.com/life/article_d5a067c4-3a76-57c4-bcca-586704a1db56.html

BACCALAUREATE SERVICE

Thursday, June 16, 2016, 6:30 p.m.

The Baccalaureate Service will be held at Reveille United Methodist Church, 4200 Cary Street Road. Sponsored by the MLWGS PTSA, the interfaith service begins at 6:30 p.m. and will last approximately one hour. Students are not required to attend, but this traditional and memorable event celebrates finishing one chapter in their lives and beginning the next. Families and friends of graduates are most welcome to attend.  The official invitation from the PTSA will arrive by mail in a couple of weeks.  Seniors are reminded to bring both cap and gown for the ceremony.  If you have any questions, please contact Susan Creasey at creaseys@verizon.net.

AUDITION TO PERFORM AT MLWGS GRADUATION

Showcasing MLWGS Senior musical talent is an important tradition at Senior Recognition Night and graduation.  For example, vocalists are needed to sing The Star-Spangled Banner.  Additional performers or performance groups (instrumental or vocal) are sought for both events. Any MLWGS senior or group of seniors interested in auditioning must sign up for a time slot by May 12 on the list outside the Forum.  Final decisions will be made by a committee of faculty members and the class officers.   Note: All students intending to perform must be present at auditions and are required to perform their intended piece for graduation or Senior Night. Auditions will occur on Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 17 after school.

Questions? Contact Ms. Sheppard (ksheppard@gsgis.k12.va.us or 804-354-6800 ext. 3304)

MLWGS TECH PLAN

The technology integration team has been hard at work this year developing its three-year technology plan for Maggie Walker Governor’s School.  

Several months ago, the team collected substantial feedback (more than 300 survey responses!) from students, teachers, staff, and parents on use of technology at MLWGS.  These responses were compiled into a number of common themes and form the basis of the draft technology plan with high-level “goals" and more specific “objectives" for each goal.

The next step for the team is to come up with specific “strategies” or “initiatives” that will help to meet each objective and also create “measurements” to track progress. 

Because technology is an increasingly important aspect of our lives and educational environment, the team wants to be as inclusive as possible in getting a variety of perspectives for the technology plan!

Request of Parents, students, and members of the Maggie L. Walker community:  if you have an interest in the use of technology at Maggie Walker, please review the draft plan by clicking on the link to the  draft technology goals and objectives [http://bit.ly/20bst3y] and share any suggestions on potential strategies and measurements for the plan’s objectives (or feedback on the objectives themselves!) 

The best way to provide feedback is to email both Jeff Hall (at jhall@gsgis.k12.va.us) and copy Eric Lowell, who is helping to compile the results (at Eric.Lowell@bus.utexas.edu).  Please provide your thoughts by May 17.

Thank you for your input and valuable time.

Jeff Hall

Coordinator of Instructional Technology

Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School

Eric Lowell

Proud parent and helper

Link to draft technology goals and objectives:  http://bit.ly/20bst3y

2016 NIGHT OF THE DRAGON AUCTION

The bills have been paid, the checks sent to the booster groups, and the down payment for next year’s auction is ready to go!  Thanks to all donors, volunteers, bidders and winners for a very successful 2016 auction.  It was a wonderful evening and a generous outpouring of support for MLWGS. This year, through your gracious donations and winning bids the auction committee was able to provide more than $54,000 to the boosters, PTSA. and Foundation. Thanks again and we look forward to hosting another outstanding auction next year; mark the date February 25, 2017!

VOTE MLWGS IN USA TODAY'S

2015-16 America's Best Athletic Program

Who has the best athletic program in the country?  USA TODAY High School Sports is giving the fans the opportunity to decide.  The next installment of the “America’s Best” contest series will be the 2015-16 America’s Best Athletic Program.

The contest will take place over a 10-month period (August – June), where schools from each state, including Washington D.C., that have won a state championship in the past three academic years (2012-15) in a state sanctioned sport will compete for the best athletic program in the country.  States will be rolled out in groups of three (3) in two-week increments over the 10-month period.

To vote you must be at least 13 years old to vote. There is no limit to the number of times a person can vote as long as the Best Athletic Program Rules are followed.

The athletic department of the winning school will receive $2,500. Second place will receive $1,500 and third place will receive $500. All 10 finalists will receive banners for their schools.

http://contest.usatodayhss.com/vote/best-athletic-program-virginia/round-1/va/17583

http://contest.usatodayhss.com/vote/2015-16-americas-best-athletic-program

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Lucy Dacas
Photo Courtesy of Style Weekly

Style Weekly cover story on MLWGS alum Lucy Dacus     <http://www.styleweekly.com/richmond/from-maggie-walker-to-national-indie-darling-richmonds-lucy-dacus-makes-an-early-mark/Content?oid=2326876>

Latest Issue of the Jabberwock <http://mlwgsjabberwock.com/>

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.  3304; ksheppard@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.

https://sites.google.com/a/gsgis.k12.va.us/mlwgs-2016-2017-proposed-operating-calendar-for-review-and-comment/

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.

http://mlwgs.com/caltech-mit-pomona-yale-information-session-at-maggie-walker-may-15th/

The session will be held in the auditorium.

https://apps.admissions.yale.edu/register/CMPY16Richmond