Week of September 17-20
Governor’s School will be closed, Tuesday, 9/18 due to hazardous conditions.
Our messaging system is down so no calls or texts were able to be sent this morning
Schedule for Wednesday, 9/20 & Thursday 9/21 (early dismissal)
Sciences (STEM) – Lecture schedule (Blocks 1-4) both days
Arts & Humanities – Regular Wednesday & Thursday schedule.
Week of September 10-14
Quote for the Week: ““The expert in anything was once a beginner.”
INCLEMENT WEATHER
In the event of inclement weather, SVGS follows the Augusta County school schedule. Parents and students should listen/watch for announcements regarding Augusta County Schools. Any changes in the normal SVGS schedule are posted on our website, facebook, and twitter.
NOTICE TO PARENTS & STUDENTS: You may customize how you wish to be notified by automated calls either by automated calls either to be received at your landline or texted to your phone! Please review the “Contact Preferences” tab in your Infinite Campus portal to set to your preferences. Parents will receive automated calls to their landline or cell phone if they do not have a landline. Students who wish to receive text messages should set their “Contact Preferences” in Infinite Campus. Calls are typically made between 6:00 – 6:15 A.M.
Three Great Opportunities! – Outreach, Hosting a Romanian Exchange Student, & Hearing a Retired FBI Hostage Negotiator!
OUTREACH HELP NEEDED – CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Your teachers could use your help with the following upcoming Outreach activities:
Tuesday, September 11 – Stuarts Draft and Stump elementary schools
Wednesday, September 12 – Shelburne Middle School 8th graders
Tuesday, September 18 – Wm. Perry, Berkeley Glenn elementary schools
Wednesday, September 19 – Kate Collins Middle School 8th graders
ROMANIAN HOSTS NEEDED – CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
It is with great pleasure the SVGS community celebrates the arrival of two Romanian teachers and ten Romanian students to the United States on October 7th, 2018 for our annual Romanian Exchange . This group represents “Colegiul National “Mihai Viteazul” in Bucharest and will arrive in our area on October 7th and return home October 15th. This is a selective school much like SVGS. There will be 7 female students and 3 male students needing hosts. Host families are needed to make this program a success and we would love for you to consider making room for a short term stay in your home that will expose our guests to normal family life in our region.
GIVING VOICE SPEAKERS – CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
September 20 – Parent Conferences
September 21 – Teacher Workday (No SCHOOL – Teacher Workday)
Week of September 4-7 – Outreach, Romanian Exchange, Giving Voice Speaker Series
Quote for the Week: ““Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” – Albert Einstein
SVGS OUTREACH
SVGS will begin its elementary and middle school outreach program on Tuesday, Sept. 11 and Wednesday, Sept. 12 respectively. If you are interested in assisting your teachers with special activities for these groups in the afternoon (meaning you would stay at SVGS for the afternoon) , please see Mrs. Conner for a permission form if you can stay and help. I know your teachers would appreciate your help, and don’t forget—the hours can usually be applied toward community service hours required by many clubs and service organizations at your high school!
Your teachers could use your help with the following upcoming Outreach activities:
Tuesday, September 11
Stuarts Draft and Stump elementary schools – Need 2 STEM, 2 Arts & Humanities
Wednesday, September 12
Shelburne Middle School 8th graders – Need 2 STEM, 2 Arts & Humanities
Tuesday, September 18
Wm. Perry, Berkeley Glenn elementary schools – Need 2 STEM, 2 Arts & Humanities
Wednesday, September 19
Kate Collins Middle School 8th graders – Need 2 STEM, 2 Arts & Humanities
ROMANIAN EXCHANGE
It is with great pleasure the SVGS community celebrates the arrival of two Romanian teachers and ten Romanian students to the United States on October 7th, 2018 for our annual Romanian Exchange . This group represents “Colegiul National “Mihai Viteazul” in Bucharest and will arrive in our area on October 7th and return home October 15th. This is a selective school much like SVGS. If you and your family are interested in hosting, please click here. There will be 7 female students and 3 male students needing hosts.
Host families are needed to make this program a success and we would love for you to consider making room for a short term stay in your home that will expose our guests to normal family life in our region.
What does my family need to do?
-Provide your guest(s) with a clean bed, access to a bathroom and a welcoming smile!
-Arrange for transportation to and from SVGS, home school, and school events
-Host students are asked to attend at least one of the SVGS field trips with our guest(s)
-Meet with other host families prior to guest arrival (Future date and location will be determined by your availability)
How much will this cost?
-All field trip costs for our Romanian guest(s) are provided by SVGS
-Guests are required to pay for incidentals.
-Costs for activities the host families decide to do together would be the expense of the host family. (Please let me know if this is an issue for you!)
-Any meals at home with your family
What are the benefits?
You immediately become the consummate “host” or “hostess” of the Shenandoah Valley and get to take “field trips” to sites in our area- perhaps that you have longed to see again! By getting to know your guests, students are exposing themselves to a new culture that will help them navigate the world around them with a bit more finesse! And…. You are creating a connection that will last a lifetime!
SVGS ELECTRIC VEHICLE TEAM
The SVGS Electric Vehicle Team is open to all SVGS students. Come meet with EV seniors and Mr. Daw on Monday September 9th, 5-8 pm to learn more about this opportunity. SVGS has two full sized electric vehicles and a STEMcycle. Come to learn more, test drive an electric vehicle and eat pizza!
See Mr. Daw if you are interested in participating but can’t attend this informational meeting.
SPEAKER SERIES – See more information below. If students would like to attend any of the speakers presentations, please click here to sign up!
These are dynamic, expert speakers with unusual topics! I hope you will take advantage of these opportunities to explore some topics outside your regular coursework and to focus on thinking and communication about important and interesting issues.
Week of August 27-31
Quote for the Week: ““If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?” – T.S. Eliot
NEW STUDENTS: Just a reminder to be completing your journals!
PROGRESS REPORTS
As an FYI, you should now be able to see your graded assignments as well as your current average in Infinite Campus. I think the detailed assignment list was not showing for some classes earlier.
Also, if you have not logged into Infinite Campus this year, please see me tomorrow to set up your account. It is very quick and important that you monitor your progress. Your “official” grade is in Infinite Campus not Canvas which may only show some assignments.
As a reminder, teachers are to send progress reports home for students with a B- or lower in their classes at the beginning of each month (i.e. Sept. 4-7).
If you have questions or concerns about your classes, please communicate with your teachers and/or see me. Best for your continued good work,
Shenandoah Valley Governor’s School is proud to present our 3rd annual series of distinguished Humanities and Sciences scholars and artists to share their backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and perspectives with students.
Sponsored by the school’s Arts and Humanities program working with a team of students, Giving Voice is bringing three distinguished speakers to our campus.
The speaker’s presentation will be from 11:00 – 11:40. Students will stay at SVGS until 11:40. You will need to pack a lunch.
Thursday, SEPTEMBER 27 We are honored to announce Gary Noesner, former FBI negotiator (primary negotiator at Waco) and author, as our first speaker (http://garynoesner.com). We appreciate his generosity in visiting our school and look forward to providing students the opportunity to hear him.
The slate of speakers for Fall 2018 is as follows:
Speaker 1: “Negotiation: Moving from Conflict to Cooperation” , Mr. Gary Noesner, former FBI negotiator – Thursday, Sept. 27
Speaker 2: “Critical Thinking and Empowerment”, Dr. Mark Piper, Philosophy Professor, JMU – Friday, Oct. 26
Speaker 3: “The Biochemistry of Violence” , Dr. Gina MacDonald, Biology, Professor, JMU – Thursday, Nov. 15
If students who would like to attend any of the speakers presentations, please click here to sign up! Only those who sign up may stay as we need to let your schools know and make logistical plans for space.
MONDAY, September 3 – LABOR DAY (No school!)
Week of August 13-17
Quote for the Week: “Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge.” – Plato
Thursday, August 16 – SVGS Back to School Picnic 6:00 -7:30 p.m.
All students and parents invited. Please bring a covered dish! SVGS will provide meat, bottled water, and paper goods. Teachers will be in their rooms from 7-7:30 P.M. This is a time for you and your parents to meet your teachers, other parents, and students.
REMINDERS:
Parking Permits– A parking permit from VCTC is required for all SVGS student drivers and must be taken care of in person. Augusta County students pay the entire fee at their high schools, who in turn share a portion of the fee with VCTC. To verify parking fees were paid at the high school, Augusta County students must purchase a tag at their high school first and then 1)show that parking tag to Mrs. Conner and 2)complete the driving/transport form above before being issued a parking tag for SVGS. All Staunton and Waynesboro students are required 1) pay $25 (checks should be written to “VCTC”) and 2) complete the SVGS driving/transport form before being issued a parking tag for SVGS. Click below for forms (also available in the SVGS office).
Permission to Drive/Transport– if students are going to drive a car to school, complete the top two sections of the form COMPLETELY – that means complete car identification and license information. WRITE LEGIBLY! If students are going to transport passengers, their names must be at the bottom along with their parents’ signatures.
Permission to Ride– if you are going to be a passenger in another student’s car, you must fill out this form completely.
Attendance – SVGS attendance policies are similar to your home schools requiring notification and verification of absences, tardies, and early dismissals.
How do I pre-arrange an absence?
For your high school’s events and activities (including sports and academic classes!), it is YOUR responsibility to let several people know when you will be gone at LEAST three days prior to your absence: 1) Ms. Conner or Dr. Whitesell AND 2) ALL of your teachers. If you do not do this, your absence will be counted as unexcused and you may not be entitled to make up missed work.
What do I do if I am unavoidably absent (for illness, death in the family, other emergency)?
Your parent should call (245-5088) (or email Ms. Conner or Dr. Whitesell) on the morning of your absence explaining the reason. This enables Ms. Conner to notify your high school of the reason for your absence and may avoid phone calls from your high school. By law, schools MUST speak with a parent or legal guardian if we do not know the reason for your absence.
What must I do after returning to school?
We must have written confirmation of your absence(note or email from parent) – either before the fact for a pre-arranged absence, or upon your return to school. You have two days in which to do this. Failure to bring us a written note stating the reason for your absence means the absence is unexcused.
What do I do if I am late arriving at SVGS?
You MUST check in FIRST with Ms. Conner. Then go on to your class. You should bring a note explaining WHY you are late. This enables us to excuse you for the tardiness if you have a legitimate reason.
What must I do if I need to leave early?
You must bring a note stating the reason you need to leave early. In the event of an emergency, Ms. Conner will attempt to contact your parents to get verbal permission for you to leave.
Shenandoah Valley Governor's School 