Check out this week's updates, information, and upcoming events at Goochland High School. The Bulldog Bulletin is your weekly look into the great things happening at GHS. Go Bulldogs!
THIS WEEK at GHS
Class Meetings - This week administrators will host class meetings during Bulldog Block (seniors during block 2). During these meetings, students will hear updates on disciplinary procedures, learn about some of our safety protocols, and hear more about the fantastic student services we provide at GHS. They will also have an opportunity to ask questions and have them answered directly by school administrators. We believe in transparency with disciplinary and safety procedures and look forward to another successful year inside and out of the classroom!
Cheerleading Fundraiser - The Goochland High School Cheerleading Team is selling advertisements to be placed in the GHS Football Sports Program for the 2024 Football Season! This football program will be sold during GHS home football games, making it a great opportunity to advertise your business or recognize an organization or individual! Not only will your ad be seen by Goochland residents, but residents of neighboring counties that attend the games for the visiting team will also see your advertisements! Ad pricing is:
2-Line “Shout-Out”: $5
5-Line “Shout-Out”: $10
Business Card: $20
¼ Page Ad: $25
½ Page Ad: $50
Full Page Ad: $100
To place an order, please email Coach Jackson (mjackson@glnd.k12.va.us) with the subject “Football Advertisement” and include the size ad you'd like to purchase and any other details regarding your ad. All ads will be printed in black & white and payments are due by Monday, August 26th. Make checks payable to Goochland High School. Thank you for taking the time to consider supporting the Goochland High School Cheerleading Squad!
Fall Play: The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe, Auditions and Crew Interviews - The Goochland Drama Department's fall play will be the classic tale The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe. Acting auditions will occur in Mr. Burch's room (P162 - GMS) from 3:45 - 7:00 PM on Monday, August 26th, and Tuesday, August 27th. Crew interviews will take place during bulldog block on Tuesday, September 3rd. Students in grades 6 - 12 are allowed to audition. If you are interested in participating as a performer or crew member, please email Mr. Burch (nburch@glnd.k12.va.us.)
MAPs Testing - Measures of Academic Performance (MAPs) testing will begin the second week of school in your student’s Math and English classes. Math MAPs will be given on Tuesday, August 27th, and Wednesday, August 28th, depending on which day your student has Math class. English MAPs will be given in English classes on Wednesday, September 4th, and Thursday, September 5th. This is a computer-adaptive test which means the next question changes based on whether the student answered the previous question correctly or not. While this test is not graded, teachers will use this data to help guide their student’s instruction throughout the year. Please help us reinforce the importance of giving their best effort on this assessment.
Girls Basketball Open Gym - These will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school starting on Tuesday, August 27th. All athletes need a completed VHSL physical to participate. Please see Coach Kempf (wkempf@glnd.k12.va.us) in room E160 for details.
College Colors Day - Thursday, August 29th is College Colors Day. Students and staff are encouraged to wear their favorite college gear that day.
Schedule Change Requests- Students can request a schedule change by filling out a blue Schedule Change Request form, which is available in School Counseling or with a School Counselor at lunch. Parents must sign any schedule change dropping or changing a core class. The deadline for schedule change requests is Thursday, August 29th.
GCPS Closed: Labor Day - As a reminder, Goochland County Public Schools will be closed on Friday, August 30th, and Monday, September 2nd, for the Labor Day Holiday. We hope you enjoy your four-day weekend.
Athletics and Activities - Please visit www.GoochlandBulldogs.com for up-to-date schedule information. Many of these events can be streamed live at www.NFHSNetwork.com. Feel free to contact Mr. Fowler (jfowler@glnd.k12.va.us) if you have any questions or need more information.
THIS MONTH at GHS
Attendance Awareness Month - As we approach September at the end of this week, GHS wants to inform families that September is Attendance Awareness Month. During September, we take time to highlight the importance of school attendance and its impact on students’ future successes. When attendance is improved, so are academic achievements and graduation rates. Join us in talking with your students this month about the importance of regular school attendance and reflecting on your expectations for their attendance. Thank you in advance for your support!
Boys Basketball Open Gym - Boys Basketball open gyms will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 - 5:45 pm. Participants must have a completed VHSL physical form turned in to Coach Gordon or Coach Fowler. Everyone must also complete the concussion test before participating. An information meeting will be held in the cafeteria on Tuesday, September 3rd during Bulldog Block. Players need to request a pass before the meeting. Please contact Coach Gordon if you have any questions (prgordon@glnd.k12.va.us).
Junkyard Dogs Robotics Team is Looking for New Members - The Goochland Junkyard Dogs Robotics team is looking for new members and will be collecting applications (linked HERE) through Wednesday, September 11th. Interviews will follow on Friday, September 13th. As part of FIRST Robotics, the Junkyard Dogs practice and implement skills that translate to almost ANY employment environment. These skills include planning, budgeting, time management, observing deadlines, leadership, communication, design, outreach, fund-raising, building, using tools, machining, web design, programming... the list is extensive. Their six-week season starts in January and competitions follow. During the season, the team designs, builds, programs, and tests (and iterates) a robot from scratch to compete with other robots in our district. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Maloney (rmaloney@glnd.k12.va.us.)
Bulldog Gear - Check out our new online school store. We have hundreds of products that can be customized to show your GHS spirit! For a limited time, you can get 20% off most items until Sunday, September 15th. Purchases are shipped directly to your home. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Fowler (jfowler@glnd.k12.va.us).
Calling All Local Veterans - Mrs. Tate, one of our U.S. History teachers, is looking for veterans for the 2024-25 school year to be "adopted" by her ACA 11th-grade students. Local veterans willing to volunteer to be interviewed by 11th graders (and have an awesome time with our students all year!) are encouraged to join. Veterans can join via the Google Form on the GHS Veterans Project website or by emailing Mrs. Tate (rtate@glnd.k12.va.us).
MacBook Air Insurance Payments - All students and parents should sign the AUP form on PowerSchool and can pay the $30 Macbook Air insurance fee using the Online School Payment System. This fee covers most laptop repairs and a one-time replacement of lost or damaged GCPS-issued technology. Without insurance coverage, all repairs and replacement costs are the responsibility of the student/parent.
Parking Passes - These passes can be purchased on the OSP website, and the cost is $75.00. Once the purchase is complete, students must complete this application. Applications must be printed and submitted in person. Students who are unable to attend Back-to-School night can also get their pass during lunches during the first week of school. Please email Mrs. Coiner at ecoiner@glnd.k12.va.us with any questions.
Student Drivers - Student drivers may drive to school for the first week without a pass. Within the first week of school, we will distribute parking passes to those who have completed the registration form and paid the parking fee in OSP. Beginning on Monday, August 26th, any student who drives to school without a pass will receive a ticket. Additionally, student drivers are not permitted to return to their cars during the school day without administrative approval. Please reach out to Ms. Coiner (ecoiner@glnd.k12.va.us) or another administrator if you have any questions.
Student Growth Assessments - During the week of September 9th, students will take student growth assessments (SGAs) in Science and History classes. These are non-graded assessments used by teachers to see what students know already and which areas they need to cover. Assessments are created locally by each department. If you have any questions, please reach out to Dr. Rainbolt (srainbolt@glnd.k12.va.us).
REMINDERS
Absence/Tardy Procedures - Attendance in school significantly impacts a student’s academic success, and families play a crucial role in making sure students make it to school on time each day. The Virginia Department of Education asks schools to report chronic absenteeism each year, which is included in their School Quality Profile. As in previous years, we ask that parents call the school before 10:00 am to report their child’s absence. Students who are absent must also bring a note on the first day they return to school stating the reason(s) for their absence(s). Notes are held as legal records of student absences. Please assist us by following these policies throughout the school year so that we can continue to provide our students with a safe learning environment and ensure they receive the exceptional instruction our teachers provide. This school year, students who arrive after the tardy bell at 9:06 am must enter through the front doors at GHS and report to the tardy table for a pass to class. Please take a moment to view this letter regarding the impacts of compulsory attendance.
Bell Schedule - Our bell schedule has been slightly altered from the 2023-2024 SY. We will begin the school day at 9:06 am each morning and end at 3:35 pm. Doors will open to students at 8:45 am. Please see the link to the GHS 2024-25SY Bell Schedule for details.
Calendar - Please reference the 2024-25 GHS Day 1/Day 2 Calendar to know which classes will meet on any given day.
Canvas - Canvas is the learning management system for Goochland County Public Schools. Teachers deliver instructional materials, assignments, etc. through Canvas, and it is recommended that parents create an account to view their child’s progress in Canvas. Parents should use the directions and resources found at https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/canvas to create an account and connect to their students’ Canvas accounts to view course assignments, school announcements, and our activities calendar. If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Richards, GHS Instructional Technology Coach, at crichards@glnd.k12.va.us.
Disciplinary Updates - Here is our GCPS conduct video for the 2024-25 school year. Please contact one of our Goochland High School administrators if you have questions. Also, please view our updated school board policy regarding cell phones and dress code here.
Early Dismissal Procedures - Students wishing to leave school early without their parents present must bring a WRITTEN excuse signed by their parents by 10:00 am the day of the early dismissal to the main office. This written excusal note can also be in the form of an email (coming from the parent’s email account) sent to bulldogs@glnd.k12.va.us. In the case of an emergency, parents may call in and ask for administrative approval for an early dismissal over the phone. Please assist us by following these policies throughout the school year so that we can continue to provide our students with a safe learning environment and ensure they receive the exceptional instruction our teachers provide.
Electronic Distribution of Flyers - Throughout the 24.25 school year, please visit this website for upcoming events or activities throughout the Goochland community.
Free Feminine Care Products - Through a partnership with Sylvia's Sisters and the Virginia Department of Health, we are able to provide feminine care products for free to our students to take home when necessary. Please reach out to Nurse Griffith (lgriffith@glnd.k12.va.us) if you are interested in your student receiving these products.
Goochland High School Website - Be sure to check out our Goochland High School website. All the information you need is easy to find in a few short clicks! We also encourage you to download the GCPS app. Search for Goochland County Schools on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Everything you need to know about menus, special events, and news is available on your phone.
G-Tech Classes - Students who attend classes in the GTech building will need to meet in the front bus loop once the bell rings for the block. We have a shuttle bus that will pick up and drop off students throughout the day. Students are not allowed to drive to GTech.
Outside Food Items - Federal regulations prohibit outside food vendors from selling or distributing food during school hours. Our food services staff has worked extremely hard to provide our students with different menu options. Please consult their daily menu here.
PTSA - Your GHS PTSA welcomes YOU - students and families to our hallowed halls, fields, courts, and classrooms - returning and new! We are reachable by email at goochlandhsptsa@gmail.com. Please follow our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoochlandHighPTSA. We are celebrating your child and you being here! Go, Bulldogs.
Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up - The high school student drop-off and pick-up area is located in the back stadium parking lot. Take advantage of the short line in the back instead of joining the middle school drop-off line in the front parking lot.
Supervision After School - Students are asked to leave campus before evening activities because we cannot provide supervision after school. Any student who wants to stay after school must be accompanied by an adult. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation.
Updates from the Nurse - If your child is sick with any illness (including COVID) they can not return to school until their symptoms are improving and they are fever-free without the use of any fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol/Motrin. Also, if your child is a Senior and they have not received the required vaccine (MenACWY) or submitted a Religious exemption form, they can not come to school on Monday, August 26th. They can return to school once the required documentation is received. Please contact Nurse Griffith (lgriffith@glnd.k12.va.us) with any questions.
Yearbooks - Yearbooks are for sale! And due to last year’s shipping issues, Balfour has given us a one-year discount on yearbook prices! Please consider purchasing your 2024-2025 yearbook now. Yearbooks will be $55 through the end of the year and $65 after January 1, 2025. Make sure to order your yearbook through the Balfour website. Please contact Mrs. Mistler (kmistler@glnd.k12.va.us) if you have any questions. We will have a spring release this year, so yearbooks will be in your hands before we leave for the summer!
Senior Class of 2025
All Night Graduation - We would like to extend a HUGE thanks to our senior students who attended the “Senior Sunrise” on Monday morning. We had about 110 students attend which was remarkable! Also, thank you so much to the parents who volunteered their time to help out, along with the parents who donated food! It was a GREAT event!
We will hold a car wash on Saturday, September 14th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm at United Bank. A sign-up genius will be coming soon!
We will also be sharing a sign-up genius soon for our indoor Fall sports concession needs.
Please follow ANG on Facebook, “Goochland All Night Graduation 2025.” If you have any questions or want to join ANG, please email them at GoochlandANG@gmail.com.
Are you interested in purchasing a “Bulldog Discount Card?” If so, email the ANG team (email above)
Click here to purchase your “Class of ‘25” t-shirt or sweatshirt!
Post-Secondary Planning- School Counselors will be speaking with students through their English class on Tuesday, September 2nd, and Wednesday, September 3rd about options after high school. School Counselors will start meeting with seniors for a one-on-one meeting to discuss their plans on Friday, September 6th. If you would like to attend your child’s senior meeting, please contact their school counselor to set an appointment.
Senior Parent Night- The School Counseling Department will be hosting a Virtual Senior Parent Night on Thursday, September 5th. During this meeting, we will discuss post-secondary options and how to apply to college. To join the meeting, please use this link to a Google Meet. Or dial: (US) +1 920-770-3693 PIN: 247 631 733#