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Bulldog Bulletin: February 17-21

Goochland High School

February 17, 2025

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!

💥💥Bulldog Recognitions💥💥

All-District Chorus - This weekend, 16 talented GHS choral students traveled to Prince George High School to represent our school at the All-District Chorus Event. This prestigious event is open to students by audition only and provides the opportunity to perform advanced repertoire under the direction of renowned conductors from across the country. As some of the top singers from our school, these students sang alongside the best vocalists from other schools in our district, demonstrating exceptional dedication, musicality, and hard work. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented our school and community—congratulations to the following students: Lily Mae Beasley, Silas Beasley, Hattie Harrelson, Janiyah Harris, Victoria Harris, Will Hyer, Olivia Joyner, Lyd Mallory, Emma Mancuso, Hailey Metzinger, Jeremiah Moody, Jeremiah Parker, Isabella Payne, Caroline Speer, Virginia Waldrup, and Mia Wilson. Also, kudos to Mrs. Erinne Smitherman (esmitherman@glnd.k12.va.us) for leading the charge!

Class of 2025 College Acceptances - Attention seniors! We would love to acknowledge your college acceptances as you have gotten in. Please fill out this form. You must be logged in to your GLND email to access to submit. Please let us know so we can recognize YOU for your accomplishments! Be sure to contact your counselor with any questions. HERE is a map of where our seniors have been accepted so far.

Student-Athletes of the Month - We are excited to announce our December student-athletes who excel at balancing academics and athletics while displaying leadership and hard work. January’s winners are Ailey Black and Patrick Harlow. Ailey is a junior leader of the track team while Patrick leads the wrestling team respectively. These individuals are great representatives of our school and exemplify what it means to be a student-athlete. Congratulations Ailey and Patrick - thank YOU for representing our Bulldog Family!

Swim Team Regionals - Congratulations to the swim teams on their performances at the regional swim meet on Monday. Olivia Spooner, Bill Belcher, Connor Davis, and Charlie Harrington all brought home regional titles in individual events. In addition to 4 individual titles, two boys' relay teams brought home the gold. The 200 IM Relay (Harrington, Zach Cheatham, Belcher, Davis) and the 200 Free Relay (Belcher, Harrington, Ford Reams, Davis) won regional titles. Overall the boys team finished in 2nd and the girls in 4th. The state meet will take place in Christiansburg on February 21st. Well done, Bulldogs!

Wrestling Team Regionals - Congratulations to Camron Hardy, Cannen Harlow, and Patrick Harlow for placing at the regional wrestling tournament this week. Patrick took the gold medal in the 285 lb weight class, while Cannen took silver at 190 lbs and Camron got bronze at 113 lbs. These three wrestlers advance to the state tournament in Salem on February 21st - 22nd. Good luck, Bulldogs!

THIS WEEK at GHS

GCPS Closed - GCPS will be closed on Monday, February 17th for President’s Day! Enjoy your extended weekend!

Shrek the Musical: Audition Updates - Auditions for the spring production, Shrek: the Musical, will pick back up Tuesday through Wednesday (February 18 - 19th), and the first rehearsal will be held on Thursday, February 20th, from 3:45 to 5:30 PM. For those auditioning, please take a look at the Goochland Drama Canvas announcement page for audition updates. We will still hold crew interviews during Bulldog Block on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Burch (nburch@glnd.k12.va.us).  

GCPS All-Star Week - Each year, All-Star Week is a special time when we celebrate all GCPS staff members for their incredible contributions and the lasting impact they have on our students, families, and community. From teachers and bus drivers to school nurses, administrators, and support staff, every team member plays a vital role in making GCPS a great place to learn and grow! As we prepare for this celebration later this month, we’d love to hear from you! Do you have a GCPS staff member who has made a difference in your child’s life? Whether it’s a kind gesture, a moment of encouragement, or a story of going above and beyond, we invite you to share your appreciation. You can submit your stories of gratitude—big or small—by filling out this short form. If you’d like, you can even upload a photo to accompany your story. Selected stories may be featured on our GCPS social media pages during All-Star Week as we highlight the outstanding individuals who help make our schools so special. Thank you for joining us in celebrating our amazing staff! We can’t wait to hear your stories.

National FFA Week - GHS will celebrate National FFA Week from February 18th - 21st. The GHS FFA student organization under the leadership of Mr. Allen (dallen@glnd.k12.va.us) will provide daily FFA trivia each day of the week. The FFA students would also like to encourage all students to participate in the following dress-up days:

  • Tuesday, February 18th - Is this country? (dress like what you think “country dress” is”)

  • Wednesday, February 19th - Red vs. Green Tractors (wear red or green)

  • Thursday, February 20th - FFA colors day (wear blue and gold)

  • Friday, February 21st - “Thank a Farmer Day” (plaid, overalls, etc.)

Virginia Kindness Week (Take 2)

  • Last week was Virginia Kindness Week, but we are going to extend it due to the snow days!

  • Teachers will be “catching students” who are demonstrating kindness and those students will be recognized.  

  • Also, the interact club is going to have a friendship bracelet day during lunches on Wednesday.  On Friday, we encourage everyone to wear Neon and sign the kindness banner during lunch.

Black History Month Events - In addition to the instructional activities taking place in students’ academic classes, the faculty has planned several events to celebrate Black History Month. On Wednesday, February 19th, during Bulldog block, we will hold a school-wide Kahoot trivia challenge that will highlight contributors to African American history and American history that stems from both African American and Afro-Latin heritage. We will cap off the week with a Black History Month celebration on Friday, February 21st with step team performances, games, a DJ, and a guest speaker. We are extremely excited to celebrate Black History Month at GHS! Hats off to Mrs. Amanda Tolson (atolson@glnd.k12.va.us) and Mr. Bryant Winbush (bwinbush@glnd.k12.va.us) for their hard work organizing these events! 

Message from the Drama Department - The famous Green Ogre and crew will hit the stage this spring as the Goochland Drama Department puts on SHREK: THE MUSICAL for the GHS Spring Production. Crew interviews will be held during Bulldog Block on February 18th and 19th. Students in grades 6 - 12 are allowed to audition for the cast, while grades 9 - 12 are permitted to interview for the crew. If you'd like to be part of this production, you can click here to view the audition packet. You can also contact Mr. Burch (nburch@glnd.k12.va.us) for further details. Performances for Shrek: The Musical will take place from April 25 - 27th.

Student-Athlete Parent Survey Request -  As we wind down our winter athletic season, our athletics department would like to hear feedback from our parents and student-athletes. Parents, please use the link to the 2024/25 Parent End of Season Survey, and students should use the link to the 2024/25 Student End of Season Survey to provide us with commendations and suggestions for improvement. We look forward to reviewing the results.  The surveys will close on Friday, February 21st.

Uniting our Community Through Music Event - On Saturday, February 22nd, The Second Union Rosenwald Museum in collaboration with Virginia State University Choir and Goochland High School Choir will be hosting a free musical event for the Goochland community. Please make plans to attend and see the details HERE! If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Erinne Smitherman (esmitherman@glnd.k12.va.us).

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

Workplace Readiness Skills (WRS) Assessments - Official assessments are scheduled for February 24th - 26th. This important certification measures their understanding of key employability skills such as teamwork, professionalism, and problem-solving. By earning this credential, students demonstrate their preparedness for the workforce and gain a valuable advantage for their future careers. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Brockman (jbrockman@glnd.k12.va.us).

Spring Sports - Spring sports are just around the corner.  Tryouts will start on Monday, February 24th.  Please reach out to the coaches for more details.  You must have a physical on file dated after May 1st, 2024 to participate.

GHS Veteran’s Project Update - The GHS Veterans Project is proud to host an exhibit, World War II: Voices of Service, from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. We will be holding a Community Night on Wednesday, February 26th from 6:00-7:30 PM in the GHS Cafeteria. During this event, in addition to displaying the Voices of Service exhibit, we will also have WWII artifacts and children's activities, so bring the whole family! Please contact Mrs. Tate (RTate@glnd.k12.va.us) with any questions.

Mr. GHS 2025 DATE CHANGE - Thursday, February 27th at 6:00 pm

 Gentlemen, dust off those air guitars because Mr. GHS is back! Our hilarious boys' pageant and GHS Veterans Project fundraiser are back by popular demand. Show off your talents with your friends or solo and be sure to bring your flashiest 'fits! This will also serve as Noah Jones's senior project. We will name both a Mr. GHS 2025 and an "Audience Favorite" with a cash prize! If you're interested, please fill out this interest form. Not competing? Come watch as our contestants strut their stuff in the talent round, like rock bands and mastering the art of dad jokes. Witness the questionable fashion choices of our competitors! Be sure to grab your $3 tickets the week before! Any questions? Please contact Noah or Mrs. Tate (RTate@glnd.k12.va.us).

Spring Gifted Window Now Open! - The spring gifted referral window is open! Teachers, students, parents, and community members are invited to refer current GHS students for gifted evaluation until Friday, February 28th. As a reminder, Goochland identifies students as gifted in the following areas: English/Language Arts, Math, General Intellectual Aptitude, Fine Arts (including vocal music, instrumental music, dance, acting, technical theatre, and studio arts), and Career and Technical Aptitude. Referrals can be found HERE. Please contact Ms. Kecia Howell (khowell@glnd.k12.va.us), GHS Gifted Advisor, with any questions and to return completed referrals.

GCPS Textbook Adoption - GHS is currently considering a textbook and digital resource adoption for high school mathematics. This reviewing process will take place from March 3rd - 14th. Please view this document for more information. Thank you!

GPOW - The Goochland Portfolio of Writing will be given during English classes between March 4th and 11th. Students in English 9 will complete a persuasive essay. Students in English 10 will complete an analytical essay. These essays will be added to their portfolio of work which will be used as a student's attempt to earn their verified credit in Writing needed for graduation. Please make sure your student gets plenty of rest and comes prepared to give their best effort!

ECMC College Nights and Scholarship Opportunity- Thinking about college? Whether you are planning to attend college or simply evaluating your options, you can get answers to your questions about college admissions, the financial aid process, and scholarships at our ECMC College Nights event. The School Counseling Department will be presenting this program on Thursday, March 13th at 6:00 PM Virtually. A drawing will happen at the end of the presentation for a $1000 Scholarship. To qualify for the scholarship drawing: 

· The parent or student must be in the meeting within five minutes of the start time to fill out the form and have video access to the meeting for the link.  

· The parent or student must be present for the drawing at the end of the presentation to win.  

· Each student who is present or has a parent present for the meeting will be entered to win. 

Join the Google Meet or you may call +1 520-815-1294 PIN: ‪576 401 480#.   Keep in mind that students or parents who call in will not have access to the link for the scholarship drawing or be able to see the presentation.

Spring MAP Assessments - Spring MAPS testing will begin the week of March 17th in Math and English classes. MAP testing is a chance for students and teachers to see student growth over the school year. We strongly encourage our students to get plenty of rest before taking these critical assessments. Please reach out to your child’s Math or English teacher if you have any questions.

March 21st - Friday, March 21st will now be a normal school day due to the snow closures. This will be a Day 1. Please plan accordingly!

Sophomore ACA Kick-Off - Sophomore ACA students and parents, please mark your calendars now for Monday, March 24th at 6:00 PM! You are cordially invited to join the Reynolds Career Coach and the ACA Site Director that evening for our virtual ACA Summer Preparation Kick-off (Google Meet HERE). We'll cover topics such as the required summer course outline, payment timelines, communication channels, access to college resources, and strategies for planning, surviving, and thriving beyond the summer. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Beth Fowler (bfowler@glnd.k12.va.us). We can't wait to see you all there!

EnerGize and EnGage Day at GHS - Save the date, Bulldogs! Energize & Engage Day will take place on Friday, March 28th! This is a day where students sign up for courses they are interested in - from pickleball to car maintenance to rocket launching. Sign-ups will take place in March, but mark your calendars now to attend this regularly scheduled school day - with a twist! 

GHS Prom - Goochland High School's prom will be held on Saturday, May 10th at the Adams International School! Our theme is Once Upon a Time… dust off your glass slippers! Any students (or parents!) who wish to be a part of the Prom Planning Committee should contact Mrs. Boehm (mboehm@glnd.k12.va.us). 

REMINDERS   

Electronic Distribution of Flyers - Throughout the 24.25 school year, please visit this website for upcoming events or activities throughout the Goochland community.

Scheduling for the 2025-2026 School Year - School Counselors are meeting with EACH student for their Academic and Career Planning meeting to review their course requests for the 2025-2026 school year and discuss their future goals. If you would like to be a part of your child’s Academic and Career Planning meeting, please use the link to your child’s school counselor.

o   Ms. McMullin (A-G)

o   Ms. Salazar (H-Ph)

o   Ms. Ferrell (Pi-Z)

Senior Class of 2025

All-Night Graduation - The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 4th at 6:30 pm in the GHS cafeteria.

  • Casino Night will be held at Bandits Ridge on Friday, March 14th. Please contact Michele Brooks at 804-221-2336 if you know of a person or business that would like to sponsor. If you plan to attend, purchase your tickets HERE!

  • Spring Bingo will be held on Saturday, March 22nd in the GHS cafeteria at 6:00 pm. Presale bingo cards will be available for purchase at River Road Cottage for $20. Bingo cards can be purchased at the door for $25.  Please come out and support our last bingo of the year!

  • The Class of ‘25 Baccalaureate will be held on Sunday, May 18th at 3:00 pm NEW DATE in the GHS auditorium. Seniors are encouraged to attend an inspirational afternoon with music, speakers, and light refreshments afterward. Please wear what you will wear to graduation under the gowns and don’t forget your caps.  Seniors can earn tickets for attending that can go towards Senior Sunset raffle prizes.

  • The annual “Senior Walk” in the Goochland Day Parade will be on Saturday, May 17th. It is a nice tradition where the seniors walk in the parade for that proud moment of graduating. Seniors will also earn tickets to the Senior Sunset event. The sign-up will be sent out soon with times and instructions.

  • The tradition of our “Senior Walks” through our elementary schools will be on Friday, May 23rd. The school and time are as follows: RES at 9:00 am, GES at 10:00 am, and BES at 11:00 am. A sign-up, along with additional details will be coming soon! Those who attend will earn tickets for the Senior Sunset event. 

  • Be sure to mark your calendars now for the “Senior Sunset” on Friday, May 30th from 7:00 - 10:00 pm in the GHS softball field. We will do different activities, games, food, pictures, and raffle prizes! Please make plans to attend!

  • 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. 

Scholarships - A lot of new scholarships have been added to the GHS Class of 2025 Scholarships sheet. Please contact Ms. McMullin (mmcmullin@glnd.k12.va.us) if you have any questions!

Financial Aid - Students and parents can schedule a meeting with our GRASP Advisor, Ms.Lindsay Bradley, to get help with the FAFSA, discuss financial aid award letters, and get additional scholarship information. Please use this link to schedule an appointment or email her at goochland@grasp4va.org.

Senior Class Meeting - Ms. Reahard, Ms. McMullin, ANG, and the administration will be holding a senior class meeting on Thursday, March 27th at 10:30 am in the auditorium.  We will be reviewing graduation details, senior project updates, and the end-of-year ANG events. 

Senior Projects - This year, students will complete a total of 20 service hours. The final 10 hours are due in April. Students will not be permitted to walk at the GHS graduation ceremony if they do not complete their senior project. Lastly, Education for Employment and Blue Ridge Virginia Governor's School students complete a separate senior project through those experiences. Please contact Mallory McMullin at (mmcmullin@glnd.k12.va.us) with any questions.

Reynold's Graduation Ceremony (including ACA students) - The ceremony will be held on Tuesday, May 13th at 2:00 pm at the Stuart C. Siegel Center (1200 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23284). Be sure to mark your calendars now and tell all your friends and family! Seating will not be limited for this event, so there is room for them all!

Class of ‘25 Graduation Details - Please mark your calendars for our GHS class of 2025 graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 31st at 7:30 pm at the GHS Stadium. The rain date will be Sunday, June 1st at 7:30 pm. We will have follow-up details in the coming months regarding the senior students' last day of school, senior exam week, etc.